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Innisfil, ON – As summer activities ramp up across Innisfil’s parks, beaches, trails, and rural areas, Innisfil Fire & Rescue Services is urging residents and visitors to download the free app what3words. This potentially life-saving tool helps emergency responders pinpoint exactly where help is needed, even in hard-to-describe or unmarked locations.

Available on both iOS and Android, what3words has divided the world into 3-metre squares and assigned each square a unique combination of three words. In an emergency, this three-word address can be given to 9-1-1 dispatchers to quickly identify the caller’s exact location.

‘Where’s the emergency?’ is one of the first questions you’re asked when you call 9-1-1,” says Innisfil Fire Chief Brent Thomas. “But when someone is lost in the woods, stuck out on the water, or in distress at an unmarked rural location, that question can be tough to answer. what3words gives us a precise way to locate someone when every second counts.”

The app uses GPS and works offline, making it ideal for areas with weak or no mobile data or Wi-Fi. Users simply open the app to see the three-word address of their current 3x3 m location. That address can then be read aloud to the emergency call handler, who enters it into the what3words map in the dispatch centre to pinpoint exactly where to send help.

If there’s no signal to place an emergency call, users are encouraged to write down or save the three-word address, then move to another location to try calling again or share the location by radio if possible.

what3words is not a tracking app. It doesn’t monitor your location or movement. It simply allows users to share where they are, when they choose to, in a way that’s clear and reliable.

By using what3words, Innisfil Fire & Rescue Services can respond faster and more efficiently, reducing response times, improving outcomes, and ultimately saving lives. While it does not replace 9-1-1 or essential emergency equipment, it is an invaluable addition to the emergency response toolkit.

As always, if you’re heading outdoors, remember to plan ahead. Bring a fully charged phone, plenty of water, sunscreen, a first aid kit, and a backup option to call for help if needed.

The free app can be downloaded via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and is also available online at what3words.com. It works in over 60 languages and can be used anywhere in the world.