I received the following by e-mail today. Sounds like a good idea to me.
A campaign encouraging people to enter an emergency contact number in their mobile phone’s memory under the heading ICE (In Case of Emergency), has rapidly spread throughout the world as a particular consequence of last weeks terrorist attacks in London.
Originally established as a nationwide campaign in the UK, ICE allows paramedics or police to be able to contact a designated relative / next-of-kin in an emergency situation.
The idea is the brainchild of East Anglian Ambulance Service paramedic Bob Brotchie and was launched in May this year. Bob, 41, who has been a paramedic for 13 years, said, “I was reflecting on some of the calls I’ve attended at the roadside where I had to look through the mobile phone contacts struggling for information on a shocked or injured person. Almost everyone carries a mobile phone now, and with ICE a rescuer would know immediately who to contact and what number to ring. The contact person may even know of their medical history.
By adopting the ICE advice, your mobile will help the rescue services quickly contact a friend or relative, which could be vital in a life or death situation. It only takes a few seconds to do, and it could easily help save your life. Why not put ICE in your phone now? Simply select your person to contact in case of emergency, enter them under the word ICE and the telephone number of the person you wish to be contacted.
Please will you also email this to everybody in your address book, it won’t take too many ‘forwards’ before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life, or put a loved one’s mind at rest.
For more than one contact name ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 etc.
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You were ahead of the curve on this one. It made the Local News on Channel 8 last night, and the National News on the same channel tonight.
It helps to have the right sources. Thank you.
I.C.E. is a great idea but it is not enough…
- What if your cell phone is lost or damaged in an accident?
- What if you do not have a cell phone or have it with you at the time I.C.E. is needed?
- What if your emergency contacts are not available when the First Responders try to call?
- What if the buttons are locked?
First Responders need more than just I.C.E.
The Med Alert Card is more reliable than I.C.E. and provides more vital information.
For more info visit: http://www.livingwillcards.com
Dave, even though your comment amounts to an ad, I’ll leave it because it makes an important point: emergency healthcare workers really want more than an emergency phone number. But it’s a good start.
Medic Alert is an excellent idea, but it is usually only subscribed to by people with ongoing medical problems, such as diabetes, MS, or the like.
They pretty much specialize in keeping a record of your ongoing medications, which is helpful information, but I don’t believe they are set up to contact your loved ones if you are in an accident. It is your loved ones for whom ICE would be the most valuable. If I had a spouse, I would want him to know pretty much immediately, if I were on my way to the hospital, and it would be him that would most likely be able to identify me and hot-foot it to the hospital to be at my side.
Medic Alert info is not really an ad. They are a nonprofit charity, so rest easy on that score.