ICE, ICE, Baby
Aug. 29th, 2005 03:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
libertangoI don't usually do the viral email thingies. You know, the kind that scream for everyone's attention, and say you should forward it along.
So, rather than do that, I'm going to talk about the topic, without doing a copy.
*^*^*^*
Here's the scenario:
Imagine you're in an accident. You're knocked out. A paramedic, or an EMT, arrives at the scene, and wants to contact your spouse or other loved one, to either get consent for a procedure, or to learn what allergies you might have, or just to let them know what's happened.
So they pick up your cell phone...
...and find a directory with 80-mumble undifferentiated names.
Which one would they call? How would they know how to prioritize the hunt? Time's a wastin'... and the poor person has to figure out somehow who your emergency contact should be.
*^*^*^*
This isn't an abstract situation. It happens many times.
In response to it, Bob Brotchie, a clinical team leader for the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust in the UK, came up with an idea:
Have people enter an entry into their cell phones labelled, "ICE" -- an acronym for, "In Case of Emergency."
In other words, if I have an entry that says, "ICE - Ulrika (cell)" that gives the poor paramedic something to start with. And, if enough people do it, if it becomes a de facto standard, it can just become part of the checklist in a life-threatening situation. If I'm lucky enough to have more than one person to contact (if, say, the first number doesn't get an answer, and I want to give an alternate), I can just put in entries "ICE1," "ICE2," "ICE3," etc., in order of priority.
Here's what Mr. Brotchie says, on that page:
"Bob, 41, who has been a paramedic for 13 years, said: “I was reflecting on some of the calls I’ve attended at the roadside where I had to look through the mobile phone contacts struggling for information on a shocked or injured person.
"It’s difficult to know who to call. Someone might have “mum” in their phone book but that doesn’t mean they’d want them contacted in an emergency.
"Almost everyone carries a mobile phone now, and with ICE we’d know immediately who to contact and what number to ring. The person may even know of their medical history.”
I haven't noticed any of my UK readers comment about this (and it may well have slipped by me), but after the London bombings of 7/7, it seems the idea got enough traction for the BBC to write an article on it.
I can only approve, do it myself, and suggest you do the same. Like the cliche goes, the life you save may be your own.
So, rather than do that, I'm going to talk about the topic, without doing a copy.
*^*^*^*
Here's the scenario:
Imagine you're in an accident. You're knocked out. A paramedic, or an EMT, arrives at the scene, and wants to contact your spouse or other loved one, to either get consent for a procedure, or to learn what allergies you might have, or just to let them know what's happened.
So they pick up your cell phone...
...and find a directory with 80-mumble undifferentiated names.
Which one would they call? How would they know how to prioritize the hunt? Time's a wastin'... and the poor person has to figure out somehow who your emergency contact should be.
*^*^*^*
This isn't an abstract situation. It happens many times.
In response to it, Bob Brotchie, a clinical team leader for the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust in the UK, came up with an idea:
Have people enter an entry into their cell phones labelled, "ICE" -- an acronym for, "In Case of Emergency."
In other words, if I have an entry that says, "ICE - Ulrika (cell)" that gives the poor paramedic something to start with. And, if enough people do it, if it becomes a de facto standard, it can just become part of the checklist in a life-threatening situation. If I'm lucky enough to have more than one person to contact (if, say, the first number doesn't get an answer, and I want to give an alternate), I can just put in entries "ICE1," "ICE2," "ICE3," etc., in order of priority.
Here's what Mr. Brotchie says, on that page:
"Bob, 41, who has been a paramedic for 13 years, said: “I was reflecting on some of the calls I’ve attended at the roadside where I had to look through the mobile phone contacts struggling for information on a shocked or injured person.
"It’s difficult to know who to call. Someone might have “mum” in their phone book but that doesn’t mean they’d want them contacted in an emergency.
"Almost everyone carries a mobile phone now, and with ICE we’d know immediately who to contact and what number to ring. The person may even know of their medical history.”
I haven't noticed any of my UK readers comment about this (and it may well have slipped by me), but after the London bombings of 7/7, it seems the idea got enough traction for the BBC to write an article on it.
I can only approve, do it myself, and suggest you do the same. Like the cliche goes, the life you save may be your own.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-08-29 10:32 pm (UTC)On one level it makes sense (though if I were in that spot, I'd just assume the first entry was the most important person for them).
But I worry about it being abused. I can't that one, or it defeats the purpose. I also can't have it attached to anyone's name, at least not on the surface, because my phone only lets me associate a number with one person (which I assume to be pretty much a standard).
That means, among other things, someone who finds a phone can use it to prey on the ICE contact.
So I'm still pondering it.
TK
Abuse
Date: 2005-08-29 10:39 pm (UTC)Yes, I know it can be abused. The question is, How does the risk of abuse compare to the possible utility? That's clearly going to have different answers for different people. (Say, someone who has really bad allergies, where informing the paramedic is a life/death issue, compared to someone relatively free from such worries.)
Sorting
Date: 2005-08-29 10:43 pm (UTC)Good if you (the phone owner) can set the sort of the directory. If not, then not.
Example: My directory is an alphabetical sort, hard coded. Alas. I can trick that somewhat with particular characters, but I'm the kind of guy who knows that -- not everyone does. Better to set a standard people understand.
Re: I C E
Date: 2005-08-29 10:44 pm (UTC)Re: Sorting
Date: 2005-08-29 11:03 pm (UTC)My phone has two sorts, one is numeric, one is alpa. It took me more than a year to realise this, because the "intuitive" way for me to access the list led to the numeric one.
Standards are good (and I need to get a medic-alert bracelet, now as you mention standards. Then I have to wear it).
TK
Re: I C E
Date: 2005-08-29 11:10 pm (UTC)"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." (Emphasis added)
I think that's also a great set of ideas. Even if they don't understand serial commas. :)