Our CERT training recommended an app called what3words. I thought it was dumb. We already have latitude and longitude. That’s universal. Why would I need three random words that mean nothing to anyone without the app?

Fast forward to last night.

We were driving down a highway when the worst of the storm hit. Hail knocked out my windshield wipers, and visibility went to zero instantly. I hit my hazards and tried to get to the shoulder, but we ended up in the median. You do not know fear until you're facing oncoming lights with your kids in the car.

We were sitting in standing water, I couldn’t tell if the tires were flat, and there were no crossroads nearby. So I called the police and gave them our what3words location.

To my surprise, they had it. They dispatched a Sheriff, he checked on us, then let me follow his lights to a gas station so we could get off the road and get a ride home.

G-d keeps us humble. I am very glad we listened and downloaded that stupid app.

Googling it today I see a lot of other people take issue with the app as well. Homophones can send rescue to a very different location. It's not open source. But for me specifically in this situation, it worked out.