Emergency responders: Cell phone ICE files- yea or nay?

[Chuck Dye]

Some time back I heard a radio yapper mention having ICE, In Case of Emergency, files programmed into your cell phone address book. The idea is that emergency responders processing a victim with a cellular phone can access important info such as who to call, medications, and for one of my friends, to check his wallet for a notarized DNR. I have created an ICE entry and medications entry into my phone in the belief that they couldn’t hurt.

So how about it, emergency responders, has such a procedure been added to your training and protocols?

 

[Coronach]

Yep.

 

[G.I.Bill]

About a year ago I went through an EMT- Basic course at a california community college and I don't recall anyone saying anything about an ICE file on cell phones. We were pretty much told that during the scene size up gain as much pertinant information as possible from the patient/witnesses or family/friends/coworkers and to search for a medical bracelet and to check for contact lenses, etc. However we were pretty much told not to go through anyones wallet or purse. We just hold on to the stuff and place in a bag and give to the hospital as long as it's not required as evidence by the police. I have to disclose the fact that although I am a registered EMT, I am not currently employed as one. I know that there is a lot of OJT in this line of work and my experience is very limited.

 

[SMLE]

The cops might take time to look in your phone for ICE items, but EMS most likely won't. I'm an active EMT-I and work for a 911 service. If you're too sick/injured to talk to us, we're more likely to be trying to keep you breathing than fooling with your cell phone. Medic Alert jewelry is your best bet for communicating with us when you can't speak for yourself.

 

[Optical Serenity]

Not a bad thing to do, can't hurt anyway and its free.

I've also responded to emergencies where I found people who had a little label attached to their phone that says something like "DAD: 888-555-1212."

Both not bad ideas.

 

[MillCreek]

I used to be a paramedic and now work in healthcare administration. I have two ICE listings in my cell phone: ICE Work and ICE Home. A typical situation in which I may be out and about without other ID is when I am bicycling. To my bike frame, I have attached a laminated business card with my home contact info on the back. I also have a dog tag around my neck with five lines of info: Name, City and State, Work phone, Home phone and NKA/NKDA/A pos. The last part, to healthcare providers, means that I have no allergies, no known drug allergies and my blood type is A positive. I figure that with this, if I am involved in an accident or bicycle crash, the ER staff at the hospital will be able to promptly identify me and notify my family and start emergency treatment or transfusion.

Back when I was working the big red and white ALS van, we would from time to time encounter accident or crime victims with no ID whatsoever. It sucks being a John Doe # 83 in the hospital with your family not knowing where you are.

Over the years, I have discovered that other EMS or healthcare providers who do active outdoor sports seem to also be big fans of having many ways to ID your unconscious body!

 

[Bob R]

Back when I used to ride my motorcycle a little past the edge of safe and sane I had a a strip of embossing tape front and rear on my helmet. Basically said no drug allergies, blood type, and not to remove helmet if unconscious.

As a nurse in the ER I have yet to look in someones phone for contact info, but I have gone through wallets.

Both wallet info, and an ICE file in the phone won't hurt.

bob

 

[brownie0486]

I'm a certified wilderness first responder connected with the Sheriff's office through Search and Rescue here in Arizona.

Both my wife and I have ICE numbers in the cell phones. It's a good idea. During the medical training, ICE came up, not as part of the curriculum, but as a question for one of the two instructors. They thought it was a good idea themselves and had ICE in their phones as well.

EMT's may not look immediately for an ICE number at the scene, but soon or later someone may either enroute or at the emergency room, if it's there, you can save everyone a lot of time in making a call to someone you know.

Here in the wilderness end of treating others more than 1 hr from advanced care [ and likely several hours ], ICE would be very prudent for any search team that happens upon a person.

It doesn't hurt to have it in the phone, but it can be detrimental if you don't.

Brownie

 

[Bob F.]

I have ICE #'s in my phone and would like to have a dog tag (gotta do that).
Often don't carry a wallet on person as I work in scrubs and off-duty don't like sitting on the darned things.
Working EMS back in the day, we rolled on a wreck on the I-77: nighttime, 2300hrs or so, pickup rolled on it's side in a laurel thicket. It had obviously rolled several times. Woman hanging out the drivers window w/seatbelt around waist only, naked above the waist. DOS. Responders saw camper-top on shoulder and male body in sleeping bag along edge of brush (could have been missed in the dark). Moans coming from in the thicket. 10 yr old boy located after short search, critically injured. He was calling for his sis (don't remember how we determined it was his sister and not Mom). We tore up an acre+ of laurel lookin for that kid. A couple hours and calling #'s from addresses found in wallet, or 411 cross ref'd from DL and registration info, troopers located kid at grandma's 400 miles away.

FYI: Conjecture was mom was topless because boyfriend was asleep in back of truck( matress, camper-top, sleeping bag) and boy was front seat passenger, probably unstrained, asleep on seat and grabbed mom's shirt when truck rolled, pulling it of and both went at least partway out the window. Cell w/ ICE would have saved a lot of time.

Put a couple emergency contact #'s in your cell and hope they're never needed!

Stay safe.
Bob

 

[wingnutx]

I do a lot of death notification for Phoenix FD, and we definitely push the ICE idea.

 

[runcible]

Living in and working for NYC, I can tell you that the ICE concept is a non-starter, for the NYPD, FDNY and FDNY-EMS. Those "in the know" might think of it, but it isn't anything that could be considered a matter of policy amongst the emergency services here. The again, with the level of training that the city offers its people, I guess we're lucky that the PD isn't throwing rocks and the FD isn't carrying water in leather buckets.

BTW-Long time lurker, first time poster. Greetings all! I like the way you folks think.

 

[Trisha]

ICE is relevant up here. Perhaps it's more applicable in less urban areas. If you go off the beaten path, add ICE to your cell phone, and a laminated card in a pocket.

With any luck, when you're found next spring, it'll aid in identification. . .

 

[sacp81170a]

I've heard it mentioned. Generally police will be the ones looking for identification at an accident scene. EMT's and paramedics already have their hands full working on the victim. Running a DL gives you the last address, but a lot of times that's not much help. Sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[Rezin]

I have ICE on my phone. I figger they probably won't look, but for the time it took to enter it, there's always the chance it comes in handy.

 

[rwc]

If you do an "ICE" entry place a couple blank spaces in front of the text. This will usually force the entry to the top of the contacts list in your cell phone. Not only will it make it faster for you to call the people you probably call regularly, but it will make it a lot easier for any first responder to find the entry.

 

[wingnutx]

Generally police will be the ones looking for identification at an accident scene. EMT's and paramedics already have their hands full working on the victim.

True. We get victim info from the police and then go from there.

For one thing, cell phones are evidence. I don't touch anything unless the po-po tells me I can.

 

[Lbys]

ICE in Minnesota

FWIW, the First Aid & CPR training I've had from the MN Safety Council pushes this pretty hard, and the instructor (EMT in the Minneapolis exurbs) has told us that most EMTs are using it up here, especially if the victim is semi-conscious.

 

[1 old 0311]

Yea but when I hit it I get Ice Tea, or Ice Cube

 

[BryanP]

I don't have an ICE entry, but anybody scrolling through the contacts list in my cell phone will find one labelled "Mom & Dad" and another labeled "Home." I may add ICE just for the heck of it.

 

[MikeJackmin]

One more thing to keep in mind - ordinary paper can be surprisingly durable, certainly much more durable than the best cell phone. A folded slip of paper in your wallet can survive terrific heat, crushing shock, and immersion long after you cell phone has given up the ghost.

Just remember not to put anything on that sheet of paper that you don't want a pickpocket to see.

I have a paper list of identifying information taped to the back of my driver's license - when you take the license out of my wallet, you'll notice it - and I expect that somebody, either police officer or a coroner, is going to find it if the need arises. Dogtags might be even better, but you can write this list and put it in your wallet right now, and it'll be there until you get around to getting the tags made up.

 

[freshmeat]

I work as an EMT for an EMS ambu service in Phx AZ. First I have ever heard of ICE. Its a good idea, but as before we are trained to look for vials of life and medic-alert jewlry. Some Hospitals also provide pieces of paper with fill in the blank pert info on them. People are supposed to carry them in the wallet/purse. Most of the time they seem to be used as appointment cards for Docs. For EMS, the most important things we are looking for are Meds, Allergy's History of any Medical conditions ect. If I find you unresponsive, I'm not too worried about who you are until we get to the ER. Then I get my panties in a wad cause I need all your info to fill out the PCR for the bill.....but thats not so much your problem.

 

[Trebor]

ICE is for sissies.

Dog tags are for wannabes.

The Hardcore way is the tattoo your emergency info on your foreheard.




Just kidding. My wife and I are going to program each other's contact info on both of our cell phones. I worked in ER's for years and know how hard it can be to track down relatives at times. Anything that might help is a good idea.

 

[SMLE]

I feel this bears repeating. If you have MEDICAL info that EMS needs to know about such as meds., allergies, illnesses etc... The Medic-Alert jewlery is still the best bet.

 

[P0832177]

It sure can not hurt! Might not be the immediate resource, but I can assure you that in the ED when things get sorted out a bit more it is a resource. But, as pointed out medical issues need medical alert bracelets and/or necklaces!