A campaign to encourage people to store their next of kin’s contact details in their mobile phone has been launched by the Western Region Drugs Task Force in association with An Garda Síochána, the fire service, and the ambulance services.
By entering the letters ICE ‘In Case of Emergency’ into the mobile’s phone book, users can log the name and number of someone who should be contacted in an emergency. The idea, originally developed by UK paramedics, follows research that shows a staggering eight out of 10 of us fail to carry any details of who we would like telephoned following a serious accident or in the case of an emergency.
“Nothing is worse than discovering a loved one has been in a serious accident – and you didn’t know about it at the time,” said Martin Lee, chairman of the Western Region Drugs Task Force. “With nine out of 10 people telling us they carry their mobile phone at all times, and a further half admitting one of the reasons for originally purchasing it was in case of an emergency, ICE is just another way in which a mobile phone can play a vital role in your life – and perhaps even save it.”
