If you havent heard of it before its called a UTAG ICE (Incase of Emergency),
It comes in two forms either a dogtag type or credit card type, both have intergrated USB Memory sticks built in and contain vital information about your blood type, allergies, contact info and anything and everything you want paramedics/police to know incase you have an accident.
The dogtag type hangs round your neck and has a pull out memory stick
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The credit card type is a credit card sized plastic holder with a small pullout memory stick.
But which would you have, would paramedics look around your neck to find it, or would they be more likley to look in your wallet to see who you are and then find it?
The neck does get looked at for emergency tagging…It’s amazing places where the medics look for info esp when they see that funny medical sign. First instance I had to call them when my MIL was ill, they got to the front door, saw a green and white cross stuck in the corner of the door and asked me where the medical info was? I hadn’t a clue as to what they were on about so they said, “Where’s the fridge” I pointed them in the direction and low n behold there in the fridge was a white pot in the door with all her medical details on it. Apparently that’s standard…and being in the fridge is the most common place as most people have a fridge. I thought it was just a container with her food bits in it all these years
I have one (dog tag type), often it’s not around my neck but in my pocket, as long as the extra one that comes with it hangs on a zip or somewhere it can be seen it doesn’t matter whether you have a wallet or dog tag version.
I haven’t got the wallet version as when on the bike I can’t carry a handbag with my purse in it the dog tag type annoys my neck so I put it in my pocket.
The dog tag is great as its just like a memory stick and can be used as one but not advisable to stuff loads of crap on it. You can put photos on it as well.
Well worth the money especially if you have medical conditions that would be very beneficial to you and the Emergency Services.
As GSXRang suggests… Round the neck would be the more obvious place for emergency services to look. They dont tend to go through the wallet as much and it may not be as obvious.
Also, if you are at that unfortunate stage where they need to intubate you then they will loosen clothing around the neck and there it will be !!!
I always carry a set around my neck, on the bike and whilst working. Very handy, even if just for next of kin phone numbers etc…
I also had a thread on these a while back…
Also put “ICE” in your phone, as a name, and there list who you want to be contacted in case of an accident. Cost £0.00.There was a campaign to get Londoners to do this after 7/7 bombings, but it seems to have been forgotten about.
He tells me that not all ambulances/bikes in London are equipped for reading data sticks. (Read none or a few.) O.K. once your in A&E, but that might be too late.
If you tour western Europe, wear one. They’re better equipped.
His advice for the UK was to wear something READABLE (like the ResQtag) on a breakable chain around the neck. It’s the second place they check after the wrists. (In Ameriaca, also after the wallet.)
Utags are also pretty pricey for what they are, and although you can load lots of information (passport details, visas, emergency phone numbers, etc.) on to them, do you want that to be readily available if you lose it?
Speaking from experience, if Inoticed something around the neck I’d look at it but the first thing I’d check if I needed ID would be in the wallet. I’ve had to do this a few times for people who’d collapsed etc. and the Police have managed to get patient’s details from things like OAP bus passes if needed.
With regards being able to read a USB tag, NO Ambulances in London are equipped with anything to do this. I’m not sure how the Hospitals would deal with them butI’m sure they could do smething. I personally think that the best idea is a piece of paper in the wallet with name, address, DOB, next of kin, allergies and any medical conditions written on it.
The tag thing looks like a particularly good idea. I think I may look into one for mysef:)
I think the only electronic system I would trust is an RFID chip implanted in forearm with encrypted data and the encryption key in the other arm. Not likely to loose and pretty tricky to steal.
