Accurate location information is crucial in various emergency situations, especially when it comes to accessing critical amenities like defibrillators. Traditionally, pinpointing precise locations could be challenging, but thanks to innovative technology like what3words, providing exact coordinates has become easier than ever before. In this article, we’ll explore what3words and its usefulness for Council amenities, with a focus on defibrillators. Additionally, we’ll explain how to generate a what3words link for use in your NetWise website.
What is what3words?
What3words is a geocoding system that has revolutionized the way we communicate location information. Unlike traditional latitude and longitude coordinates, what3words divides the entire world into a grid of 3m x 3m squares and assigns each square a unique combination of three words. This means that every location on the planet can be precisely identified using just three words, making it incredibly user-friendly and accurate.
The Power of what3words for Council Amenities
Councils and Local Authorities are increasingly adopting what3words to improve the accessibility and accuracy of essential amenities within their jurisdictions. One of the areas where what3words shines is in locating defibrillators, life-saving devices that must be easily accessible during cardiac emergencies.
Here’s how what3words benefits the process of locating defibrillators and other council amenities:
Precision: Traditional addressing systems can be imprecise, leading to delays in locating critical equipment during emergencies. What3words provides pinpoint accuracy, reducing response times and potentially saving lives.
Simplicity: Sharing a three-word address is much easier than reciting complex latitude and longitude coordinates. This simplicity ensures that anyone, even those without technical knowledge, can relay accurate location information.
Integration: What3words can be integrated into various platforms, including mapping applications and emergency services software. This seamless integration further streamlines the process of locating council amenities like defibrillators. Some of our Councils are already embracing what3words.
Here’s an example published by one of our clients, Dumbleton Parish Council that also provides helpful information on the use of a defibrillator. https://dumbleton-parish-council.org.uk/defibrillators/
As you’ll see, when clicking the links that show the location of a defibrillator on the above example, the viewer is presented with the following location map that also allows quick directions using the most common map apps including Google Maps, Bing Maps and Waze. This is an invaluable resource for the residents of Dumbleton.
Generating a What3words Link
To use what3words in your NetWise website and provide accurate location information for Council amenities like defibrillators, follow these steps:
Find the Location: Use the what3words app or website https://what3words.com/ to find the precise three-word address for the council amenity or defibrillator location.
Generate a Link: After finding the location, click on the “Share” or “Copy” button to generate a link. This link will contain the what3words address.
Embed the Link: In your post or page editor, simply paste the what3words link. The website will automatically recognise it as a clickable hyperlink.
Publish: Once you’ve embedded the what3words link, publish your post or page. Anyone visiting your website can now click on the link to get precise directions to the council amenity’s location.
Conclusion
What3words has emerged as a game-changer in location accuracy and is particularly useful for council amenities such as defibrillators. Its simplicity and precision make it an invaluable tool for emergency services and local authorities. By incorporating what3words into their website, Councils can ensure that citizens have easy access to life-saving equipment, enhancing community safety and well-being. What3words is also useful for marking local walks, diversions, polling booths, allotments, in fact anything that requires exact locations and directions.
