Hiker rescued after app assists ATCEMS in 20-foot cliff fall.

In a harrowing incident in the Dripping Springs area of Austin, Texas, an injured hiker was rescued using a location-sharing app called What3Words. The accident occurred in March when the hiker fell twenty feet from a cliff while rock climbing. A woman who was with him made a 911 call. Responding to the call, Austin-Travis County EMS used the What3Words App to locate the injured person and find the nearest parking lot for the helicopter to land.

The What3Words App, which provides a unique three-word identifier for a 10-foot by 10-foot square on the Earth’s surface, is helping to identify locations more accurately and easily. Street addresses are not always sufficient, especially in Austin, Lake Travis, or while in the woods, where accessibility is limited, and What3Words solves that problem. “There’s many places that just aren’t covered by street addresses at all, and What3Words solves that,” said What3Words CMO Giles Rhys Jones.

According to Jones, the app has helped in first responders’ quick location identification of people who are stranded in precarious situations, saving valuable time. He noted that the app has been extensively used in Austin for wilderness rescues, music festivals, and locating homeless people, suggesting that it could be the future of navigation. “I certainly think that What3Words can become a standard. It’s just a very simple way to communicate location,” Jones said.

On the 911 call, the dispatcher enquired about the What3Words’ three-word address of the injured hiker’s location, which were deviance, quicksand, and pounce. Once the what three words of exactly where the injured hiker was were read out, emergency services were able to locate him precisely, thanks to the app’s integration with their software.

The incident highlights the efficacy of modern location-sharing apps during emergencies. Such technology that helps in quick and accurate location identification of people in distress is crucial. The use of these apps can potentially save lives. As the use of location-sharing apps continues to grow, they are expected to play an increasingly significant role in emergency services.

Overall, the incident’s successful resolution demonstrates the growing importance of easy, accessible methods for sharing locations, which can play an essential role in ensuring the safety of all. The use of technology to locate people accurately is not just efficient but also necessary in case of emergencies. What3Words can be an essential addition to the arsenal of emergency services, enabling them to navigate more effectively in all situations, especially when lives are on the line.

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