Students can remain safe with three words

The Troy University Police Department has teamed up with Pike County to introduce a new initiative that will transform the way first responders respond to emergency calls. It’s called What3Words.

“It’s just one more way to keep students a little bit safer,” said Chief of the Troy University Police Department George Beaudry.

The system works by assigning a unique three-word combination to every 10-foot square area in the world, making it easier for police to locate those in need.

TUPD and Pike County see it as a great benefit to the community and students who may be unfamiliar with the area, especially in cases where they may not know an address.

“If you don’t know what you’re doing or where you are, you’re able to still find yourself,” said Dylan Mauldin, GIS manager at Pike County Communications District. “You’re able to still tell people ‘Hey, I’m in trouble,’ and they can get to you from there.”

If students are ever in a situation where they need to contact emergency services, Mauldin urges them to use the What3Words app.

“You would pull out your phone, open the app and it will give you those three individual characters,” Mauldin said. “You can then give that to any responder, and they can check that and say where you are within a 10-foot by 10-foot accuracy.”

Since the What3Words initiative is new to Pike County, many Troy locals may be unaware of what it is or how it works. TUPD and Pike County want to change that, hoping this system can be the new go-to when it comes to reaching out for help.

Mauldin said the biggest drawback to the new app is learning the system and remembering to use it.

Beaudry added that TUPD will always take advantage of anything that can improve safety on and off campus.

As students are beginning to familiarize themselves with the system, some see the benefits that could come from it.

“I think it’s a great way to help the students,” said Haley Morgan, a senior biomedical science major from Jack, Alabama. “I never know the address or the street I’m near, so this makes it easier than pulling out Google Maps and trying to find the closest address to wherever I am.”

The What3Words app is completely free to use. In the case that someone doesn’t have the app, 911 can still send that three-word code to the person in need.

What3Words works globally. Other areas that have seen success include Baldwin County and the University of Arkansas.