EMERGENCY services are calling on the public to download a life-saving app.

This week, emergency services across the UK are pledging their support for the ‘ground-breaking’ technology which has been credited with saving thousands of lives.

The app What3words is a free location app that helps to locate you in an emergency.

The Welsh Ambulance Service has already used the app for the most serious and urgent calls to remote locations and is now urging locals to download it as part of the campaign.

Jason Killens, Chief Executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “The what3words technology has proven to be such a valuable tool since we launched it in March, helping us to locate 100 ill or injured people in remote locations who otherwise we would have struggled to find.

“With the easing of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, we’re anticipating more visitors to Wales than ever before, which is why we would invite the public to download this free app now in order to save precious time in an emergency.”

What3words has divided the world into a grid of squares, each given a unique combination of three words, for example, Ewloe Castle in Wepre Park would be awoke.zoomed.ironclad.

The technology is available in over 40 languages, including Welsh, and can be used anywhere in the world.

After successfully piloting with a selection of forces in 2019, what3words is now used by over 80 per cent of UK emergency services. Welsh Ambulance Service is one of the 97 UK services which use the technology for free and was one of its early adopters. Other services across Wales that use what3words include South Wales and Gwent Police Forces.

‘Where’s the emergency?’ is one of the first questions asked when calling 999. But saying exactly where help is needed can be challenging.

Emergencies can happen anywhere, from a remote beach to the side of the M4, to the middle of the Snowdonia National Park. Services often can’t detect where you are automatically and dropped pins are difficult to explain over the phone.

Landmark-based descriptions are prone to errors and GPS coordinates are long and difficult to communicate. At best, this is a frustrating drain on resources. At worst, it can mean the difference between life and death.

In the past year, what3words has been used hundreds of times by Welsh Ambulanceto find people needing help.

Laura Moreton used the app to help services locate her after she fell during a rural walk with her boyfriend and suffered a spinal fracture. Welsh Ambulance Service and the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) were called and located her quickly thanks to the three words she gave them.

Chris Sheldrick, co-founder and CEO of what3words added: “A 999 call could be one of the worst times of your life. Having to provide additional directions when you’re under immense stress and the clock is ticking is something that we want everyone to avoid. You never know when an emergency might happen, but with what3words, you’ll always be able to say exactly where help is needed - quickly and easily.

“We’re proud of the huge growth we’ve seen, and every what3words rescue that we hear about touches our team personally.”