Shorter days, poor visibility and harsher weather conditions such as ice, sleet and fog increase the risk of accidents and incidents. Many people will still be meeting friends, travelling or enjoying winter events – but these darker, colder conditions can make it far more difficult to be found in an emergency.
To support the campaign, My Home Call is urging the public to follow three key safety steps before heading out this winter:
1. Download the free what3words app
The what3words app enables anyone to identify and share their precise location with emergency services. It works offline, making it invaluable in places with poor signal. The app is available on iOS, Android, and via the online map at what3words.com.
More than 85% of UK emergency services use what3words because it helps save time, resources, and lives.
2. Create your My Home Call account
My Home Call allows users to instantly share their live what3words location and contact their trusted people from any smartphone — even if their own device is:
- lost
- stolen
- out of battery
- damaged
My Home Call ensures people can still be located quickly in emergencies. Whether someone becomes separated at an event, stranded while travelling, or unable to access their phone, they can still reach help securely and reliably.
Available on iOS and Android.
3. Save and update key contacts and emergency information
Ensure your essential contacts – whether family, friends, carers or colleagues – are up to date and easily accessible. In an emergency, having the right people just one tap away can significantly speed up support. My Home Call encourages everyone to review their contacts before winter fully sets in.
Why precise location matters
When calling 999, one of the first questions asked is: “Where is the emergency?”
But describing a location accurately can be extremely difficult, especially under stress, or in unaddressed or unfamiliar places such as:
- rural walking routes
- motorway hard shoulders
- large event sites
- poorly lit or remote areas
Contrary to popular belief, emergency services often cannot automatically detect a caller’s exact location, which can cause dangerous delays.
what3words solves this problem by dividing the world into 3m x 3m squares, each with a unique three-word identifier. This means every entrance, field, roadside spot or festival area has a simple address.
This technology has already helped save countless lives. For example:When Gary Mason suffered a heart attack along the Bromsgrove Highway, his son shared their what3words address – ///anyway.lend.give – allowing emergency teams to reach them just in time.
Quote from My Home Call
“Every second counts in an emergency, especially during the winter months when visibility drops and response times are under greater pressure. At My Home Call, we see first-hand how quickly situations can escalate when someone can’t be located or loses access to their phone.
That’s why we’re proud to support the use of what3words. It gives every person, in every situation, a precise and trusted way to be found. Together, we’re helping families, event teams and first responders connect faster, stay safer, and remove uncertainty when it matters most.”
– Mike, Founder & CEO, My Home Call
How to use what3words in an emergency
- Open the what3words app or online map.
- Tap the “Locate Me” icon to display your current 3-word address.
- Share your what3words address verbally with emergency call handlers.
- Stay where you are unless instructed to move.
About what3words
Co-founded in London in 2013 by Chris Sheldrick, what3words is a simple way to communicate precise locations. It has divided the world into 3m x 3m squares, each assigned a unique three-word address. This enables users to navigate to exact spots using a system optimised for voice input, error prevention and global accessibility.
The free what3words app is available on iOS, Android and via an online map in more than 60 languages. It is used by millions of people worldwide and integrated into platforms for navigation, deliveries, travel, safety and emergency response. Partners include Jaguar Land Rover, Lamborghini, DPD, DHL, Yodel by InPost, and the AA.
More than 85% of UK emergency services use what3words to help locate callers quickly and accurately. The company employs over 100 staff with offices across Europe, Asia and the Caribbean, and has raised over £100 million in investment.
About My Home Call
My Home Call is a UK-founded safety technology platform designed to keep people connected when they lose access to their smartphone. The service allows users to securely reach trusted contacts, share their live what3words location, access essential information or receive help from any smartphone, with no app downloads or passwords required.
My Home Call was created to address a growing problem: when a phone is lost, stolen, out of battery or damaged, users can quickly become isolated and vulnerable. Acting as a secure “digital spare key,” the platform helps families, students, event staff and emergency responders reconnect faster and more safely.
Developed with input from parents, teachers, emergency service advisors and security experts, My Home Call is built on three principles:
- Secure: End-to-end encrypted identity and contact system
- Private: No tracking or personal data exposure
- Reliable: Works on any smartphone, instantly
The service is currently rolling out pilots across the Northwest of England, with plans for wider UK and international deployment.
My Home Call’s mission:
To help people stay connected, be found faster and feel safer — wherever they are, whatever has happened to their phone.
Notes for Editors
Press Contacts
what3words Press Team
prteam@what3words.com
My Home Call Press Contact
Jo Pountney / jo@livebravemarketingsolutions.co.uk