I’m sure you have heard of ICE or in case of emergency where everyone put a contact number into their mobile phones.
Well that’s a bit of old advice now as most phones are locked so emergency services are unable to open them unlike the old Nokia phones ( which incidentally is the name of a town in Finland that used to make bike tyres but then invested in mobile phones. Allegedly when they made bike tyres every Christmas they used to give the residents of an old peoples home in the town shares in their company, when they started manufacturing mobile phones they made them millionaires…. Lovely story but I can’t confirm how accurate it is!!)
Anyway as most phones are locked every phone has the option to make an emergency call. So go to the locked screen on your phone, bottom left it says emergency, press that, it opens another screen. Look at the picture on the bottom left it says in red Medical ID.
If first aiders/emergency services were to press this button then it will open another screen that will display your name, date of birth, any medical conditions, medication, weight ( feel free to lie!!) and your emergency contacts.
Now you have to input these details first, on apple devices to to the app that says Health, it has a heart on it. Under medical ID complete the information, making sure you tick the box that says show when locked. Under android phones, the information you need to complete is usually under your contacts and your name. If not Google it to find out how to complete this screen, it’s called medical ID.
It’s vitally important and can help save your life, particularly if you have a medical condition or on medication that you need to take, should you be unable to tell anyone.
Debbie Walker (March 2022)
