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The OCSO uses innovative what3words technology to locate multiple 9-1-1 callers in distress.
● Emergency communication centers and responders in Okaloosa County are starting to use groundbreaking location technology what3words to locate 9-1-1 callers faster
● The innovative what3words technology was recently used to locate overturned kayakers on the Shoal River, and save the life of a woman suffering a medical episode on Okaloosa Island
● what3words has divided the world into a grid of 10ft x 10ft squares and given each square a unique what3words address made of three dictionary words
Okaloosa County, Florida, USA, July 30 2021: The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has praised the innovative global address system, what3words, following the successful use of the system to rapidly locate multiple 9-1-1 callers in distress, saving time and saving lives. what3words is an easy way to talk about location. Every 10ft square in the world has been given a unique combination of three words, called a what3words address. For example, ///bash.cabbies.became will take you to a square on Crab Island, Destin perfect for anchoring your boat for the day. Using what3words addresses gives callers a simple way to describe precisely where help is needed and allows emergency response crews to get resources straight to the scene. Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Communications Unit integrated what3words in May 2021, and within the first few weeks of operation, the system had already proven its value multiple times, including when it was used to locate overturned kayakers on the Shoal River. The technology was also used to save the life of a woman suffering a medical episode on Okaloosa Island who was unable to speak and give her location. The woman in question used 9-1-1 to call from her multi storey hotel in Okaloosa Island and because the communications team had adopted emergency response data platform RapidSOS, which recently integrated what3words, the caller’s what3words address was automatically sent to the team. Prior to using what3words, heavy resources would have to be dispatched – such as a large search and rescue team – in order to locate the incident. However, thanks to what3words, the team were able to quickly and accurately pinpoint the distressed caller’s locations, and rapidly deploy resources – saving precious time when it mattered most. Audrey Adams, Communications Assistant Director at Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office shared ‘Being able to use what3words has made a huge difference to our operations. For anyone who finds themselves lost, injured or in need of help in an unfamiliar location, trying to communicate where help is needed by just using visual descriptions of what they can see, or the direction they were trying to head in, can be very stressful. For the person taking the call in our emergency communication center, the information is not always accurate and coordinating the appropriate response can be very challenging. Our emergency communication center teams can now ask for a precise what3words address, and in emergencies such as these, saving time equates to saving lives.’In most cases, callers what3words address will be sent automatically to emergency control center operators through RapidSOS but having the what3words app downloaded is an excellent backup. Anyone can download the free what3words app for iOS and Android or use the online map. The app works offline making it ideal for use in remote areas that might have a poor internet connection, such as state parks, beaches and lakes that are enjoyed by hikers, tourists and lovers of the great outdoors. Chris Sheldrick, co-founder and CEO of what3words commented ‘We are always humbled to see stories where our technology has turned out to be life-saving. Every month, people all around the world struggle to communicate their location to emergency services. This leads to crucial minutes and sometimes hours lost when trying to save lives. It’s exciting to hear that the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has been using what3words so successfully, and we are looking forward to working with them as they embrace new technologies like ours.’what3words is being used by over 600 PSAPS (500 trained via RapidSOS, and 79 directly), across 28 states. The technology is also built into Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) vendors and other tools and being used by agencies such as the Los Angeles City Fire Department on a daily basis. Around the world, emergency call centers are embracing what3words at a rapid pace, with control rooms in the UK, US, Australia, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Singapore, Canada, India, and South Africa all utilizing the innovative technology, and urging the public to download the app. To find those in need more easily in an emergency, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is encouraging members of the public to download the free app and be ready to provide their what3words address should they find themselves in an emergency. Individuals are also using the what3words app to navigate the world more easily and to meet friends in places without addresses such as parks, beaches or specific entrances to large shopping malls. what3words addresses are being used by running clubs, hikers, sailors, and by hotels to guide guests to their entrance without complicated written directions.- ENDS -About what3wordsFind your what3words address here.Co-founded in London in 2013, what3words is the simplest way to talk about location. The system covers the entire world, never needs updating, and works offline. A what3words address is a human-friendly way to share very precise locations with other people, or to input them into platforms and machines such as ride-hailing apps or e-commerce checkouts. It is optimised for voice input and contains built-in error prevention to immediately identify and correct input mistakes.The free what3words app, available for iOS and Android, and the online map enable people to find, share and navigate to what3words addresses in over 45 languages to date. Millions of what3words addresses are in use around the world, with thousands of businesses using them to save money, be more efficient and provide a better customer experience. what3words is integrated into apps, platforms and websites, with just a few lines of code. Products are available for free or for a nominal fee for qualifying NGOs. Its partners include Mercedes-Benz, Triumph Motorcycles, Ford, RapidSOS and Arizona State Parks and Trails.
