Adding ICE (“In Case of Emergency”) to your phone is a clever means by which emergency personnel can locate your next of kin when something goes wrong.
This simple idea was developed by a British paramedic, Bob Brotchie, who recognized the need for speed when emergency personnel are trying to locate next of kin during emergency situations. Here is the simple way to keep your loved ones informed.
Program ICE – “In Case of Emergency” – with the name of your emergency contact into your speed dial. For example:
- – ICE Bob
- – ICE Mom
- – ICE Mrs Crabby
Hint: leave a space or dash between ICE and NAME.
Let other family members and friends know.
Alert family members that you have done this and encourage them to do so as well. This will help speed up responses from emergency personnel when they have to decide who to call in case of your injury.
Put an ICE Sticker on the phone to alert others you have an ICE Contact.
Why do emergency personnel need to contact next of kin? The principal reason can be to seek permission to treat you when injured. A delay in this can result in a much worsened condition.
ICE aims to speed this up to ensure rapid responses. Furthermore, emergency personnel can ask questions about allergies, general health, previous accident experiences etc., all information that might help save your limb or life.
As this is on your cell phone/mobile phone, try your best to always keep your phone on your person, and in an accessible area in your pocket or bag, so that the paramedics can reach it with ease.
But don’t make it too accessible because it could be stolen or it could fall out and get broken or just unreachable when things go wrong.
Also keep your phone well topped up with call credit and battery power, so that if the emergency services don’t have a phone to use, they can use yours. And they can’t look in your phone book if the screen is blank from no battery.
Download an App
Owners of iPhones can download the “iEmergency+” app from the Apple app store and for Android Smartphones, you can download from the Play Store.
