ICE- In Case of Emergency This Could Save Ur Life!!
 

A new way of listing your Important Emergency Contacts in your Wireless Device is being introduced from Europe and appears to be gaining support here in the states.This new movement within the EMS-Fire-Police Communities seems to be getting alot of press. I first saw this at Howard Forums last nite, and then saw it on a Hampton VA Televison Stations WEB Site. If you GOOGLE the subject you get even more hits. So I did a search of Blackberry Forum and didnt see anything listed, so allow me to bring you "Up To Speed"!!

Basically this is what they are looking for:
ICE-DAD 240-123-4567
ICE-Mom 240-673-0000
ICE-Family Doc 345-678-7645

For those that say it would mess up their spped dialing, or other Phone functions, remeber, it can always be a second set of entries tucked away at the end of your phone list. Just so when someone types in Search I then C and E (if it takes even 3 letters) and these names cwill appear. Now more from the news:

ICE is cool, emergency workers say
"In Case of Emergency" in your cell phone could help if you're knocked out.

BY NOVELDA SOMMERS
247-4767

July 27 2005, 3:04 PM EDT

Have you put your cell phone on ICE yet?

A broadly circulating e-mail claims emergency workers want cell phone users to store "in case of emergency" contacts in their mobile phones labeled with the acronym ICE. If you would want your mom contacted, she would be listed as, ICE-Mom, then her number.

Doing so would give police another tool for finding the families of people who, because of trauma or illness, can't speak for themselves.

The e-mail checks out: It's true there's a movement afoot to get consumers to ICE their contact lists. A paramedic with the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust on England's eastern coast came up with the idea. The emergency service teamed up with Vodafone, a U.K.-based cellular service provider, to publicize the campaign over there. Word spread via the Internet.

The Virginia State Police this week sent a letter to its troopers telling them motorists might be carrying this information on their phones, said Sgt. D.S. Carr, spokesman for the agency.

"Anything we can do to encourage people to help us with notification of next of kin is good," he said. "You'd be surprised how many accident cases we run across where the person has no ID on them. We do a lot of guessing and asking people who that person might be."

The state police Web site, www.vsp.virginia.gov, also links to a national next of kin registry, www.pleasenotifyme.org, where anyone can enter the contact information of whom they would want law enforcement to contact for them if they're incapacitated.

Cpl. James West, a spokesman for the Hampton Police Department, said he received an e-mail about the ICE campaign the same way many others have - from a friend. He didn't heed the advice, but he doesn't think it's a bad idea.

However, police should be cautious about peeking into people's cell phones, he said, especially if a crime may have been committed, lest they taint any evidence they should have gotten with a search warrant.

The ICE missive also found its way into the e-mail inbox of Karen Cobuluis, a spokeswoman for the National Emergency Management Association, a professional membership group based in Lexington, Kentucky.

"It's a great idea, and I actually did it," she said. "It seemed kind of hokey, but what could it hurt? I put my blood type in the memo line."

Police and emergency workers usually look in wallets for identity information and check for jewelry that could indicate blood type, allergies or infirmities, she said.

"Why wouldn't they try to find out as much as possible about a victim, if someone's lying there ill and unable to communicate?" she said.

Jim Masten, disaster programs coordinator for the Peninsula's Emergency Medical Services Council, said some responders might feel squeamish about flipping through a stranger's phone because of privacy concerns, even though he likes the idea of having another way to help victims.

"Maybe they could have a sticker or something on the phone that says it's OK for an emergency provider to look through your phone list," he said. "It's low on our priority list. If someone is unconscious or can't tell us who they are, we generally have higher priorities."
Copyright © 2005, Daily Press

Duh, I feel like a boob. As a Search and Rescue Agent I know this and I never thought of posting. People this works. This is one of the first things they teach us to look for. Even if you don't have a cell phone, write it down and put it in your wallet. I made one for my sons car and clipped it right to his car registration.

That's a great idea, unfortunately it won't work with the security constraints that are implemented on our company-provided BES-based Blackberries. The unit locks after 15 minutes of non-use and requires a password to get into it. If anyone comes along and finds my unconscious body and tried my 7250 the most they could do would be able to place a 911 call. Which would be a plus if they didn't have a cell phone and emergency services weren't already on the scene.

Wirelessly posted (7290: Mozilla/2.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.02; Windows CE; PPC; 240x320) BlackBerry7290/4.0.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

It would be great if somehow they could make an OTA update people could/would!!!! Be able to get for all make and model BlackBerries.

To add the extra option of dialing the ICE NumberS.


Regards,
~

Wirelessly posted (7290: Mozilla/2.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.02; Windows CE; PPC; 240x320) BlackBerry7290/4.0.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

Just thought of something.....

Maybe the carrier's could impliment something like *ICE* and it would Autimatically lockdown your phone to your pre-set ICE numbers only ,, the displaying the BloodType and Eye color and FPrint swirl type of the person.

I think this would help incase you lend your phone out to anyone.


Regards,
~

Wirelessly posted (7290: Mozilla/2.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.02; Windows CE; PPC; 240x320) BlackBerry7290/4.0.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

Sorry that's , Automaticaly and Fingerprin| , Damn I wish this board had WiForums 4Beta.

For those blackberries that are locked by a password, put the ICE numbers in your "Owners" information under "Options". I originally put my office number and company name on seperate lines below the information line in case I misplaced the BB. This screen shows up when you try to iunlock the BB.

added mine.

Ice
 

:smile: Thanks. I added just as you described. Just was I looking for.

Thanks - great idea!

Wont work for all
 

As a Firefighter, we are not to go into someones personal stuff, meaning going though someones cell is not really what we will do. We will grab a purse or wallet and look for a name, so your better adding something to that.

Say we roll on a call, 19 yr old male knocked out we touch his cell, and look though it, but then later that month he gets his bill..and oh he has charges to a 900 number, it then puts the city at risk.

Smk

This is true. There is nothing bad about having an ICE in your phone, but I have a little business card with emergency contacts in my ID slot for people to see in case of emergency. As well as the meds I am allergic to and a bible verse :)

That's also a good idea Liv!

But the locked screen is visible with 'owner info'. Can users customise that to add an ICE contact or two?

W

Yes, you can add ICE contacts to the owner screen.

I have been a firefighter/paramedic for 15 years in several large fire departments and EMS agencies and I can say that I have NEVER looked into a persons cell phone for ICE or anything of the sort and no one that I know of has either. I am not saying that I represent ALL firefighters and paramedics, but I have been around.


Also, according to Snopes:

As the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) has noted, ICE entries in cell phone address books should be used in addition to (not in place of) more standard forms of identification:

Contrary to several chain e-mail warnings, ICE is not something that Paramedics will rush to look for the instant they arrive at an emergency, and is certainly not required in order for LAFD Paramedics to provide quick, focused and compassionate emergency care.

We tell people: Add ICE to your cell phone only after you've affixed similar information to (or near) the official photo identification you routinely carry in your wallet.

Why?

With so many types and brands of wireless phones, it can take precious minutes to learn how to access a phone's directory. Many wireless devices are also found to be locked, damaged or have discharged batteries following an incident, rendering ICE unusable.

Please do encourage your interested friends and colleagues to make an ICE entry in their cell phone, especially if it will give them peace of mind — but not at the expense of written emergency contact and medical information.

I know this thread has been running for a while ......... so ive come in on the end ! ......
I have worked in Law Enforcement in London for 25 years and my wife is a senior nurse in A&E (ER to you guys across the pond :smile: )...

I have to say that IMHO this ICE thing is tottally overated........ firstly its very rare to find someone ill or injured who does not have some form of ID on them or other means, car registration etc etc most of which can easily lead back to a next of kin..... and as others have said if someone is that ill/injured there are more important things to worry about than flicking thru' phone book entries...

A lot of this ICE idea has been fuelled by individuals who have very little or no knowledge of practicalities in emergency situations ! Although I have to say that in most cases it is very well meaning.

Ask yourself these couple of questions ...

Would you want your wife, partner or parent told by telephone that you had been seriously injured in a crash ??? Think about the care of them at the other end of the phone having received such a shock !

What happens if someone is in possesion of a borrowed/stolen phone/PDA ? Think of the compensation claim when you tell the wrong person that their loved one has perished !!!

Just my thoughts ..... I know some will not agree ........... but they are based on a fair bit of experience.

Regards

MS

if i have an accident in my car, who knows where my BB would end up since i put it on the passenger seat (egrips keep it in place, but NOT in an accident!).

I did put it in my BB, but I have a business size card in my wallet with that info, as well as the current medications I'm on. Hopefully it will never need to be used, but I've been to the ER with my mom enough times to know if you have a list of medications, doses, and times you take them it will save the doctors a heap of time. Even if I was conscious, I'm not sure I could pronounce a couple of those generic drug names!

I applaud you for that. ICE will not save your life, that simple card will.