In the "Smarter Living" category of Rugged Elegant Living, this one could help save your life. Actually, three letters "ICE" and your mobile phone could do the trick.

ICE stands for In Case of Emergency.

Program these three letters into your cell phone with a designated relative / next-of-kin's contact number.

If you do, paramedics, hospital staff and/or police may be able to help you should you get in an accident, become shocked, injured or get knocked-out and are unable to speak for yourself.

In May of this year, Bob Brotchie, a forty-one year-old paramedic from East Anglian Ambulance Service in the U.K. came up with the idea.

Ever since, his ICE campaign has been spreading like wildfire throughout England.

Now, via online publishers, weblogs (aka "blogs"), a viral email campaign and other media sources, Brotchie's brainchild is getting out to the rest of the world.

It is one of the only good things that has come from the four 7/7 terrorist attacks in London.

An East Anglian Emergency Vehicle

Brotchie said about his ICE efforts:

I was reflecting on some of the calls I've attended at the roadside where I had to look through the mobile phone contacts struggling for information on a shocked or injured person.

It's difficult to know who to call.

Someone might have "mum" in their phone book but that doesn't mean they'd want them contacted in an emergency.

Almost everyone carries a mobile phone now, and with ICE we'd know immediately who to contact and what number to ring.

The person may even know of their medical history.

Brotchie said the idea was for the benefit of loved ones as well as the patient.

Officials said the word "ICE" stands out because, in most cell phones, there are very few names that start with the letter "I."

Bob, who has been a paramedic for 13 years, added:

Research suggests people recover quicker from the psychological effects of their loved one being hurt if they are involved at an earlier stage and they can reach them quickly.

Adopt The ICE Advice

By adopting the ICE advice, your mobile will help the rescue services quickly contact a friend or relative - which could be vital in a life or death situation.

Simply select a new contact in your phone book, enter the word 'ICE' and the number of the person you wish to have contacted.

Do it now!

But before you do, think carefully about who will be your "ICE" partner, particularly if this person has to give consent for emergency medical treatment.

Don't forget to ask or tell the person or people you have nominated that they are one of your "ICE" partners.

If necessary, ICE can serve to make sure that medications can be delivered at an accident scene.

To add more than one emergency contact number, store details as ICE 1, ICE 2 and so on.

Now, let's hope paramedics, hospital staff and police around the world get this message, so that they will know to look for our "ICE" number(s).

And let's hope that our cell phones are on our bodies, when we might need it most.

Perhaps one day when we are entering data into our new cell phone there will be a prompt that asks for two-or-three "ICE" numbers, or a voice-activation dial feature that simply requires the paramedic to say "ICE".

For additional tips on how to best take advantage of the ICE campaign, or to contact the East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust please go to:

Thank you Bob Brotchie for this great idea.

Inspire & Be Inspired.

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful, "life-saving" living!

~ Jennifer Carolyn King, Rugged Elegance, LLC