Two technology start-ups are harnessing Ordnance Survey’s geospatial data to help the UK’s emergency services respond faster to emergencies.
EmergencyLocate and Blue Light Maps, both created by founders with frontline experience, are using OS’s authoritative mapping data to bring new precision and context to the way responders locate incidents and plan routes.
EmergencyLocate was founded by former NHS Ambulance Service operations manager Nick Sutton during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the pressure on control rooms was at its peak. The platform allows 999 operators to obtain a caller’s exact location via a secure web link sent to their phone, even if the caller cannot speak. Once activated, the service can track the caller’s position temporarily while help is on the way.
The service includes two-way text messaging with automatic language detection and translation, enabling clear communication when voice calls are not possible. It also provides 3D building and satellite models to give control room operators a better understanding of the environment around the incident, and includes SAR Deploy, a tool that guides responders from their vehicle to the precise scene, which can be critical when incidents occur in hard-to-reach locations.
EmergencyLocate integrates with what3words and draws on the OS Emergency Services Gazetteer, which means responders can use recognisable landmarks such as post boxes or roundabouts to confirm the right location. The start-up is also planning to incorporate OS’s Vernacular Names Tool, which will allow dispatchers to recognise and use local, colloquial place names that citizens might use when reporting an incident.
Blue Light Maps focuses on enhancing situational awareness for fire, police and ambulance crews once they are on the move. The application overlays OS mapping with critical operational data such as hydrant locations, known hazards and access restrictions, giving responders more informed route choices. It is particularly useful in unfamiliar areas, as it highlights restricted access routes like bus-only streets that may be permissible in an emergency, helping to shave precious time off the journey. Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has already deployed Blue Light Maps across 40 frontline vehicles.
John Kimmance, Chief Customer Officer at OS, said it was inspiring to see trusted and accurate location data being used to save lives. By combining national mapping datasets with intuitive, user-focused technology, EmergencyLocate and Blue Light Maps are showing how innovation can make public services more responsive and effective. Both start-ups are exploring ways to integrate their platforms so that location data collected by EmergencyLocate can feed directly into Blue Light Maps’ route planning.
(Photo credit: Humberside Fire and Rescue Service)