Putting Your Cell Phone on ICE

What would happen if you were incapacitated and paramedics didn’t know who to contact? A good friend of mine experienced this frightening situation a number of years ago when his mother-in-law was at the hospital for an appointment and collapsed in the waiting room. Through the quick actions of medical personnel she was resuscitated and then placed in intensive care. Unfortunately, she had nothing in her purse to indicate who to contact in case of an emergency. It was hours later before her family realized she was “missing”; and then it took a series of calls before they were able to determine her whereabouts and rush to her bedside.

I just recently learned about a simple and effective way to provide emergency responders with a quick link to your emergency contact(s). The idea is that you store the word “ICE” in your cell phone address book along with the number of the person you would want to be contacted in case of emergency. (Incidentally… I.C.E. is an acronym for In Case of Emergency.)

If you have multiple contacts you can use ICE1, ICE2, and so on. Another great idea is to also enter the name of the individual.

Here are a few additional suggestions to help you get the most out of ICE-ing your cell phones. Make sure…

1. …the person whose name and number you are using has agreed to be your ICE contact.
2. …your ICE partner has a list of people to contact on your behalf, including your place of employment.
3. …to always include every phone number for that individual – home, work and cell.
4. …your ICE partner’s number is one that’s easy to contact. For example, a home number could be useless in an emergency if the person isn’t home.
5. … your ICE partner knows about any medical conditions that could affect your emergency treatment. For example, any allergies or current medications.
6. … to encourage your family, friends and loved ones to make an ICE entry in their cell phones, especially if it will give them peace of mind. Always include written emergency contact and medical information elsewhere as a safety precaution.

At this time, ICE is not so commonly used that paramedics know to look for it. We hope increased worldwide awareness will make it a universal application in the coming years. Tell a friend and help spread the “ICE”.

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