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"..Chances are within the last week you've
received at least one e-mail about putting
ICE -- In Case of Emergency -- in your
mobile phone address book. This idea did not
come about from the recent bombings in
London, as some e-mails stated, but rather
from a paramedic in England who had the idea
last year...
According to the East Anglian Ambulance Web
site, Paramedic Bob Brotchie, a clinical
team leader for the East Anglian Ambulance
National Health Services Trust, created the
idea to help get emergency contact
information from injured victims. As most
people who carry mobile phones rarely have
emergency contact information, Brotchie
suggested that individuals add the entry
"ICE" with the phone number of the person to
contact. While many people have "Mom" and
"Dad" listed in their mobile phones, they're
not always the people to contact in case of
an emergency.
Entering an ICE#1, ICE#2, etc., would give
emergency workers more numbers to try in the
event one contact was not available or if a
number was changed or disconnected.
Technology has changed the mobility of
society. Few new wallets include the
old-fashioned "in case of emergency" cards,
and many men carry just a money clip.
A couple years ago, one of my friends was
returning home when his car slid off the
road and into a ditch. He was conscious but
while waiting for help to arrive he realized
that if he had been unconscious emergency
workers would have had no contact
information. Because he was single, no one
else lived in his house, and his daughters
lived in another state. Any medical history
would be delayed considerably. After that
accident, he made a point of carrying a few
friends' cards with "emergency contact"
written on them. He also exchanged emergency
contact information for his daughters with
his neighbors and took info on their grown
kids.
Until we have data chips installed under our
skin or responders can get medical histories
from transmitting fingerprint data, the ICE
idea is one simple way to help emergency
responders save lives.."
Excerpt: Janet Wilmoth, "ICE for Emergency
Responders" Fire Chief Magazine
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