(Lawrenceville, Ga., October 21, 2022) – The Gwinnett Emergency Call Center has recently integrated the geo-location tool “What 3 Words”.  This application will assist in locating a caller while they are in a location where there are not roads or a specific mailing address. This ability is imperative to providing quick response times to someone in need of emergency services. 

What 3 Words is an app and website that has divided the world into three-meter squares.  Each three-meter square has been given a unique combination of three words.  A precise location can be determined anywhere in Gwinnett with just three words.  The app can be downloaded for free to any smart device or via web browser at what3words.com.

Finding people who have become lost can be time consuming and require multiple resources. In an emergency, every minute counts. The implementation of What 3 Words allows Gwinnett emergency dispatchers to precisely locate someone, whether they’re in a park, around Lake Lanier, or any other undeveloped natural area in the county using the unique three words of the location from the application. 

Like anything else, this tool has limitations when it comes to regional dialect, accent, or pronunciation of the words provided on the app.  This is a supplemental tool that can be used to help locate callers, however it is not a replacement for other means that are currently used.

The Gwinnett Emergency Call Center is excited about this new tool in hopes that it will continue to improve the services proved to the citizens of Gwinnett.