Organizing 'Quick Tip:' ICE: In Case of Emergency

Wildfires, hurricanes, and floods, seem to be making headlines lately. The news speaks of of lives lost, homes and communities destroyed, and families displaced. We hope to never find ourselves in such a situation.

September is National Preparedness Month--the perfect time to consider what you might need in a time of crisis.

You might be thinking--"I don't live in tornado territory." Or, "My apartment on the 18th floor and wouldn't be affected by a flood. I understand your thinking but, I implore you to put 'personal safety' on your to-do list this month.

We've all heard about creating an emergency kit for a car or stocking a three-day supply of water in our basements--all important preparations. What I'd like you to do in the next day or two is today's Organizing 'Quick Tip'...

Prepare for an emergency by programming your cell phone with I.C.E.

I.C.E. stands for In Case of Emergency

Photo courtesy of Worldstart.com

It's very easy and could save your life in an emergency.

Programming emergency contacts on my iPhone has been on my to-do list for a while. In honor of National Preparedness Month, I took a few moments to set up those I.C.E. contacts. My husband and my parents are my contacts and I have added my home telephone number so a message could be left on our answering machine if necessary. I also listed my allergies and my blood type. Not only is my pertinent information listed, I've included the names of my children in case they are in an accident with me. I've identified each of them by their hair color and what they are allergic to.

After you've read this post, please make an appointment with yourself to program I.C.E. contacts on your phone. Here are a few how-to's articles to give you some ideas...

For iPhone:

http://www.worldstart.com/adding-ice-contacts-to-your-iphone/

Smartphone and iPhone with Siri in case of password protection:
http://rnn10.wordpress.com/2010/06/21/how-to-set-up-an-ice-contact-on-your-iphone/

Now, go get organized for an emergency!