Man saves farmer’s life using location app what3words

Whilst working from home, Michael (39) was sitting outside eating his lunch when he heard a loud, high-pitched scream coming from a field nearby.

Instinctively Michael ran towards the sound, and as he got closer it became clear that someone was screaming “HELP ME”. He saw a tractor in the field ahead and when he arrived, he found a farmer, Stephen, crushed under a massive, industrial-sized hay bale. The farmer was trapped from the waist down and in excruciating pain. After attempting to help free Stephen with no luck, Michael quickly called the emergency services for help.

Struggling to explain their location due to being in the middle of a field in a rural area without notable landmarks, Michael remembered he could use the free app, what3words. He gave his what3words address, ///dads.scorched.hairstyle, to the emergency dispatcher who was able to locate them immediately. Stephen’s fellow farmers also came by to help get the hay bale off of him, after which Michael stayed by his side to ensure he remained still until the emergency services arrived.

The ambulance arrived at the precise 3m x 3m location of the emergency within 15 minutes and the paramedics administered a heavy dose of pain relief and some tranquilliser so they could transport him to the nearest hospital an hour away. The farmer suffered severe trauma to the pelvis and femur, but is expected to make a full recovery.

Michael recalls the experience: “Ultimately, having what3words on my phone was absolutely critical to the rescue, as I wasn’t wasting precious time trying to describe where we were in the middle of a large field. I was so relieved Steven was able to get the help he needed on time.

"Since the incident, I have encouraged friends and family to download the what3words app, especially as we’re a rural community and often don’t have an obvious address or clear location to refer to. It was a lifesaver.”

what3words has divided the globe into a grid of 3m x 3m squares and given each square a unique combination of three words: a what3words address. For example, ///super.blur.became will take you to the Labyrinth in Rushcliffe Country Park in Nottingham. The app is available in over 50 languages to date, and is free to download for both iOS and Android devices. The technology is used by 85% of the UK’s emergency services, and works offline, making it ideal for areas with an unreliable data connection.