# In Case of Emergency **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 14, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-case-of-emergency/312505 "2005-07-14T14:51:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-case-of-emergency/312505/1 "2005-07-14T14:51:56Z")
Here’s an idea from Bob Brotchie, a clinical team leader for the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust. By entering the acronym ICE – for In Case of Emergency – into the mobile’s phone book, users can log the name and number of someone who should be contacted in an emergency. More details can be found [here](http://www.eastanglianambulance.com/content/news/newsdetail.asp?newsID=646104183). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-case-of-emergency/312505/2 "2005-07-14T15:22:07Z")
I don’t see a debate here. I saw this on [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/icephone.asp) yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-case-of-emergency/312505/3 "2005-07-14T15:24:38Z")
Oh – I think people would figure out whom to call, since my sister didn’t change her name. If I were an EMS person, that’s the number in the phonebook I’d call first. As for ICE, that makes sense – as long as it’s been publicised well enough. Why not just enter EMERGENCY? ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-case-of-emergency/312505/4 "2005-07-14T16:23:43Z")
I couldn’t think of where else to post it. I think it is a good idea that needs spreading around. Yes they can work out that someone is related to you from your name, but is that the person you want called? And what if your sister had changed her name, who would they call then? ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-case-of-emergency/312505/5 "2005-07-14T16:58:40Z")
**Moderator’s Note:** Moving to MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-case-of-emergency/312505/6 "2005-07-14T17:25:32Z")
Interesting move, Bucky, considering the OP is banned. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-case-of-emergency/312505/7 "2005-07-15T01:36:48Z")
Well, he’s [been unbanned](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=325535) [now](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=325562). And there was never anything wrong with this thread, it just wasn’t a Great Debate. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-case-of-emergency/312505/8 "2005-07-15T02:46:52Z")
I have to agree with **Johnny L.A.**. “EMERGENCY” just makes more sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-case-of-emergency/312505/9 "2005-07-15T03:16:36Z")
Suppose I programmed my wife’s cell number as my ICE (or EMERGENCY) number. Would all incoming calls from her show up as ICE, or would they continue to show up as her name, as originally programmed? I mean, she’s a cool woman and all, but I don’t want to swell her head. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-case-of-emergency/312505/10 "2005-07-15T14:55:27Z")
Hm. I’ve never tried putting a duplicate number in the phone book. I too, wonder how the phone would handle it.