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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to remind you all about ICE ?

51 replies

LadyThumb · 02/08/2011 10:19

An ICE (In Case of Emergency) number should be in all mobile phones as this is the first thing the emergency services look for on a mobile. It definitely should be put into childrens' phones. If you want to know more please look at this:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_case_of_emergency

I have it in my family's phones and it was used last night during New Tricks.

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 02/08/2011 10:44

This is a bit out of date - 2005 - but this is the blog of an ambulance driver in London which mentions ICE and implores people to use it.

randomreality.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2005/7/21/1058058.html

LadyFlumpalot · 02/08/2011 10:51

My SIL has a USB necklace that she wears when out and about on her motorbike.

Here

thursday · 02/08/2011 10:51

obviously there's no guarantee that they'd look for it, but i dont have a PIN or password on my phone, and i'd like to make it easy as possible for them to find out who i want contacting. costs me absolutely nothing to have it in my phone book. what does it matter what people did before mobile phones? we have them now.

slugger · 02/08/2011 10:53

I saw this on the C4 programme 'Sirens' a few weeks ago - never heard of it before!

What do emergency services do if there is a lock on the phone? I have a lock on my mine, I assume most iphones do.

scurryfunge · 02/08/2011 10:55

There are so many other ways of finding out who someone is if you don't have access to their phone book.

slugger · 02/08/2011 10:57

But this isn't just about find out who someone is, is it? I thought the main purpose was to let someone close to the victim know what has happened to them.

malinois · 02/08/2011 11:00

Why do emergency services (I'm thinking AS/FB here) need to know who you are? Surely their first priority is life saving. Finding out who you are and informing relatives can wait.

scurryfunge · 02/08/2011 11:00

By finding out who someone is means you can lets next of kin know. You don't need a mobile phone address book to do that (and nok should not be informed by phone anyway).

scurryfunge · 02/08/2011 11:02

Exactly malinois -I can't think of many circumstances where anyone would have the need to go through a phone to find nok at the scene -there are plenty of other ways.

lottiejenkins · 02/08/2011 11:02

I have two the first is my sister in London, the second is my local friend. My ds has my number as his Ice!!

BertieBotts · 02/08/2011 11:02

Look at my link! He said they go through handbags, basically.

Original poster
LadyThumb · 02/08/2011 11:03

malinois - if you read the Ambulance Blog highlighted above you will see that they put saving the patient first, then they find out who they are. Of course they're not going to let you die while they search your belongings!

OP posts:
Bunbaker · 02/08/2011 11:03

"Surely most people have a pin code on their phone?"

I don't, OH doesn't, DD doesn't. None of us feels the need to do so. We just use the key lock to prevent misdialling when in a handbag or pocket. We aren't heavy mobile phone users, don't own smart phones and often leave the phone at home and don't keep valuable or sensitive information on the phone so why would we need a pin number?

mousymouse · 02/08/2011 11:04

but how can you inform nok if not by phone? having police turn up at home (where no one is during the day)?
what if nok are in another country?

Unlurked · 02/08/2011 11:05

Well a lot if people who aren't you, your dh or your DD do bunbaker!

scurryfunge · 02/08/2011 11:07

You do the visits first and exhaust those lines - even in another country, you would arrange a visit. Phoning nok is bad practice and is usually avoided if possible. You have to think about the family's welfare too - you don't want them panicking.

Birdsgottafly · 02/08/2011 11:10

It is useful to know who someone is to look up there medical history/allergies etc, as quickly as possible, especially if they are going straight into surgery or remain unconcious.

If you don't have an ICE, they will normally contact who ever is under mum or dad, as they are definately legal next of kins.

LadyFlumpalot · 02/08/2011 11:10

A lot of saving life could be down to finding out who the person is though - and any pertinent information. For example - I'm allergic to penicillin. If I were to be taken ill where no-one knew me and rushed to hospital, what would stop the doctors from giving me an almost certainly lethal dose? Hence, I carry an allergy alert card in my wallet.

Bunbaker - I have a PIN on my phone as it contains photos of my family, my families phone numbers (ex-directory), GPS data etc.

LadyFlumpalot · 02/08/2011 11:11

X post Birdsgottafly

Bathsheba · 02/08/2011 11:16

I have a medical info bracelet which, instead of an ICE number I put on my NHS CHI number, which means that a genuine medical person, if I'm taken to a hospital, can automotically look up my NHS records, with all my contact details and my drug allergies immediately. I figured that was far more helpful than putting my DH's mobile number on my bracelet which not only would he never have on him and never answer, but also he doesn;t know off the top of his head what drugs I'm allergic to.

MmeLindor. · 02/08/2011 11:21

I have a pin lock on my phone as I use it to access internet, amazon, MN, Twitter, blog etc and anyone who found or stole it could hack into these websites.

Would a paramedic really look at a phone? I live abroad anyway so not sure if they would do it here.

Bunbaker · 02/08/2011 11:24

As we all have Luddite phones no-one would want to access them or even steal them in the first place Smile

Caron1968 · 02/08/2011 11:24

I work in a busy inner city A&E dept, not every member of staff is aware of ICE, although I am slowly telling everybody, those of us who are aware of iCE certainly do look for it. If a phone is PIN locked then that obviously thwarts us.
And of course we do live saving interventions first then look for ICE, quite often in a resus situation one member of staff is doing documentation, it is this person who would be trying to get hold of next of kin for pertinent medical information.
On more than one occasion using ICE has revealed information that has improved the outcome for the patient.
In the abscence of ICE we do look for other likely contacts, ie Mum, Dad, Wife, Husband etc
Please, Please do put ICE in your phone.

SummerRain · 02/08/2011 11:25

I have one but I think the paramedics would need to be phone hackers to get to it as I have a screenlock which needs a specific unlock pattern Hmm

I'm going to write it on a piece of paper and put it somewhere visible in my wallet instead.

OnlyWantsOne · 02/08/2011 11:31

I have an iphone in a case, which has slots for cards.

Ive just put DP's and my Dad's business cards in there with ICE written on them

:)