ICE your cell phone

A couple of years ago (maybe longer?), I started receiving e-mail messages about storing emergency contact information under ICE (In Case of Emergency) in one’s cell phone. Being a skeptic of all things delivered via e-mail, I didn’t act on it. I figured “someday” I’d get around to looking it up on Snopes. Today I researched it and it is indeed true that emergency personnel will check your cell phone for contact numbers. I now have the numbers programmed into my cell phone! There are a few things to remember, however. (For a full list of considerations, the Snopes review is here.)

1.) Many people have their phones password protected, so emergency personnel would not be able to access the information.

2.) Due to differences in phones, emergency personnel may not be able to retrieve information stored in a phone they are unfamiliar with (especially true if time is a premium).

3.) Cell phone may become separated from the victim.

4.) Cell phone may be damaged and non-functional.

Thus, Snopes advocates carrying additional means of contact information with you at all times (something I’m very lax about…but I will try to be better!)