Who you gonna call?

Nearly everyone these days has a mobile phone, a phone that is usually packed full of contacts. Tens, perhaps hundreds, maybe even thousands of phone numbers that could be called.

Not in an emergency though. In an emergency, first responders will want one number that could make the difference between life and death. First responders may want to call someone to find out your medical history, what medication you are on, what allergies you have. In fact, anything that could be a factor in deciding on the best available treatment.

If they don't know who to call however, they probably won't call anyone at all. Common sense as well as confidentiality dictates that they cannot start at the A's and work their way down. So how could you help them?

In your mobile phone address book, insert a new contact, give it the name 'ICE' - in case of emergency - and enter the phone number of the person you would want contacted in an emergency.

This is becoming a standardised system favoured by first responders. When they reach the scene of the incident, they can check the patient's phone and instantly know who the right person is to call. They could instantly find out vital information that helps determine the best course of action.

So when you've finished reading this, spend just one minute entering ICE into your phone, it could save your life.

It’s probably worth mentioning though, if you password protect your mobile phone then there is no point in doing any of this as the first responder would not be able to access it. It’s only some professions that seem to think it’s acceptable to hack into mobile phones.