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Resolve to be personally prepared anytime of year

As an EMS professional, you know that for every patient you need the patient’s name, important medical history, and emergency contact. This year resolve to be prepared for a personal or family emergency. These four organizations have products that help individuals and families have medical history and contact information ready for the inevitable health emergency.

HandiRecords are a “mini medical file cabinet at your fingertips.” I really like the simple hand-written format, portability, and durability. Learn more about HandiRecords in these two ParamedicTV videos. EMS agencies could partner with local senior groups to use HandiRecords as a fundraiser.

Road ID bracelets are ideal for athletes — runners, walkers, cyclists, and skaters — that don’t carry any identification while exercising. Road ID bracelets are a durable nylon fabric with an engraved metal plate with the user’s name, emergency contact, and/or other information the user chooses.

The ‘in case of emergency’ concept is a technique to use your cell phone to share emergency contact information. The smart-ICE iPhone application from EMS Options was designed by EMS professionals so you know it has the medical history information that you need quickly during an emergency.

Check out the great selection of identification jewelry from the MedicAlert Foundation. Their products include a wide selection of bracelets, bands, tags, watches, and other jewelry. Using the information on the tag EMS professionals can get immediate access to the patient’s health history.

Consider any of these products for yourself. I often ride the rural roads of central Wisconsin solo. My Road ID bracelet might be the only information available to EMS and hospital professionals if I become ill or injured while cycling.

Greg Friese, MS, NRP, is the Lexipol Editorial Director, leading the efforts of the editorial team on Police1, FireRescue1, Corrections1 and EMS1. Greg served as the EMS1 editor-in-chief for five years. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s degree from the University of Idaho. He is an educator, author, national registry paramedic since 2005, and a long-distance runner. Greg was a 2010 recipient of the EMS 10 Award for innovation. He is also a three-time Jesse H. Neal award winner, the most prestigious award in specialized journalism, and the 2018 and 2020 Eddie Award winner for best Column/Blog. Connect with Greg on LinkedIn.
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