You can get a lot of mileage out of this In Case of Emergency (ICE) tip. I learned this tip while hosting a tabletop exercise years ago, one of the participants mentioned it and I have paid it forward during hundreds of tabletops, blog postings, newsletter alerts, dinner conversations with friends and now on UltimateBusinessContinuity.com.
ICE is a global initiative that enables first responders, such as paramedics, firefighters, and police officers, as well as hospital personnel, to reach emergency contacts identified in your mobile phone to obtain important medical or support information. The phone entry should supplement, not replace, written information or indicators, such as a wallet card.
ICE info can be lifesaving and you never know when you will need it. I was playing full court basketball in July 2015 in a playground on cement and tripped over a players’ foot. Brilliantly I broke the fall with my head instead of my hand. It was the worst fall I ever took. Fortunately, I have a hard head but had my skull cracked the ICE info might have helped save my life.
ICE Tips:
Add a name or relationship to the contact entry such as ‘ICE – Marty’ or ‘ICE – Husband’.
Tip – Add multiple emergency contacts such as ‘ICE1’, ‘ICE – Husband’, etc.
Tip – Add an ICE app to a password protected phone. Search for “ICE” or “ICE lock screen” in your appropriate app store to find one that works on your phone. Apple has also added an emergency widget to the home-screen of iPhone’s. Even if the phone is locked the widget can be clicked to pull up an emergency contact. Please test this for yourself.
Tip – Add an ICE sticker to your phone. You can clearly hand write it and tape it to the back of your phone. I have it on all my phones.
Tip – You can optionally include important health information on your ICE card. Children can carry the card in their back-pack.
Tip – Obtain a blank ICE card and keep it in your wallet. Many Doctors offices have them. The AAA website has a template online that you can print.
Tip – Create awareness for ICE. Ideas include a blog post, newsletter article or email alert.