Like most of today's families, my family is constantly going in different directions. I am a travel nurse, My assignments are 13 weeks in length, which means address and phone numbers are constantly changing. My son is in the National Guards, works full time and will be going back to college. He spends a lot of time driving.

The addresses on driver's license aren't always the best clues to notify the next of kin in an emergency. I worried about my son making the trip in Northern New Hampshire for his National Guard Meetings and the rest of the family on an assignment in another state. I have had my share of Moose to step out in front of my car as I drove to work in the Great Northern Woods and no one is immune to a collision with one of these huge animals. Of course there are the usual accidents and break downs as well as unthought of emergencies.

This can be helpful for any busy person of any age; No one has a simple life any more. Grandparents are constantly on the go. Children have after school activities, music lessons and sports events. Both Parents usually work, there's errands to be run, shopping to do and appointments to be keep and it's hard to know when and where to find anyone at any given time. Most people do have a cell phone with them. Cell phones are the connecting link to our families and friends.

Since a means of communication with other family members is so important, in case of an emergency. I wanted a quick and easy way to make sure it was easy to contact us. This past week I got E-mail from my cousin Marietta, with the perfect solution. It's quick and works exceptionally well.

Her solution came from a paramedic/EHP in Houston who shared a simple task that has been helpful on several occasions.

Paramedic will turn on a victim's cell phone for clues to the person's identity and to notify the appropriate person. This can save valuable time and make emergency personnel's job much easier with this simple task. They are asking everyone to adopt ICE. ICE stands of In Case of Emergency. By adding an entry in the contact list on your cell phone

As ICE with the name and phone number of the person you want notified on your behalf in an emergency, you could save everyone a lot of valuable time. The number will show up on the receiving persons Called ID as ICE, which will alert them that, this, not an ordinary call. The people you want notified will be notified quickly. It only takes a few minutes.

Paramedics look for ICE first; they all know what it means.

Almost everyone has his or her cell phones with them which makes it easier to get emergency notification as well as send it. Please take a few minutes and add this information to your cell phone. You can also add ICE1, ICE2, or more, to the list.

ICE has enabled families to get to the hospital in time to give consent for emergency surgery or to give a verbal consent when time is critical. It has also made it possible to say goodbye when the unthinkable has happened to someone we love.

Learn more about this author, Virginia Jansen.
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