Following the London bombing, an English Ambulance Service have launched an international "In Case of Emergency ( ICE ) campaign, as they have discovered that at almost every accident scene there is a working mobile/cell phone on the victim. The idea is that you store the word " I C E " in your mobile/cell phone address book, and against it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted "In Case of Emergency". In an emergency situation ambulance. paramedic, police and/or hospital staff will then be able to quickly find out who your next of kin are and be able to contact them. It's so simple that everyone can do it. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest. For more than one contact name ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 etc...
Sounds like a wonderful idea to me. But it might take a while before folks would recognize what ICE means.
Along the same lines, I support a National I.D. wallet card with a "thumb nail" chip. This card/chip would include all of the essentials including I.C.E. information as well as medical information (for instance for people who have severe allergies). If chips in cell phones can hold 100's of numbers aloing with pictures, surely they can hold basic I.D. data. If this can be added to a phone, all of the better. But think about it. You take your card, insert it into a portable drive or PDA unit and boom...all the data is right there! Of course the ACLU would fight this, but I believe this I.D. card will have digital proof if you are a legal citizen as well as important information for security for this country. Pictures, finger prints, and retina scans optional, but probably necessary for international travel. We must control our borders and have a better idea who is entering this country. You heard the saying, "Borders, language and culture...lose one and start to lose your country"
The EMT's would be the one with the PDA's or some type of downloading device. Whether you wear this "chip" around your neck (i.e., necklace) or keep it in your wallet, it sure would save time (as you lay on the street, dying) instead of EMT's asking family or friends or NOBODY if you are allergic to anything that may cause you harm. As for security and keeping track of foreign nationals entering our country, the security is a step in the right direction.
I don't have a phone either. And surprisingly for my age i don't actually know how to work cell phones either, i never had the inclination to learn. I've been avoiding phones a long time, not very keen on them. So should anyone have an accident and i'm the only person around they're a bit screwed since i wouldn't know where to start even trying to use their phone to do the ICE thing.
hmmmm.....I betcha even MORE people have pockets than cell phones. With all the high powered technology of a pencil and paper you could do the same thing Good idea though
