Do you carry any emergency identification card with you?
This is a card that contains the name and phone number of someone who can be contacted if you are in an accident or taken ill. When we go away on vacation, the last thing on our minds is an accident or illness, but in reality anything can happen. If you should become incapacitated, time could become an important factor while emergency workers try to contact someone who can make decisions about your care.


A simple card with the name and number of your next of kin could save valuable minutes and in some cases maybe even your life.

I just returned from Las Vegas. While I was there I met my friend Dennis in the casino for a playing session. We had not seen each other for six months and I asked him what was new. He told me about a terrifying experience that had happened to him.

Dennis was playing craps and had won a few thousand dollars. After his session he went into the lounge to have a drink and relax. While he was in the lounge a woman started a conversation asking about restaurants and this led to some general chit chat. At one point he got up to use the restroom. He returned and started sipping his drink. The next thing he knew he was waking up in the hospital.

He later learned that he was found unconscious in a hallway by security. His wallet and all of his identification was gone. They did not know if he was injured, or had had too much to drink. When he would not respond they rushed him to the hospital.

At the hospital, the doctors contacted his family. Test were done and it was determined that he had been drugged by someone. Apparently, his assailments had slipped the drug, Ecstasy in his drink while he was in the restroom. After he drank it, they walked him out of the lounge and then robbed him.

I asked how they were able to identify him and contact his family if his wallet was missing. He told me that he had numbers programmed into his cell phone and the hospital called the numbers searching for someone to identify him.

The experience of my friend got me thinking about the importance of carrying some sort of identification outside of my wallet. Many of us carry emergency identification inside our wallets or purse, but if that is stolen our identification goes with it. Every one of us should carry some secondary form of identification or have a way for others to identify us in an emergency. Here are a few ideas to consider.

Cell Phones
Your cell phone number can be traced back to you in an emergency but this may take time. If you have a cell phone, make sure you program the phone numbers of people to contact into your phone. A good suggestion that will work with single people as well as those with a family is to list the number of the person you want contacted in your cell phone directory as “Emergency Contact.” If you put a space at the beginning it will be the first number that shows up in you cell phone directory. Everyone who owns a cell phone should do this. It only takes a second but could save your life.

Carry A Card
While cell phones are a good place to list an emergency contact it is not the best solution. Some people don’t own cell phones and even if you do there is no guarantee that your cell phone will stay with you in the event of an emergency. It could be knocked loose or stolen from you if you are in an accident or the victim of a crime.

You should carry a card with your name and the phone number of a person to contact in an emergency in a pocket separate from your wallet. Many ladies carry their wallets in a purse or handbag. If you do this you should carry something on your person as well.

A business card can also be used as a form of emergency identification. If you have a case for your business cards carry that in a pocket away from your wallet. If you are visiting a casino, carry your player’s card in a separate pocket. In an emergency you can be identified by your card and the casino can get your address from its data base.

Be Prepared
The old Boy Scout motto “Be Prepared” is still some of the most practical advice you can follow. Nobody likes to think about crime or accidents. We want to believe that bad things will never happen to us but we have no control over life. In an emergency when seconds count something as simple as an emergency contact card could make the difference between life and death.

This advice is not just for those of us who travel or go away on vacation on vacation. I hope you will consider carrying a card with you every day. There is no reason not to carry some sort of emergency identification. Programming your cell phone or carrying a card with you is FREE, and it could save your life which is PRICELESS!