Prepare your cell phone for an emergency

“In case of emergency…”

Even the phrase itself can be upsetting. But for people with a history of heart trouble, the possibility of an emergency is a subject that should not be avoided; it is an everyday reality.

You may want to consider programming your cell phone as part of your emergency preparedness plan. Increasingly, cell phone owners are programming their address books with “In Case of Emergency” (“ICE”) contacts. An ICE contact may be a family member, a friend, or someone else who knows you well.

In times of emergency, emergency workers may not be aware that the person they are treating has a heart condition. The ICE contacts listed in your cell phone can help — hospital emergency room personnel often look for the ICE listing when they have a patient who is unable to communicate.

You should notify the people you are listing as ICE contacts in advance, and they should give their consent to be listed. Once selected, these people should know or have access to information about your other family contacts, your family physician, your work contacts, your medical history (including allergies), your current medications, and your previous medical procedures.

ICE phone numbers can provide an easy way for medical personnel to reach a family member or
emergency contact when a person is unconscious because of an injury or an illness.