Edmond Introduces New Technology That Seeks To Improve Emergency Response

New technology is helping Edmond first responders find people in an emergency. It’s called the What3Words app.

Using this technology, Edmond residents will be able to guide first responders to a 10-by-10 square foot area with a three-word combination.

Nicole Satterwhite, an employee at Edmond Dispatch, proposed the idea after learning about the application at a conference. 

Satterwhite said using the app is easier than describing the nearest coordinates.

“With numbers, the latitude and longitude are very long,” Satterwhite said. “So, if someone just twists two numbers wrong, it gives a completely different location. So three words are easier if a caller is in a crisis.”

If you're dealing with an emergency at a specific location, the What3Words app will assign a three-word combination to your current location. All you need to do is turn your location on your phone.

For example, if you were on a specific street and were assigned the code "rushed chin books,” you would call police or fire and say "rushed chin books” and first responders would know exactly where you are.

Satterwhite said this will make calls go by more efficiently and easily. Friday is the first day it's being implemented with the Edmond police and fire departments.

The best time to use this is if you’re in a big area with only one address.

The app is available for download free for Android and iOS users. As of now, Edmond is the only city in Oklahoma using this app.