What3Words

The ambulance service use What3Words to navigate to a casualty. They cannot use grid references.

 The Mountain Rescue, use grid references however most branches have software that can convert What3Words into a grid reference.

For those who have not heard of What3Words,  it is a system where the world is divided into 3 metre squares and each square has a unique combination of three words. It is a very easy way to find and share an exact location. 

There is an App for iPhones or Android phones that will give the exact What3Words for your location. Scan the following QR code to download the app, or visit what3words app to get more information about this app, and download from the google store or apple store.

This app can also be used to give your grid reference. Once you have the app, open the menu (top left corner), go to settings, go to display, then tick the appropriate grid reference box under British National Grid. Once you have done that it will display both What3Words and the grid reference. (NB it can take up to 30 seconds for the GPS in your phone to lock onto your location and provide the correct data.)

Texting the Emergency Services

If you are out on the fells, the phone signal may be too weak to make an emergency phone call. In these circumstances it is better to text the emergency services as this uses far less data and is more likely to get through. In order to be able do this, you need to register your phone with the emergency services.

To register your phone, text  register to 999. After a short pause you get a text reply, and you need to reply YES. You will then get confirmation that you are registered for this service.

It is really worth getting this set up on your phone.

Critical Medical Data

If you are injured, someone giving you medical help can access the emergency medical data on your phone without having to unlock your phone. This is especially useful for serious allergies and medical conditions that they may need to know. For example, someone with a heart problem who collapses, or someone who gone into anaphylactic shock due to  a nut, penicillin,  or bee sting, allergy, may be unable to inform the medical help that this is the cause.

In order to make this data available, you need to have all your critical health information in the relevant app on your phone. (For iPhones, this data needs to be in the “Health” App, which is shown as a pink heart in a white square.)  Having this data available may save your life.

You can choose what data goes into this easily accessible area so data that you don’t want a stranger to access can be omitted.

Contacting Mountain Rescue

If you need to call out the Mountain Rescue, dial 999. The person answering will ask what service you want, i.e. Police, Fire Brigade, Ambulance, or Coast Guard.  If you need the Mountain Rescue, ask for POLICE. 

If you ask for Mountain Rescue you will be passed to the police and this can cause confusion as a caller can assume that the call has been misdirected.