ICE - In Case of Emergency

An ambulance service has launched a campaign to encourage members of the public to store emergency contact details in their mobile phones.People are being urged to use the acronym ICE – in case of emergency – to give the police, ambulance and fire services immediate access to a next of kin or other contact point.

The scheme was devised by Cambridge paramedic Bob Brotchie, a clinical team leader for the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust, who hatched the plan last year after struggling to get contact details from shocked or injured patients.

By entering ICE into the mobile’s phone book, users can log the name and number of someone who should be contacted in an emergency. Research shows that more than 75 per cent of people carry no details of who they would like telephoned following a serious accident.

Bob, who has been a paramedic for 13 years, said: “I was reflecting on some of the calls I’ve attended at the roadside where I had to look through the mobile phone contacts struggling for information on a shocked or injured person.It’s difficult to know who to call. Someone might have “mum” in their phone book but that doesn’t mean they’d want them contacted in an emergency.

“Almost everyone carries a mobile phone now, and with ICE we’d know immediately who to contact and what number to ring. The person may even know of their medical history.”

The campaign, backed by construction giant Tarmac, was urges people to think carefully about who will be their ICE partner - with helpful advice on who to choose - particularly if that person has to give consent for emergency medical treatment. Bob hopes that all emergency services will promote ICE in their area as part of a national awareness campaign to highlight the importance of carrying next of kin details at all times.

He said the idea was for the benefit of loved ones as well as the patient.“Research suggests people recover quicker from the psychological effects of their loved one being hurt if they are involved at an earlier stage and they can reach them quickly," he added.He said he hoped mobile phone companies would now build the ICE contact into future models, adding: "It's not a difficult thing to do. As many people say they carry mobile phones in case of an emergency, it seems natural this information should be kept there."

For more info contact Matt Ware on 07803 200351