ICE - In Case of Emergency

Just got this in a mail, bloody good idea:

Following the mass murders in London . . .

East Anglian Ambulance Service have launched a national In case of Emergency ( ICE ) campaign with the support of Falklands war veteran Simon Weston.

The idea is that you store the word " I C E " in your mobile phone address book, and against it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted "In Case of Emergency".

In an emergency situation ambulance and hospital staff will then be able to quickly find out who your next of kin are and be able to contact them. It's so simple that everyone can do it. Please do.

Please will you also email this to everybody in your address book, it won't take too many 'forwards' before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest.

For more than one contact name ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 etc.

Actually the idea was developed by Bob Brotchie, a paramedic, in 2004 and was launched by EAAS in April. For more information about ICE please read the East Anglian Ambulance Services news story.

Update!

Vodaphone have a news story from April about this initiative - therefore very probably not spam! - with some good advice:

***HOW TO ACTIVATE ICE***

Simply go to ‘Contacts’, select ‘Add New Contact’, enter the letters ‘ICE’ under the name followed by the telephone number of your next of kin (ensure both daytime and evening numbers are included if possible)

ICE ADVICE

Make sure the person whose name and number you are giving has agreed to be your ICE partner

Make sure your ICE partner has a list of people they should contact on your behalf – including your place of work

Make sure your ICE partner’s number is one that’s easy to contact, for example a home number could be useless in an emergency if the person works full time

Make sure your ICE partner knows about any medical conditions that could affect your emergency treatment – for example allergies or current medication

Make sure if you are Under 18, your ICE partner is either your mother or father or an immediate member of your family authorised to make decisions on your behalf – for example if you need a life or death operation.