Do you carry a wallet-card containing phone numbers of emergency contacts?
Like most people, you probably don't. That's why the Fanwood Rescue Squad is
urging citizens to carry emergency contact information with them at all times.
Here's a way to make it easy for the cell phone generation.
It's called ICE, a three-letter acronym that stands for "In Case of
Emergency", a new shorthand designed to help emergency responders contact
family or friends of patients through the patient's own cell phone.
More than 80% of people do not carry emergency contact information with them
according to a study done in England. But due to the popularity of cell phones,
this statistic can be changed in the short amount of time it takes to punch in
the letters ICE into your phone.
You simply identify who your ICE contacts will be, with their consent of course
--- spouse or partner, best friend, co-worker-- and in your cell phone's address
list next to their name type the word ICE, like ICEmom, ICEkevin and so on. Now,
if you are ever incapacitated in a medical emergency, your friendly EMT can pick
up your cell phone and search your phone list for any ICE listings. Calling that
person will give the EMT access to someone who knows your medical history and
could speed your treatment.
"The physical and emotional demands on patients who have been seriously
injured or ill can make it almost impossible for EMT's to get all the
information needed to care for them properly," says Nancy D'Ambrosio,
Captain of the Fanwood Rescue Squad. "This is why it's so important for
everyone to carry emergency contact information at all times. You never know
when a sudden illness or accident will strike."
ICE was invented by a paramedic from the East Anglian Ambulance Trust, a British
ambulance squad, after the London train bombings. The concept has been formally
adopted by the Tulsa and Oklahoma City fire departments and has been embraced by
others. Though there is some debate over whether it's as effective as simply
carrying a laminated card with medical information, even skeptics say it
couldn't hurt.
Amy Ondeyka, EMT-B with the Fanwood Rescue Squad, offers these tips for using
ICE contacts:
 | Make sure the person knows he/she is one of your ICE contacts |
| Make sure your ICE contacts know all about your medical history, medications and allergies |
| For those under 18, ICE contacts should include a parent or guardian who can make medical decisions on your behalf |
To learn more about ICE, go to www.icecontact.com