Timely Tips(c): Volume 3 Issue 1: January 2006 -- Using ICE in your Cell Phone and PDA as a Possible Time AND Life Saver

Happy New Year! After a one-month holiday season hiatus, we’re back publishing Timely Tips. I know I’ve had a restful and entertaining holiday break, and I’m ready for a great 2006. I hope all of you are too!

For this month’s Timely Tip, I have to give credit to a group of staffers from Grand Rapids Community College. I was giving a staff training there in October, sharing several of my PDA address book and memo strategies, when they turned me on to the concept of ICE. Of course, ICE is very relevant in January up here in Michigan, but the ICE they shared with me actually could save lives – possibly yours, possibly mine! ICE stands for In Case of Emergency, and is a strategy being encouraged of people by emergency responders both in Europe and the United States. They believe this strategy has the capability of saving many lives in coming years.

They are asking people to mark one of the contacts in their address or phone book in their mobile phones and/or their PDAs with the title ICE.

Then, within that contact, they ask that you provide the name and contact information for one or two relevant people to contact in case of emergency. You could also list any important personal health information (blood type, allergies, medicines you are currently taking, any other important medical conditions, etc.) I’ve even put in my daughter’s personal and health information in my ICE listing, just in case we are together when an accident happens. That way, God forbid that you are ever in a serious accident or incident, and are unconscious or incapacitated, then the emergency responder can look in your cell or PDA for your ICE info, and save precious minutes when helping to save you or your loved one’s life.

I’ve installed an ICE contact in all of my PDAs, as well as in my personal mobile phone, and I’ve had my wife do the same. I’m asking you to spread the word too, because this is such an important tip. Please forward on to anyone you know that regularly carries a cell phone or PDA. And let’s hope that none of us ever have to actually use this strategy in a crisis situation, but at least we can feel a little safer and more prepared just in case.

You know, they always did say ice comes in handy when somebody gets hurt. Now I guess that is both a literal and figurative saying. If you’d like to learn more about ICE, this link, http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/phones/2005-08-15-ice-cell-phone_x.htm, takes you to an article on the USA Today web site on the topic.

Until next month, Stay Timely!