NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Getting lost while hiking or running can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially when there are no recognizable landmarks to help describe your location.
In light of such situations, emergency dispatchers nationwide are embracing innovative solutions to efficiently find and assist individuals in need of immediate help.
Samuel Sims knows how easily you can get lost on a trail.
In 2005, he — along with his daughters and the family dog — found themselves lost while walking Shelby Bottoms Park.
"We were walking on the trail, and we took a detour and thought it would be a shortcut," Sims said. "And we got lost and we tried to come back the way we came, and we couldn't figure that was like a maze."
Minutes stretched into hours as Sims says he had to carry his daughters in turns to keep them going. Eventually, they found their way back, but others faced with similar predicaments might have to resort to calling 911 for assistance.
However, dispatchers have now found a solution that can prove to be a lifesaver.
The What 3 Words app has been adopted by emergency communication departments across the world including in Metro Nashville.
It's an aid in locating individuals in need.
"Once the officers put it into their phones, they’ll follow the trail right to you," said Matthew Carter, a trainer with the department.
The app divides the entire world into 10-by-10-foot squares, with each square assigned three unique words. When a person calls 911, their phone number becomes associated with three distinct words, which change as they move approximately 10 feet.
With this information, dispatchers can relay the three words to the police, who will then input them into the app, enabling them to pinpoint the missing person's exact location.
This proves especially valuable in areas lacking precise addresses, such as parks and vast wildernesses.
"If you're out in a place that doesn't have an exact location like out in one of our parks, What 3 Words can basically give you a location," remarked Carter, emphasizing the app's potential to save lives.
Reflecting on his own experience, Sims expressed his wish for having had access to the app during his family's ordeal.
With the What 3 Words app now available, anyone can download it to ensure added safety while exploring unfamiliar areas.
However, it is worth noting that even without the app when individuals call 911, their phone's location will automatically generate three words that dispatchers can relay to emergency responders.
