Hey All,

Some of you might know this already but for those of you that don't, I want to pass on some information I learned last Saturday while getting recertified for my CPR/First-Aid/AED.

Hopefully no one in here will ever need this information but seeing how we have some hot-rodders in here I figured what the heck.

Those of you that have cell phones, (everyone right?), need to add a new name to your cell phone directories. Add an emergency contact under the name ICE.

ICE stands for "In Case of Emergency".

Paramedics are now scrolling through cell phone directories of victims to contact family members and love ones. ICE is the first name paramedics look for and there's currently a campaign underway to make everyone aware of this important information.

You can even customize the acronym such as "ICE-DAD", or "ICE-WIFE", etc. My wife, daughter and I have all added this to our directories.

Let everyone know, it could possibly save your life.

H.H.

 

Interesting info. I just completed my BLS/ACLS/PALS with all the same paramedics and they never mentioned this. Good info and certainly can't hurt anything by doing so. I'll add my wife as my ICE contact this morning. Thanks again.

 

Great idea!

 

Yeah thats good info, man. Wifes a nurse and this type of thing is a real problem. Dude or Dudette comes in all messed up and they find docs but no next o kin info. The Cop gotta do the softshoe thing and in many cases time is of the essence.

 

Been using "ICE" in address books in mobiles for the last year and a half here in the UK.

It's so nice to hear people are doing these courses BLS (we call it BTLS in the UK) ACLS and PALS.
Is this for your own interest, or as part of some job training?
We have co-responder schemes here in the UK, whereby designated and trained people in the community use AED's etc, as a "first response".
We have a government led and controlled performance target called "ORCON", which states every 999 call, 911 in the U.S, is reached within 8 miniutes.
People in the coresponder schemes are contacted to achieve this target until an ambulance is either made available or can get on scene.
Do you have such targets and coresponder schemes in the U.S ?
Anywhoooo, it's nice to know that after this kind of training, if you roll up on an emergency you will know how to deal with it.
Many people just drive by as they're too frightened to stop. Or, complicate matters by slowing down to have a look see, then drive by, which is equally as bad as this hinders the emergency services bycreating large traffic problems.
Not trying to steal the thread, rather ask a few questions about what happens in the U.S.
Al.

 

The idea is fantastic, however, I'm not sure where you live, but in Massachusetts there is something called HIPAA, it's a privacy act. This act prevents paramedics from notifying family members (with exceptions), but more importantly, we DO NOT access peoples cellular phones, the notifications of family is left up to the hospital. The exception is with minors, of whom we would need permission to treat if either not impaired, or not accompanied by a legal guardian.

ICE is an excellent idea, but unfortunately, until we can abolish some ridiculous rules, only the hospitals will be able to take advantage of it.

Timmay

 

Yeah, HIPPA has some draw backs. It is a nationwide policy signed into law by Clinton. I believe it was started in 1997 and went onto effect in 2003(?).

Abarmby, I'd venture to say that most if not all healthcare employees take BLS as part of an orientation program. ACLS and PALS is more specialized and usually reserved for nurses, paramedics, etc. I took it before I start my internship during medical school. I think everyone should know BLS. I think many high schools and colleges are teaching it in health classes. As far as the 911 system goes, it kind of depends where you live. Could be great, good, or bad. We do have volunteer firefighters and other emergency personnel active in most parts of the country.