The Saudi Red Crescent Authority now accepts what3words in emergency situations during Hajj and throughout the Kingdom
We have partnered with the Saudi Red Crescent Authority to help those in need of medical attention to be found faster and respond to incidents more effectively. The partnership, launching ahead of the busy Hajj period in August, will enable callers to use 3 word addresses, providing a simple way to describe precisely where help is needed.
what3words has divided the globe into 3×3 m squares and given each one a unique 3 word address. For example, ///seagull.shorter.hobbit will take you to the front entrance of the King Abdulaziz Historical Center in Riyadh. The app is free to download for both iOS and Android, or can be used on a browser, and works offline – making it ideal for use in areas with an unreliable data connection. The 3-word address format is available in 36 languages, including Arabic.
Emergency cases can occur at any time and place, from a road collision in the middle of Jeddah to an incident in the suburbs of Makkah AlMukarrama. In an emergency situation, identifying precisely where help is needed is critical – and this can be near impossible if you are in an area with no address or if that address isn’t good enough to describe exactly where you are. During the Hajj period, for example, millions of people temporary come to Makkah AlMukarrama without proper familiarity of surroundings, and even in the Grand Mosque, communicating the location is difficult due to the size of the venue’s premises.