In Case of Emergency (ICE) Could Save Your Life

This is a public service announcement about ICE. This story was orginally posted on CoolAdzine for Marketers in July of 2005. However, after the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, with family members still searching for each other and bodies that have yet to be identified, the message bears repeating.

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Mobile phone users are being urged to enter a number in their phone's memory with the acronym ICE, for In Case of Emergency, with a contact person's name and number.

Paramedics or police are able to find the number fast and reach a relative or friend who can help identify a deceased victim or to treat an injured one by providing vital personal information, including details of any medical condition.

CBS news story on ICE

The campaign was launched in May 2005, but had limited impact until the first series of London blasts. Those explosions rendered many victims unidentifiable, which sparked an e-mail campaign to spread the ICE idea around the world.

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2006 Update: If you do not have a cell phone, you may still take advantage of ICE.

From the ICE web site:

Medical information held on our secure database can be used by paramedics or doctors to save your life. You can update it at any time. Give us up to three contact names and numbers, and give your loved ones peace of mind - we're on call for you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Tags: ICE, In Case of Emergency, identify yourself, medical history, emergency contact