Good Idea

Here's a good idea I saw posted on one of the public safety listserves I'm on:

Due to the recent bombings in London, there' been a tremendous push in the UK to launch the "In Case of Emergency" (ICE) campaign.  Many people were injured in those bombings. When possible, first responders used the injured person's cell phone contact list (phone book) to try and locate family members that they could notify on the injured persons behalf. 

The problem, though, was: which person do they call from the contact list?

Here's how you can make it easier to first responders (paramedics, police, fire services, ER workers, etc) to contact a designated person in your cell phone contacts list.

Make an entry (or entries) in your cell phone contacts called "ICE" for "In Case Of Emergency" and enter relevant information. It's okay if it's a duplicate for another person in your contacts.  For instance: in my cell phone, I have "Rubi" programmed in (just like that: Rubi), along with a speed dial for her cell.  I'll also program in an "ICE" entry for her at home and another entry for her cell, and I'll probably make entries for my parents, my work, and my in-laws. Cover all the bases.

If you do this, and are ever involved in an emergency and a public safety worker needs to use your cell phone to find someone to contact on your behalf, this makes it easy. 

Apparently, you can even make it so the "ICE" entries come first in your address book, by putting a space before the word ICE (or numbers: "1 ICE", "2 ICE").

(I guess you could probably also program in the words "Emergency Contact", but ICE is more simple.)

This idea started off in the UK because of the London terrorist attacks, but is starting to make the rounds of Public Safety officials around the world.

(note: this post may be formatted kinda wonky - I'm emailing it to blogger from work)

Good Idea