Put ICE in your phone for paramedics

People are advised to programme in-case-of-emergency (ICE) contacts into their cell phones before they go on holiday, ER24 have requested. 

"[A] user programmes one or more numbers under the heading ICE in his or her cellular phone in order for paramedics, any emergency personnel to find the number easily, as well as to notify a loved one of an emergency that occurred in order to obtain life-saving information," ER24 spokesman Werner Vermaak said.

Students at ER24's academy were trained to look on a patient's cellphone for the “ICE contact". Paramedics in the field were also informed about this.

Medical info helps paramedics

"Once the contact is located on the phone, the number will be relayed to our national emergency contact centre where an emergency operator will make contact with the person over a recorded line."

This was to obtain information about allergies, medical background and anything else that might help paramedics or hospital staff.

A simple ICE contact would look something like: “ICE 1 Brother” followed by the number. For more than one contact, a person could use “ICE 2, ICE 3”. - (Sapa, December 2010)