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This is my public service contribution for the day. This is actually a good idea.



QWEST SAYS: PUT 'ICE' IN YOUR CELL PHONE Qwest has joined several public safety organizations in encouraging customers and employees to enter "ICE" (in case of emergency) numbers in their wireless phones. The growing practice of entering an emergency contact in wireless devices under the title ICE has been encouraged by emergency responders as an easy, simple-to-implement tool to rapidly identify and assist those needing emergency care. "Every wireless phone should have an ICE number entered," said Fire Chief Daniel Qualman, president of the Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association. "It helps first responders -- paramedics, fire personnel and police -- provide aid should a person not be able to speak for themselves in an emergency situation."

A single entry or multiple ICE entries can be created, such as:
> ICE - Dad > ICE - Spouse
444-123-4567 555-123-4567

For teenagers and children, entering an ICE number to contact parents or guardians can deliver additional peace of mind. According to news reports, close to 900,000 U.S. emergency victims were unable to provide contact information to ER personnel in 2003.

The idea for ICE originated with English paramedics who were frustrated by the valuable time lost when they routinely tried to identify emergency victims carrying only cell phones. The idea has gained momentum in Europe and the U.S. as emergency responders and wireless device owners understand the potential life-saving simplicity of the idea. And Qwest has joined several public safety organizations in encouraging customers and employees to enter ICE numbers on their wireless phones.

"I can't tell you how many times our personnel have come to an accident scene where we need to render aid and the only clue we have about who the person is and what they might need is the cell phone. An ICE entry into the address book will save us time and help us deliver better care," said Qualman.

"Public safety is core to our mission as a critical infrastructure provider and as a provider of wireless services," said Dave Heller, Qwest vice president of risk management. "We encourage all wireless users to create an ICE entry in their wireless phones."

Qwest will continue working with local emergency responders to heighten awareness of this simple tool through public service announcements and other efforts.