Lost hiker, child found in Coles County through innovative location tracking tool

MATTOON, Ill. (WCIA) — On Monday, emergency responders in Coles County recounted an incident in May where they used a unique text-to-911 tool to locate a lost hiker and her child.

Officials said that before 1:40 p.m. on May 23, someone reported to the Coles-Moultrie Emergency Communications Center (CECOM) that a family member and their young child were lost on a trail at the Warbler Ridge Conservation Area near Charleston. The caller provided a phone number for the hiker.

A dispatcher soon called the woman and learned that she and her child were okay and not hurt. CECOM officials said the hiker was then sent a text with a link from what3words, a location service that divides the world into three-meter squares and attributes an exclusive three-word combination to each of them.

The Warbler Conservation Area covers more than 1,000 acres and has over 10 miles of trails over various terrains, officials said. The vast and diverse geography of the area can make it difficult for hikers to pinpoint where they are when they get lost — and of course, there are no street addresses to help. That is where the precision of what3words comes in.

The lost hiker was asked to tap the “find me” link and relay the three words given to her. Now, her and her child’s exact location was known, but not the direction they were traveling in.

So, the dispatcher advised the hiker to walk several yards down the trail, stop and share her new three words. This determined that the travelers were moving back toward where they came from, in the direction of the trailhead and parking area. Officials said the telecommunicator stayed on the line, guiding the hiker and child back to safety. A total of four what3words updates were sent along the way.

As this guidance was progressing, the Coles County Sheriff’s Department arrived and began a 12-minute walk down the trail. They were able to make contact with the hiker and her child, then usher them back to their car by 2:17 p.m.

“This successful use of what3words technology highlights the importance of innovative tools in ensuring public safety and providing timely assistance in emergency situations,” CECOM officials said. “Despite not being on a 911 line, the communications center was able to retrieve very accurate location information from the hiker, within 10 square feet, and assist her in moving in the right direction and more quickly able to meet with responding units.”

For more information on what3words, visit their website or download their mobile app .

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