This quick thinking and incredibly simple rescue sounds like something out of a movie, except it really happened right here in Kent County.
A young adult found themselves stuck in a tree about 1,800 feet off a main road, in a wooded area with no idea how to direct rescuers to their exact location. (Let’s be honest, I wouldn’t know what to say either.)
But thanks to a unique smartphone app, firefighters were able to find the stranded climber quickly and get them safely down.
What app did rescuers use to save the Kent County man stuck in a tree?
The app is called what3words, and it’s not your average GPS tool. Instead of using long strings of coordinates or vague location descriptions, what3words has divided the entire globe into 10-foot-by-10-foot squares and assigned each square a unique combination of three simple words.
For example, a spot on the trail might be labeled something like meatball.inspections.detectable. Share that phrase, and first responders can pinpoint exactly where you are, down to the square. It also gives you options to navigate to that exact spot with another map app on your phone…