I.C.E. cards

In Case of Emergency. I.C.E.  With yet another earthquake, this time in Myanmar, it has gotten me thinking of what we should be preparing for emergency situations.  Granted, Singapore is very blessed not to be directly affected by such natural disasters, but one should be prepared, right?

The first up on my list was a little card to place in our wallets.  When we are out and about, we almost always bring our wallets and that's the first thing the doctors in the emergency look for to identify patients who come in through the doors and are unable to tell them anything. 

This inspiration came from an article I read some time back about I.C.E. numbers one puts on the handphones.  Since no one would know who your next of kin is, storing a phone number under I.C.E. allows people to know who to call just by looking for I.C.E.

Since the card is supposed to be the size of a credit card, I had to be very succinct and I decided to put the following information:

1. Name
2. Identity card number
3. Next of kin and phone number
4. Drug allergies
5. List of ailments
6. List of medications taken on a regular basis
7. Any alerts e.g. Advanced Medical Directives / Organ donor opt outs

While having it doesn't necessarily mean that it would be found (wallets may not be on us at the time or something) but when it is found, it would make things so much easier for everyone.

(Disclaimer:  This post constitutes only what I have decided to put on our personal cards and not any form of advice.  If you aren't sure what you should put on your I.C.E. card, please do consult your family physician!)