"In Case of Emergency" - ICE campaign

email | April 2004 | original idea Paramedic Bob Brotchie

[Swordmaker]

ICE campaign - "In Case of Emergency"

We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends.

If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence this " ICE" (In Case of Emergency) Campaign

The concept of "ICE" is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name "ICE" ( In Case Of Emergency).

The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as "ICE".

Please advance this idea by sending it to your loved ones. It won't take too many "forwards" before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest.

For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc.

A great idea that will make a difference!

Let's spread the concept of ICE by storing an ICE number in our Mobile phones today!

[Swordmaker]

This great idea started in the UK - The idea of entering the acronym "ICE" — "In Case of Emergency" — beside the numbers of people one wants to identify as next of kin in one's cell phone contact list was first suggested in 2004 by Bob Brotchie of the East Anglian Ambulance service. In April 2005, a National "ICE" Awareness Campaign was launched in the U.K. by mobile phone service provider Vodafone with the endorsement of Falklands War hero Simon Weston, and the movement reached critical mass in the wake of the July 7, 2005 terrorist bombings in London. The idea is now beginning to catch on in other countries, including the U.S.A. (as reported in the Washington Post).

Several suggestions:

• Make sure the person whose name and number you are giving has agreed to be your ICE partner

• Make sure your ICE partner has a list of people they should contact on your behalf - including your place of work

• Make sure your ICE person's number is one that's easy to contact, for example a home number could be useless in an emergency if the person works full time

• Make sure your ICE partner knows about any medical conditions that could affect your emergency treatment - for example allergies or current medication

• Make sure if you are under 18, your ICE partner is a parent or guardian authorised to make decision on your behalf - for example if you need a life or death operation

• Should your preferred contact be deaf, then type ICETEXT then the name of your contact before saving the number

My phone doesn't show the callers name any more

This will be because your ICE contact number is a duplicate entry of another contact in your phone book. If you have two numbers the same, your phone won't know which one to display so it will show just the number. To get round this, simply type a * after the number under your ICE contact. It will still work and will cure the caller-ID problem.

[Pure Country]

I was telling my son-in-law about ICE and he had never heard of it. He’s an instructor at the University of Illinois Police Training Academy so you would think that he, of all people would know about it...so.......if you know of any police, be sure to send it on to them.

[conservativeharleyguy]

I’ve been doing it for over a year. But I use “ICoE1” and “ICoE2” (with my grown kids names following). I have both of them do it with my name as well.

I can’t remember where I heard of it, but I was told that a lot of Emergency Responders are aware of it, though.

[bd476]

This is a great idea. Thanks for posting this.

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

I teach CPR and First Aid classes. This is part of our program.

[magslinger]

My younger daughter just earned her EMT license, she hadn’t heard of it, but she will let her instructor know.
My older daughter plans to go to Europe this winter. Is there an international term for ICE?

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

I hosted a foreign exchange student this last year. He just returned home a month ago. I will email him and find out if there is an ICE program over there.

His older brother is an EMT. So they will be a great source of info.

I originally didn't know that the brother was an EMT, so a few days after he arrived here I had him take one of my CPR/First Aid classes. He now is certified for CPR and First Aid in the U.S and Europe.

[magslinger]

Thanks!

I just now parsed your FReepname. LOL, it's dead on.

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

My dear hubby came up with it during the Clinton years. While he was listening a Clinton speech, he concluded that he was wrecked to the core.

[NautiNurse]

Excellent info! Thanks much for sharing.