Who Are You?

In my years as an EMT one of the first things we would ask the victim of an accident is, what’s your name? Where does it hurt? Do you have any allergies? Do you have any pre-existing conditions? Before the medic came on scene we wanted to have as much information as we could so the medic would have a clear idea of what meds to administer should the patient become unconscious.

In the event we came upon an accident scene where the patient was already unconscious, the first thing we looked for was an alert necklace or bracelet or, these days, the person’s telephone to give some clue as to the medical history of the patient. The necessity of knowing an accident victim’s allergy and pre-existing conditions is extremely important.

Accidents can occur at any time. Make sure your iPhone is up to date with your latest emergency numbers and any allergies or pre-existing conditions you may have. Unfortunately, iPhones can be hard to find on the scene of an accident. They could have flown out of the car or under a seat or be at the bottom of someone’s handbag. Or, the battery could be dead. Relying on one’s iPhone to present a history is tenable at best.

Wearing a medic alert necklace or bracelet is best. It is peace of mind that your immediate medical history is at hand when you can’t speak for yourself.

There are a myriad of bracelets available these days. From the traditional medic alert bracelets and necklaces to Road iD bracelets that are meant for sports enthusiasts to a multitude of medical alert designs on Etsy.

Whatever your fashion preference, and especially if you have allergies and/or pre-existing conditions, and you run, cycle, ski, operate a car or generally just live, it is a good idea to slip one of these personalized alerts on your wrist or around your neck.