ICE your cellphone

[BigV]

ICE your cellphone

This reported in the Washington Post, ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. And it can be used to identify important contacts in your telephone.

To its owner, the cell phone is an indispensable lifeline at times of crisis, reuniting loved ones separated by unforeseen events at the touch of a button. But for members of the emergency services making life-and-death decisions, the cell poses a conundrum: Which of the numbers stored in its electronic address book should they call to reach a casualty's next of kin?

Now a simple initiative, conceived by a paramedic in Britain, has gained momentum on both sides of the Atlantic to try to solve this problem. Cell users are being urged to put the acronym ICE -- "in case of emergency" -- before the names of the people they want to designate as next of kin in their cell address book, creating entries such as "ICE -- Dad" or "ICE -- Alison."

I decided to post this first, but by the time you read this, I'll be ICE-ifying my phone. I urge you all to do the same.

[mrnoodle]

finally, a good cellphone idea. ICE-ing as we speak.

[plthijinx]

wow, that's pretty cool! but i wonder how long it will take for everyone to understand it?

[Queen of the Ryche]

I think if the EMS folks know, that's good enough. I'll pass this on to my firefighter/paramedic brother - He'll be sure to spread the word around here.


Yup - he confirmed, and gave me this link: http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/icephone.asp

[Clodfobble]

Personally, I've just always had my own home number listed in there as "Home." I would think that would be easier to figure out than an acronym, but what do I know?

[footfootfoot]

Being a person who remembers gasoline costing less than 40 cents a gallon, and when there were no answering machines, and cetera and cetera I often wonder how we functioned in emergencies w/o cell phones.

My contract is up in a month and I am not sure I want to continue with it. If I got better reception where I live I'd dump my land line, 911 notwithstanding.

On the other hand, even though things were different back then, they were different back then. As my friend's teenage son told me, vis a vis the internet and dial up vs. dsl,
"you don't ride to work on a horse"

While technology fascinates me, I am also appalled by its seemingly thoughtless embracing by so many people. I have a friend whose motto is "ready, fire, aim." That seems to be the zeitgeist of this era.

Anyway, if I am in an emergency and I am unconscious, then please
1. make sure I am breathing
2. stop the bleeding
3. treat me for shock
4. check me for a med alert bracelet (mine says "hypochondriac", btw)
5. when/if I wake up ask me who to call

At first reading of the post title I thought it meant ICE, as in "pop a cap in"

[wolf]

I received this from one of my coworkers. He apparently sent it to another of my friends who was his EMT instructor. She ripped into him explaining exactly why it was a bad idea, but he didn't go into specifics with me.

I'll see if I can get permission to post her "why this is stupid" rant.

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

4. check me for a med alert bracelet (mine says "hypochondriac", btw)

Ya, that's funny.

[Cloud]

soooo . . . why is it a stupid idea? doesn't seem to have caught on.

[classicman]

My mom told me about it months ago - I did it to shut her up, but I hope that by the time they call anyone I'm already in a hospital being treated before the go through the contents of my pockets and look through my cell phone contact list.

[sweetwater]

I wrote about this on my blog on Aug 9, 2005 (just checked) so it's been around for a while. The program won't do me much good because I usually keep my cell phone locked, but I think it's a good idea. I would not want my parents contacted in event of an emergency, and I don't have Spouse as the contact either as he is likely to be with me in the same emergency. So I listed another who knows me well (very well, she was my womb mate!) but lives in another state. The lucky girl. The Snopes story here.

[HungLikeJesus]

The earlier posts are around that same time (July 29, 2005). They beat you by a few days.

[bbro]

I didn't do this on my phone, but in my wallet with all my prescriptions and relevant medical history including allergies. I should get a medical alert bracelet for the allergies, but the rest of the stuff is important and I just don't want to be wearing something that big!

[Cloud]

so, the Snopes article seems to suggest that simply putting a card in your wallet with your emergency contact info is a good idea

[Sundae]

I'm one of the most paranoid people I know re making arrangements in case I have an accident. It comes from having a similarly paranoid Mum, who worked for both Ambulance Control and in the Police Station, which only fed her paranoia!

At home, HM has a comprehensive list of the order in which to call different members of my family if my parents aren't answering. Including my parents' neighbours rather than my sister! Maureen & Vic have known me since I was a baby and would happily tell him where Mum & Dad were if I couldn't, because they help look after the house - my sister would resent the intrusion unless I was actually at death's door.

At work they have a less detailed list as the first rule is to contact HM. But they do have our home number, his mobile AND his work number just in case. And my blood group and the fact I have no allergies that would matter in an emergency. Pollen probably won't be an issue if I'm bleeding out.

Anyway - all that was to say that I didn't ICE my phone. I waited to see if it gthered enough momentum. It hasn't. I'll take my chances with Parents' Home, Home and Work being on my contacts list. I think 99% of people will understand that. That's assuming I'm not out with just my house keys and purse (coin container) of course!