ICE Campaign – "In Case of Emergency"

A Cambridge-based paramedic has launched a national campaign to encourage people to store emergency contact details in their mobile phones. Bob Brotchie, a clinical team leader for the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust, devised the plan after struggling to get contact details from shocked or injured patients.

By entering the acronym ICE – which stands for 'In Case of Emergency' – into your mobile’s phone book, you can store the name and number of someone who should be contacted in an emergency. For more than one contact name, simply enter "ICE1", "ICE2" etc.

Follow these hints to get the best out of ICE:

• 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 person'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 a parent or guardian authorised to make decision on your behalf - for example if you need a life or death operation
• Should your preferred contact be deaf, then prefix the number with ICETEXT