VIRGIL FIRE DEPARTMENT
Virgil Fire Department Quilt Raffle
By Jason M., VFD FF.
This beautiful hand made quilt is being raffled to raise money for our Volunteer Fire Department. For more information or to buy raffle tickets, please email vfd@virgilfire.com.
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“I.C.E. In case of emergency, contact ??? ”
By Jason M., VFD Rescue Captian.
Searching throughout the internet for a pre-exsistng concept that can help emergency services such as Fire Departments, EMS and Police to identify patients who are unable to communicate who they are and who should be notified in case of an unforeseen situation. I have been interested in starting a County/Statewide awareness program for a concept like the following. I will be trying to launch this program in our area along with other areas. Please read the following that I found on the internet.
[I.C.E.- In Case of Emergency] "The concept behind this universal phrase is to help determine the speed, and type, of treatment to render to an incapacitated victim in an emergency, such as after a serious car wreck. Delaying such care because paramedics or medical personnel have no point-of-contact for critical information can be fatal.
An English paramedic, Bob Brotchie, had experienced such frustration numerous times during his 13-year career. He launched the cell-phone ICE ( In Case of Emergency) idea in April 2005. While initially slow in garnering public interest, the idea really took off after the tragic London subway bombings last July. The ICE concept now has crossed the Atlantic, and throughout America paramedics are urging people to add ICE entries to their cell phone contact lists.
It’s simple: A cell phone owner adds ICE and the appropriate contact name and number, along with other identifying data, to his or her list of contacts. There can be more than one ICE contact – labeled as ICE-1, ICE-2, etc. If you store the number with a period in front of ICE (.ICE-1), the number will appear at the beginning of the list, and emergency personnel won’t have to search through the phone’s directory.
How does it work? Imagine being unconscious following a car accident. Once police and paramedics arrive, they will want to notify a family member of your status. Precious time could be lost while they search your cell phone directory and perhaps make trail-and-error calls. But, if you have an ICE entry, they need make only one quick call.
There are limitations to having ICE contacts in your cell phone, so they should supplement additional emergency contact information you should carry in your wallet or purse, wear on a wrist band, or display in some other appropriate location or manner. One potential ICE drawback is the cell phone would have to be readily identified as belonging to the victim, since a cell phone by itself has no way of identifying its owner. In a violent mishap a cell phone also might be damaged beyond use. There also is the possibility the cell phone requires a password for accessing its menu and list of contacts.
When listing an ICE contact (on your cell phone or otherwise) be sure the identified individual has agreed to be a point-of-contact. He or she must be knowledgeable about your medical condition and possible allergies, along with medications you might be taking, or those you absolutely cannot take. The ICE contact also must know your full identity and your next of kin, if he or she is not your next of kin.
In the case of those individuals under 18 years of age, an identified ICE contact must be an immediate family member authorized to make decisions on behalf of the incapacitated youngster.
An ICE contact’s number entered into a cell phone contact list should be that of a mobile phone, or–at least–a number where the contact easily can be contacted at almost any time. It is of limited value to enter someone’s home telephone if the individual works outside the home."