Recreation
California State Parks announced its partnership with innovative location technology, what3words.
A new tool in the State Parks toolkit, what3words provides dispatchers with state-of-the-art technology to assist visitors in the event they become lost, stranded or who otherwise need help from emergency services.
Using this revolutionary technology, State Parks dispatchers will now be able to pinpoint the precise locations of individuals who become lost with just three dictionary words, so that help can be sent quickly to exactly where it is needed.
what3words, integrated into RapidSOS dispatch, provides users with a simple way to communicate precise locations. It has divided the world into a grid of 10 feet by 10 feet squares, and given each square a unique combination of three words: a what3words address.
This means that every park bench, parking space, pitch on a campsite, and remote spot on a hiking trail has its own what3words address.
For example, ///tools.melted.studs takes you to the exact entrance to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park’s campground. The app is available in over 50 languages to date, and is free to download for both iOS and Android devices.
“Being able to locate a caller during an emergency is essential and the faster the location is confirmed, the faster help can be dispatched,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “what3words enables callers and dispatchers to communicate precise locations with just three words and quickly get the help they need.”
“From Garrapata on the Big Sur coast, to Bodie State Historic Park near the Sierra Nevada, California’s state parks offer some of the most stunning and varied landscapes on the planet, attracting explorers from across the globe,’ said what3words CMO Giles Rhys Jones. “With every 10 ft square having its own what3words address it is simpler than ever to arrange meeting spots with your friends, save precise locations of epic viewpoints, remember the space you parked in, and in the event of an emergency - describe exactly where to send help.”
what3words already covers the entire globe, so you can easily discover addresses for all 280 California state parks in its system, including all parks and campgrounds on the internal and public GIS.
In addition, the official CA State Parks app, OuterSpatial, now displays what3words addresses for over 8,000 POIs in the State Park System, including campsites, trailheads, and picnic areas.
OuterSpatial is working together with what3words to offer more ways to use precise, three-word addresses in the CA State Parks app, with updates due to be released later in the year.
what3words can also be used for non-emergencies, like giving friends and family directions to a specific campsite or sharing beautiful viewpoints. Being able to precisely communicate where to find key locations can make navigating through the vast parks simple and stress free, allowing visitors to make the best use of their time and enjoy the experience to the fullest.
A new tool in the State Parks toolkit, what3words provides dispatchers with state-of-the-art technology to assist visitors in the event they become lost, stranded or who otherwise need help from emergency services.
Using this revolutionary technology, State Parks dispatchers will now be able to pinpoint the precise locations of individuals who become lost with just three dictionary words, so that help can be sent quickly to exactly where it is needed.
what3words, integrated into RapidSOS dispatch, provides users with a simple way to communicate precise locations. It has divided the world into a grid of 10 feet by 10 feet squares, and given each square a unique combination of three words: a what3words address.
This means that every park bench, parking space, pitch on a campsite, and remote spot on a hiking trail has its own what3words address.
For example, ///tools.melted.studs takes you to the exact entrance to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park’s campground. The app is available in over 50 languages to date, and is free to download for both iOS and Android devices.
“Being able to locate a caller during an emergency is essential and the faster the location is confirmed, the faster help can be dispatched,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “what3words enables callers and dispatchers to communicate precise locations with just three words and quickly get the help they need.”
“From Garrapata on the Big Sur coast, to Bodie State Historic Park near the Sierra Nevada, California’s state parks offer some of the most stunning and varied landscapes on the planet, attracting explorers from across the globe,’ said what3words CMO Giles Rhys Jones. “With every 10 ft square having its own what3words address it is simpler than ever to arrange meeting spots with your friends, save precise locations of epic viewpoints, remember the space you parked in, and in the event of an emergency - describe exactly where to send help.”
what3words already covers the entire globe, so you can easily discover addresses for all 280 California state parks in its system, including all parks and campgrounds on the internal and public GIS.
In addition, the official CA State Parks app, OuterSpatial, now displays what3words addresses for over 8,000 POIs in the State Park System, including campsites, trailheads, and picnic areas.
OuterSpatial is working together with what3words to offer more ways to use precise, three-word addresses in the CA State Parks app, with updates due to be released later in the year.
what3words can also be used for non-emergencies, like giving friends and family directions to a specific campsite or sharing beautiful viewpoints. Being able to precisely communicate where to find key locations can make navigating through the vast parks simple and stress free, allowing visitors to make the best use of their time and enjoy the experience to the fullest.
- Details
- Written by: California State Parks
California State Parks, and its Divisions of Boating and Waterways and Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation, invites Californians and visitors from around the world to recreate responsibly this July 4 weekend, one of the busiest outdoor holidays of the year.
With 280 state parks, California’s diverse landscape has recreational activities for everyone from swimming in the lakes, rivers, and oceans to hiking in the giant redwoods or sequoias to off-highway vehicle riding in the deserts and mountains to camping along the coastline.
Following simple safety measures such as wearing a lifejacket or proper riding gear, avoiding alcohol, and knowing one’s limits while swimming can help save lives. As a reminder, fireworks are not allowed in state parks.
Just within the California State Park System, there are over 340 miles of coastline, 970 miles of lake and river frontage, 15,000 campsites, 5,200 miles of trails, 3,195 historic buildings and more than 11,000 known prehistoric and historic archaeological sites.
There are plenty of outdoor opportunities to spend time with family and friends, reconnect with nature and enjoy the benefits it offers to your mental and physical health.
Below you will find helpful tips to stay safe during this holiday weekend:
Prepare an itinerary: No matter what type of recreation activity you will be participating in, leave an itinerary of your trip with a family member/friend with information such as name/age of all participants, travel destination and expected return date. This will ensure law enforcement personnel have a better understanding of your location in the event of a rescue.
Know before you go: Prior to leaving home, check the status of the park unit you want to visit to find out what restrictions and guidelines are in place. Have a back-up plan in case your destination is crowded. Park only in designated parking spaces.
Check the weather:
• Plan activities during cooler part of the day.
• Dress in loose, lightweight, and light-colored clothing.
• Shield yourself from the sun with hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
• Hydrate. Drink plenty of water. Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated fluids.
• If heading to a waterway to cool off, obey posted warnings, swim in designated areas, wear a life jacket, and actively supervise children.
Wear a life jacket: Water-related accidents can happen suddenly and rapidly. Make sure you and your loved ones wear properly fitting, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets. Wearing them is the number one way to increase your chances of survival during an accident. Several public and private entities make life jackets available to the public on a loan basis. View Locations
Protect your loved ones:
• Always supervise children by appointing a designated “water watcher,” taking turns with other adults. Do not assume that someone is watching your children.
• Know your limits. Swimming in a lake, ocean or river is different than swimming in a pool.
• If someone is in distress, seek help from a lifeguard or call 9-1-1 if one is not available.
Avoid alcohol: Operating your boat or an off-highway vehicle (OHV) with a blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, of 0.08% or more is against the law. Impaired boaters will be stopped and can be arrested even with lower BAC if the conditions are not safe. Your boat can be impounded. Some parks do have alcohol bans. Check specific park website to determine if there’s any local ordinances concerning alcohol.
Ocean rip currents: If you get caught in one, stay calm and do not fight the current. Swim or float parallel to the shore until you are out of the current and then swim toward the shore.
Learn the rules of recreating in boats and OHVs: There are laws specific to operating OHVs on public lands and boats on California’s waterways. Learn about them by visiting the webpage of your outdoor destination. For boating laws, please visit BoatCalifornia.com.
Trails: Whether you are hiking, horseback riding or operating an OHV, stay on designated trails. You are not only protecting natural resources, but you are also ensuring that you do not get lost. Make sure to hike with a buddy.
Leave no trace: Leave areas better than how you found them by packing out all trash. Do not disturb wildlife or plants.
You can find additional safety tips and information on backpacking, biking, camping, horseback trails, and laws can be found at https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29142.
With 280 state parks, California’s diverse landscape has recreational activities for everyone from swimming in the lakes, rivers, and oceans to hiking in the giant redwoods or sequoias to off-highway vehicle riding in the deserts and mountains to camping along the coastline.
Following simple safety measures such as wearing a lifejacket or proper riding gear, avoiding alcohol, and knowing one’s limits while swimming can help save lives. As a reminder, fireworks are not allowed in state parks.
Just within the California State Park System, there are over 340 miles of coastline, 970 miles of lake and river frontage, 15,000 campsites, 5,200 miles of trails, 3,195 historic buildings and more than 11,000 known prehistoric and historic archaeological sites.
There are plenty of outdoor opportunities to spend time with family and friends, reconnect with nature and enjoy the benefits it offers to your mental and physical health.
Below you will find helpful tips to stay safe during this holiday weekend:
Prepare an itinerary: No matter what type of recreation activity you will be participating in, leave an itinerary of your trip with a family member/friend with information such as name/age of all participants, travel destination and expected return date. This will ensure law enforcement personnel have a better understanding of your location in the event of a rescue.
Know before you go: Prior to leaving home, check the status of the park unit you want to visit to find out what restrictions and guidelines are in place. Have a back-up plan in case your destination is crowded. Park only in designated parking spaces.
Check the weather:
• Plan activities during cooler part of the day.
• Dress in loose, lightweight, and light-colored clothing.
• Shield yourself from the sun with hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
• Hydrate. Drink plenty of water. Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated fluids.
• If heading to a waterway to cool off, obey posted warnings, swim in designated areas, wear a life jacket, and actively supervise children.
Wear a life jacket: Water-related accidents can happen suddenly and rapidly. Make sure you and your loved ones wear properly fitting, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets. Wearing them is the number one way to increase your chances of survival during an accident. Several public and private entities make life jackets available to the public on a loan basis. View Locations
Protect your loved ones:
• Always supervise children by appointing a designated “water watcher,” taking turns with other adults. Do not assume that someone is watching your children.
• Know your limits. Swimming in a lake, ocean or river is different than swimming in a pool.
• If someone is in distress, seek help from a lifeguard or call 9-1-1 if one is not available.
Avoid alcohol: Operating your boat or an off-highway vehicle (OHV) with a blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, of 0.08% or more is against the law. Impaired boaters will be stopped and can be arrested even with lower BAC if the conditions are not safe. Your boat can be impounded. Some parks do have alcohol bans. Check specific park website to determine if there’s any local ordinances concerning alcohol.
Ocean rip currents: If you get caught in one, stay calm and do not fight the current. Swim or float parallel to the shore until you are out of the current and then swim toward the shore.
Learn the rules of recreating in boats and OHVs: There are laws specific to operating OHVs on public lands and boats on California’s waterways. Learn about them by visiting the webpage of your outdoor destination. For boating laws, please visit BoatCalifornia.com.
Trails: Whether you are hiking, horseback riding or operating an OHV, stay on designated trails. You are not only protecting natural resources, but you are also ensuring that you do not get lost. Make sure to hike with a buddy.
Leave no trace: Leave areas better than how you found them by packing out all trash. Do not disturb wildlife or plants.
You can find additional safety tips and information on backpacking, biking, camping, horseback trails, and laws can be found at https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29142.
- Details
- Written by: California State Parks
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