Published on Thursday, August 17, 2006
in the Fernandina Beach News Leader

ICE helpful in emergencies

Late last year, Erika Elder received several e-mails urging people to list emergency contact numbers in their cell phones under ICE, which stands for In Case of Emergency. To Erika, who has a history of health problems, it seemed like a good idea. "I went ahead and did it, I thought maybe it would help save time if emergency workers were trying to get in touch with my family," she said. The same e-mails Elder received made the rounds through inboxes across the country, but local rescue workers and law enforcement officers say that while the ICE method can be helpful it's not necessary, or even preferred. More important, said Lt. Bill Leeper of the Florida Highway Patrol, is keeping the address and other information on your driver's registration and driver's license current because that's often where an officer will look first to determine where your next-of-kin is located if you're involved in a serious accident." Generally, they get the registration of the vehicle and have someone go by the address," said Leeper. "But many people will move and not change their address on their license and registration. "In such a situation, having emergency contact information marked as ICE in a cell phone could be helpful, but that's only if the person knows he or she is listed as an emergency contact, the contact information hasn't changed and the cell phone actually belongs to the injured person. "People break up, people get divorced," pointed out Nassau County Fire Rescue Chief Chuck Cooper. "Somebody may not want Joe Schmoe paramedic calling them up saying so-and-so's been in an accident."

Fernandina Beach Fire Rescue Chief Danny Leeper echoed the sentiment that, in certain circumstances, using ICE contacts could create unnecessary confusion. If the injured person had in his or her possession a borrowed cell phone, the wrong emergency contact could be called. But Leeper said if people are going to list their emergency contacts in their phone under ICE, they should let their designated contacts know, and they should make sure the people they're using as emergency contacts know something about their medical condition. If you have allergies, a heart problem or chronic disease, the people you list in your cell phone under ICE should know this. "We're trying to treat you," said Danny Leeper. "That could be a big help to us when we do make that contact. "Although the contact could come in handy, local law enforcement officers and rescue workers agreed it's not something they need to have. Not having an ICE contact won't hinder your treatment, and it likely won't significantly delay notification of your injuries. "Although the idea does have merit, it's not a first line of defense that we're going to need," Danny Leeper said. Nassau County Sheriff Tommy Seagraves agrees. He said he can't recall ever having a serious problem with finding a victim's next-of-kin or emergency contact.

"Absolutely it's helpful," he said. "Anything that can help us make contact with the next-of-kind is good ... but we've never had a real issue of having to find out who someone was or who someone's next-of-kin is. "Elder said she hopes her list will serve as a backup to other information she keeps current and on her person or in her car, like her driver's license and her vehicle registration, if she is ever involved in an accident or other medical emergency. "I just know my parents live far away, and they'd want to know as soon as possible if something happened," she said. "So it gives them peace of mind knowing I have this on my cell phone ... and it makes me feel better too, but I would never count on it instead of my driver's license or registration."