WebProNews

An initiative started by a British paramedic has made its way across the Atlantic, and state emergency management officials are encouraging its use.

ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. A British paramedic named Bob Brotchie has sensibly observed that while few if any people carry emergency contact cards, most do have cellphones.

By creating an entry named ICE in the phone's address book, emergency personnel can get in contact more quickly with family members and other necessary personal contacts. People can create multiple entries (ICE1, ICE2, etc) as needed, according to Disaster News Network.

Ideally, people would have the ICE entry on their phones as well as carrying an emergency contact card. Phones can be damaged in accidents, and passcode protecting a phone keeps out anyone who doesn't know the code to unlock it.

Adding an ICE entry takes little time, and may be useful in the event of an emergency. Users unfamiliar with adding contact info to their phones can get assistance from family members or their wireless provider's customer support to get ICE into their phones.

David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business. Email him here.