Ontario Provincial Police are reminding residents that three simple words could make a critical difference in an emergency.
Police are promoting the what3words app following a snowmobile crash on February 25 in Peterborough County. Officers say a rider and passenger lost control after hitting a bump on a trail and crashed into a tree. Both were thrown from the snowmobile and required medical assistance.
When asked for their location, neither person could recall the last intersection or describe where they were. Emergency crews were dispatched to a general area and it took more than 30 minutes to locate them. Police say the injuries were non life threatening, but the delay highlights the importance of precise location information.
Since 2020, Ontario Provincial Police communications centres have used the what3words system to help locate callers who cannot clearly describe where they are.
The free app divides the world into three metre by three metre squares and assigns each square a unique three word address. That location can be converted into coordinates and entered directly into the OPP dispatch system.
The app works using a phone’s GPS and can also function offline if it has already been downloaded.
Police encourage anyone heading out on trails, waterways or into rural areas to download the app in advance, saying accurate location information can help first responders arrive faster when it matters most.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
