1.What is it?
A smart new way of navigating around space where each 3m x 3m space has 3 words designated to itself. As a postcode may cover a larger area, this is a more precise and descriptive approach of an area which can be easily scanned with the naked eye.

2. Why is it important?
Calling 999 in an emergency is usually daunting and you may have multiple thoughts running through your head. Many from the phone service have experienced the caller having difficulty in describing their whereabouts with vague descriptions of trees, lampposts and everyday landmarks.
Especially if the incident has happened inside a large park, open grounds or the motorway, it can be difficult to describe the exact location which can essentially compromise the outcome of the patient. The time can now be better spent by speeding up the process using what3words to precisely locate the incident to the call team and relay the information quickly to the paramedics, police or fire brigades.
what3words also make it easy to integrate the information between softwares as each location only consists of two lines of code which are currently accepted by Sopra Steria Storm, Airbox, Northgate and MIS.

3. How does it work?
- what3words’ services are being used by a number of industries from automotive to travel, logistics and even humanitarian aid across the world
- in terms of emergency services and patient care what3words can be used in two ways – download the what3words app on IOS and Android or follow the link the emergency services can send you whilst on the phone
- share the 3 word address with your operator on the phone
- the operator will share the address with the outgoing team
- wait for the emergency services to arrive in the exact location given
- what3words also works offline anywhere in the world so you never feel isolated
Here are the current services who confirm use of what3words:
Police
Avon & Somerset Police | Guernsey Police | Northumbria Police |
Bedfordshire Police | Gwent Police | North Yorkshire Police |
British Transport Police | Hampshire Police | South Yorkshire Police |
Cambridgeshire Police | Hertfordshire Police | South Wales Police |
Cleveland Police | Humberside Police | Suffolk Police |
Cumbria Police | Kent Police | Surrey Police |
Durham Police | Nottinghamshire Police | West Yorkshire Police |
Essex Police | Norfolk Police | |
Gloucestershire Police | Northamptonshire Police |
Fire and rescue
Avon Fire & Rescue | Essex Fire & Rescue | Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue |
Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue | Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue | Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue |
Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue | Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue | South Wales Fire & Rescue |
Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue | Humberside Fire & Rescue | South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue |
Cleveland Fire & Rescue | Lancashire Fire & Rescue | Staffordshire Fire & Rescue |
Cornwall Fire & Rescue | Leicestershire Fire & Rescue | Suffolk Fire & Rescue |
Cheshire Fire & Rescue | Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue | Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue |
Cumbria Fire & Rescue | Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue | Warwickshire Fire & Rescue |
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue | Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue | West Midlands Fire & Rescue |
Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue | North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue | West Sussex Fire & Rescue |
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue | Norfolk Fire & Rescue | West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue |
Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue | Northumberland Fire & Rescue | |
East Sussex Fire & Rescue | North Wales Fire & Rescue |
Ambulance
Devon Air Ambulance | South East Coast Ambulance Service | Yorkshire Ambulance Service |
East of England Ambulance Service | Thames Valley Air Ambulance Service | |
South Western Ambulance Service | Yorkshire Air Ambulance |
Other
- UK Coastguard
Please note: always take note of as much information as possible within your location in case what3words are not accepted.
References
All images in this article except the leading graphic belongs to what3words
- https://what3words.com/news/emergency/uk-emergency-services-rollout-what3words-in-control-rooms-to-save-resources-time-and-lives/
- https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/what3words/id657878530
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.what3words.android&hl=en_GB
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=s70FnHirF8k