Chamber News

Belleville Fire & Emergency Services is encouraging all residents to download the What3Words location-sharing app.

The free, easy-to-use app takes every three-metre square in the world and converts it into a unique combination of three words that can then easily be provided to dispatch to pinpoint your exact location – for example, the coordinates “51.520847, -0.19552100” are translated to “filled.count.soap”. Residents could then provide those three words to the dispatcher so that emergency services are quickly able to find exactly where they are.

Because the app uses satellite communication, it can be used anywhere in the world, with or without data, including in the middle of the forest, on the water or in an open field.

“It’s clear why What3Words is being used by emergency services across the world to help people in distress,” said Fire Chief Dan Smith. “In an emergency situation, it can sometimes be difficult to describe where you are. Being able to pull up the app and provide three simple words that describe your precise location can make all the difference. Before you go for your next run, boat ride or outdoor adventure, be sure to download the app to ensure you are prepared.”

What3Words is available for download in the App Store or Google Play.