Set up emergency info on your smartphone
We are back at it again, saving the world one post at a time - today, with essential information on emergency contacts - also known as ICE (In Case Of Emergency), and Medical ID.
If admitted to hospital with serious injuries, a nurse or doctor could use your phone to identify a contact, what you're allergic to and your blood type.
One A&E worker on a forum said: "We have people come in sometimes and they are unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate and having a way to find something about you that can help us help you is huge."
Not having any emergency contacts listed can also lead to people being reported missing, or having their pets left home alone for days.
So that's why you should utilise your phone to display medical information, and an emergency contact. This is how...
For iPhone:
1. Open the Health app and tap your profile picture.
2. Tap Medical ID.
3. Tap Edit and then scroll to Emergency Contacts.
4. Tap the Add button to add an emergency contact.
5. Tap a contact, then add their relationship.
6. Whilst you're here, you can also enter health information, such as your date of birth, allergies and blood type.
7. Turn on "Show When Locked", so that the information can be viewed from the lock screen.
8. Tap Done to save.
For Android:
1. Open Contacts and select your profile at the top
2. Select Emergency Contacts.
3. Select Edit, then Add member
4. Tap on relevant contacts, then tap Done.
5. Tap Save.
6. Tap Emergency medical information to add enter health information, such as your date of birth, allergies and blood type.
7. Tap Save.
When selecting an emergency contact, you will ideally want to pick someone that you trust, who is rational, organised, and in close proximity to you most of the time. And above all else, pick someone that will actually have their phone with them and turned on (sorry Mum, that's not you).
Typically people list their parents and/or partner as their emergency contact. Housemates and work colleagues are also quite common.
Some of our tips:
> Have more than one emergency contact, in case someone doesn't answer or cannot help.
> Pick contacts that know you well, and make sure they know any vital details concerning your health or medications.
> If you have a health condition, consider asking your GP if you can list them as an emergency contact.
> Make sure that your close friends and family have this setup on their phone, and volunteer to be an emergency contact.
> Make it obvious - consider putting emergency information on your lock screen background.
> Make it clear - put a label on the back of your phone/under your case with an emergency contact. This is especially useful, in case your phone has a flat battery; but also if you lose your phone; whoever finds it can call the number.
All of this takes just a few minutes, but it might just save your life.
Thanks for reading!
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