On September 30, 2022, the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Fire Rescue announce their public rollout of what3words location technology.
After successful piloting, both the departments will use what3words to respond to incidents and callers using the app or online map. Using what3words addresses gives callers a simple way to describe precisely where help is needed, enabling responders to find and get resources to the scene faster.
Emergencies can happen anywhere, from a car crash in a remote location to an incident outside a specific stadium gate. In an emergency, identifying precisely where help is needed is critical. This can be near impossible if you are in an area with no address, or if that address isn't good enough to describe where you're at.
Callers who don't know where they are often using their phones to try and find themselves via a pin on a map – but it's difficult to describe that pin to someone over a 911 call.
what3words has divided the world into three-meter squares and given each square a unique combination of three words. For example, ///shed.rocky.echo (https://what3words.com/shed.rocky.echo) is a precise three-meter square for Dallas Police Headquarters.
A caller can use the app, or online map system to provide the three words to a 911 call taker, and can then be used to identify the precise location and direct resource to exactly where it is required.
Chief Eddie Garcia of the Dallas Police Department said, "Being able to get a location quickly is everything in an emergency situation because time is crucial. An additional tool like what3words will help us find a location quickly, and respond to an emergency faster to get help to those who need it."
"As a public service agency, we are always looking for better ways to enhance our service delivery to the people we serve," said DFR Chief, Dominique Artis. "And we are excited to incorporate what3words as an added tool to help us do just that through their location software."
Giles Rhys Jones, CMO of what3words adds, 'Not being able to tell 911 exactly where help is needed can be extremely distressing for a caller. Having the free what3words app downloaded provides a simple solution, and enables individuals to further direct emergency response teams to their location. By rolling out this technology across the city, Dallas Police and Fire teams are innovating where it really matters.'
what3words is free to use via the app for iOS and Android or the online map at what3words.com. The system works offline, making it ideal for use in areas with unreliable data connections. what3words addresses cover the entire world and can be used in over 50 languages.
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