New Hanover County 911 uses what3words app to find callers
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — This week is national telecommunicators week–a time to recognize the dedication of 911 dispatchers.
On Wednesday, WWAY got a first-hand look at a publicly available app being used by New Hanover County 911 to find callers during an emergency.
What3words is an app that divides the globe into 10-foot by 10-foot squares and assigns three words to each square.
911 dispatchers can use those three words to find the exact location of a caller.
“We’ve always been able to locate people, the technology has just gotten a little bit faster,” Quality and Training Manager Cortnie Herring said.
What3words is particularly useful when the caller doesn’t know the address they’re at, or if they don’t have access to cellular data.
“What3words is more precise. An address is only going to take you to the front of the building, what3words can actually get us to a parking space,” Herring explained.
If a caller doesn’t have the what3words app installed, dispatchers can send them a link to share their location.
Once dispatchers have the caller’s three words, they can be sent directly to first responders.
“Just a gamechanger, absolutely,” Wilmington Fire Department Battalion Chief Michael Browning said.
Browning noted what3words is especially useful for responding to emergencies on waterways like the Cape Fear River.
“Trying to have them describe exactly where it the river is a challenge for us,” he said.
Herring encourages everyone to download what3words from the app store.
“It’s absolutely free, you never know when you may need it and it will be helpful to help us find you.”
You can find the what3words app on the App Store and Google Play Store.
