Did you know that three words could help save your life? You just have to know ‘what3words.’
On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, officers from the Peterborough County OPP received a call about a snowmobile rider and their passenger, who lost control while riding on a trail after hitting a bump and were sent into a tree. Both parties were thrown from the snowmobile, sustaining injuries that required assistance and medical attention. When asked for their location, neither was able to recall the last intersection they passed and had no way to describe where they were. Officers, EMS, and Fire were dispatched to a general area, but it took significant effort and over 30 minutes to finally locate them. Fortunately, their injuries were non-life-threatening, and they were assisted off the trail by EMS, where they received medical treatment.
Since December of 2020, the Ontario Provincial Police Provincial Communications Centres have been using the app ‘what3words’ to help people in need when they are unable to describe where they are or do not know where they are.
Emergencies can happen anywhere, from an accident along an unmarked stretch of road to an incident at a specific building entrance or industrial area. In an emergency, identifying precisely where help is needed is critical to getting resources to the scene quickly. However, this can be near impossible for a caller to do if they get into trouble in an area with no address, no memorable landmark, or an address that simply isn’t good enough to accurately describe where they are. In these moments, emergency services are forced to waste precious time and resources trying to locate the person in need of help. At best, this can be frustrating, and at worst, it can waste crucial minutes that could mean the difference between life and death.
Through its global mapping system, the app (what3words) labels every three square metres with a unique three-word location string which can be converted into latitude and longitude coordinates for entry into the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system in use at the PCCs. What3words is a free application for iPhones and Android devices that uses the cellphone’s Global Positioning System (GPS) or works offline without mobile data if the caller already has the mobile app downloaded on their cellular device.
If you’re planning to go out on the trails for a hike, ATV, or snowmobile ride, or are going to go out on the water this summer for a boat ride, or just want to be able to easily describe where you are, take a minute to download the what3words app. Knowing exactly where you are can greatly assist us in being able to get to you in a time of need.
For more information on the what3words app and the possible uses, visit their website at https://what3words.com/embedded.fizzled.trial. You can also download the application HERE.
To serve our province by protecting its citizens, upholding the law, and preserving public safety.
The Peterborough County OPP values your contribution to building safe communities. If you have information about suspected unlawful activity, please visit Crime Stoppers at: stopcrimehere.ca or call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
From the Ontario Provincial Police
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Hi Brian, the link provided in the OPP media release is a trial. The idea is that you click on it from your cell and it gives you three words for your location. We have also added the link to download the application.
Maybe a good idea but one would need to know somehow in advance what the three words you need would be. I tried the website (https://what3words.com/embedded.fizzled.trial) provided by Doppler and it drops you somewhere, with no instructions. The somewhere is a place unknown.
Generally I’d put this in the “vaporware” category as being mostly and for practical purposes, useless.