Q. I received an email that says I should add an ICE (In Case of Emergency) number to my cell phone auto-dialer. Is there any truth to this or any reason not to do it?

A. The email in question states in part: "Paramedics will turn to a victim's cell phone for clues to that person's identity. If you add an entry in the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE, with the name and phone number of the person that emergency services should call on your behalf, you can have your loved ones contacted quickly. Paramedics know what ICE means and they look for it immediately."

Generally, this is true, and while I do recommend creating an ICE entry, keep in mind that because a cell phone is frequently located on a car seat, in a purse, or elsewhere, a victim's phone is often lost or not accessible at an accident scene. It’s also possible that a cell phone may be damaged to the extent that saved information is not retrievable. If you secure your cell phone with a PIN or password to prevent unauthorized access, you will be preventing access to your ICE entry, as well.

Keep in mind that in the heat of the moment, while emergency services are being rendered, it's not a priority for any paramedic to try to figure out how to display a cell phone directory and look for an ICE entry. That being said, there is no harm in creating such an entry. Under the right circumstances, it might provide valuable assistance. If you have multiple ICE entries, enter them as ICE_1, ICE_2, etc. in the appropriate order of priority.

From our "Let No Good Deed Go Unpunished" Department: Following quickly on the heels of the ICE email are a number of hoax emails warning that doing so will trigger premium phone charges, or that it's just a big conspiracy to get millions of people to create such entries. According to this e-hoax, at some nonspecific time in the future, a cell phone virus will hijack cell phone data and specifically personal "ICE" information. You can create an entry for this in your auto-dialer under “B” for Baloney.

Mr. Modem's Sites of the Week:

Encyclopedia of Television
Created by the Museum of Broadcast Communications, this reference guide includes more than a thousand essays relating to the history of television. Topics include legendary TV personalities, censorship and policy issues, trends, and the influence of advertising on the industry. There are also virtual exhibitions, including one on the history of televised Presidential debates entitled "The Great Debate and Beyond."
www.museum.tv/archives/etv

Image*After
A collection of thousands of free photographs that you can use for your personal enjoyment. About the only thing you can’t do with images obtained from this site is redistribute or sell them. Photos range from architectural exteriors to water vehicles; textures include ceilings, fabrics, food, leather, metal, walls, woods, and much more.
www.imageafter.com

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