In case of emergency, dial ‘ICE’

Did you know that there are 192 million cell phones in the United

States? And did you know that there were 6.3 million auto accidents

in the United States last year, resulting in 42,643 deaths and nearly

2.9 million injuries? Moreover, the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention report that 900,000 emergency-room patients could not

provide emergency contact information to medical personnel because

injuries had rendered them incapacitated. Now, thanks to a new and

innovative communication system called “ICE,” emergency personnel can

access this vital information using the injured person’s cell phone.

Some of us keep a card in our wallets about the medications we

take, medical conditions we have and who to contact in case of

emergency. But a lot more of us don’t carry such an information card.

However, in this modern day of instant communication, almost everyone

has a cell phone. So why not use your own cell phone to communicate

this vital information to emergency personnel?

We all know that it is important to be prepared in case you are in

an accident that leaves you unconscious or unable to talk. Now being

prepared is as simple as “ICE,” which stands for “in case of

emergency.” It helps first responders and emergency room personnel

gather information about your health and medical condition. If you

enter the acronym ICE with a name and phone number into a cell

phone’s phonebook, in a crisis situation emergency personnel can

contact the person you designate.

A paramedic in Great Britain, Bob Brotchie, conceived the idea

early in 2005. After the London bombings in July, a grassroots

campaign began to spread the concept in Britain and overseas.

Here’s how you can activate the ICE system. In the directory of

your cell phone, select the person you want emergency personnel to

contact in case you are in an accident. Using the edit functions on

your cell phone, type the letters “ICE” in front of that person’s

name so it looks like this: “ICE Jane Doe.” That’s all you have to

do. If you are ever in an accident, the emergency personnel simply

take your cell phone and look up ICE in the phonebook, and they can

call the appropriate person.

On Aug. 30, I voted in support of a resolution of the state

legislature urging Californians to participate in the campaign. When

mere seconds can often mean the difference between life and death,

being prepared for an emergency may make all the difference in the

world. Programming the number of your emergency contact into your

cellular phone is a simple yet important step.

I urge you to spread the word and inform your friends and family

about this easy way to be prepared. Who knows, it just might save a

life -- and that life could very well be yours.

* TOM HARMAN is Huntington Beach’s assemblyman. He also represents

the communities of Seal Beach, Cypress, La Palma and Los Alamitos and

portions of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Westminster and Stanton.