This past weekend a very dear friend of mine got the call all parents hope never happens to them. Her son was lying in a hospital in critical condition a thousand miles away. If this happened to you, would the police know who to contact? Who would you want to be notified?
There is an app that comes on all iPhones since the iPhone 6, or if your operating system is the iOS 8 or above, that up until this weekend I had never paid attention to. Do you have the contact information on your Health app filled in?
I had heard all about having a contact in your phone called ICE (in case of emergency). That contact exists in my phone, but my phone is also locked. How will the police or paramedics ever get to it without knowing my passcode? The Health app is the answer.
The Medical ID feature in the Health app allows you to store contacts to be notified in case of an emergency. It also allows you to enter critical information like blood type and allergies. First responders or good Samaritans can call the emergency contacts listed even if they don't have your passcode. This can be done from a locked phone by touching "Emergency" from the screen where you enter your passcode.
From the Emergency Call keypad, click on *Medical ID at the bottom left portion of the screen. Up pops your allergies and emergency contact list. Pretty significant information to have available if you are unconscious and emergency personnel are trying to get in touch with your family!
If you already have your emergency contacts stored, now is also a great time to take a peek at them and make sure the phone numbers are current. It's not very helpful if the numbers you have listed are outdated!
Please keep my friend's son, Cody, in your thoughts and prayers as he still has a very long road to recovery ahead of him.
Now it's your turn - tell us what you are thinking out loud about today. Link up and share it with us.
I'm so sorry to hear about Cody; I hope that his recovery goes well! I can't imagine a call like that. I didn't realize the app could be opened if you have a locked phone; that's great! My phone isn't locked, but I know other people who lock theirs. I have my parents listed as Mom and Dad under Favorites so those are the people they'd call I assume. I know my mom has my dad listed as ICE.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I hope that Cody will be all right, I am definitely thinking of him and his family. I have filled in some of the info on the medical app but I don't think I've filled it all in so I will make sure to do that. Thanks for the good reminder!
ReplyDeleteBeth
The Beth Next Door
I’ve been thinking about poor Cody since you posted him last week. Sending so many thoughts and prayers to him as he makes a complete recovery and thank you so much for this helpful info! I have an ICE contact but never thought how difficult it would be to access in an emergency since I keep my phone locked.
ReplyDeleteXoxo
Well now Im thinking about this app. I don't lock my phone mostly because I need all my doctors numbers available to me or anyone who might be helping me. Im also thinking about my sons swimming. He was put into a class 2 levels up and while it took everything in him to keep up and finish, his coach realized afterwards that he meant to put him in the beginner class. This kid has the heart of a lion. And as many times as I wanted to reach into the pool and pull him up, I didn't and he finished it. This was on Monday and Im still thinking about it. Did I do the right thing by letting him tough it out? It was so hard to watch him struggle.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your friends. The Health app sounds like a very good idea.
ReplyDeleteAnd here I thought what a useless app that is on my phone. I'll be going to fill that in now thank you.
ReplyDeleteThinking of your friend and her son and sending much love and well wishes. xoxo
Praying for your friends. That is such a great app and great reminder. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your friend's son. Said a prayer. This is the first I'd heard of the Health App. Seems quite useful. I don't have an iPhone though.
ReplyDelete