Contacting someone in case of an accident

I have a paranoid fear that if something  happens to DH, it will take ages before I am contacted.

There is no particular reason that he would be more likely to be in an accident than anyone else.

I wrote emergency contact information for us on index cards, to be folded and put in our wallets.  DH thought his card was messy because it didn't fit  in his wallet without folding; I'm guessing that he still carries it but I'm not 100% sure.

DH said that if anything happened to him, someone would  look at the address book in his mobile phone to find someone to call - but there are a lot of people besides me in his address book.

I think part of my paranoia comes from the fact that before I moved to the UK, people where I lived (New York City) carried around photo ID, such as a driving license all the time.

A lot of it just has to do with paranoia that comes from living in a place that you didn't grow up in and not knowing  how things are done.

Also, things just seem to be a lot slower around here.  When we were having problems with asbo kids around my old block of flats, we had a community meeting which included the police, and we were told that if you reported someone trespassing, committing vandalism, harassing or threatening, others, etc., the guaranteed response time was within 24 hours! (I assume that if someone's life was in danger, the response would be somewhat quicker.)

The only somewhat similar experience that I had in the US was when I was with my ex, and we were both going to the same university. I was in the library and one of the security guards came to me and found me and told me that my ex had been in a car accident (turned out to be not very serious). I was informed very soon after the accident happened. But my ex was conscious so probably described me and told someone where I would probably be and asked them to find me.

Have your husband put your number under ICE (in case of emergency) on his mobile.  My husband has three:  me, his parents and his sister, but I am ICE 1.

OK. I will try to convince him.  Thanks.

Agreed with bookgrl.  Also, paramedics will go through the contacts lists on phones and find whatever number is under "Home", since a lot of people do that, so perhaps have him put your landline number in if he doesn't already have it.

If you wanted, you could maybe have him put your mobile # under "Wife" as well...

If they call "home", there's a good chance nobody will be there.

Is the ICE terminology pretty standard over here?  It would never occur to me to look for that, but there's every indication that I'm just clueless!  

I have my husband listed as himself, but also under "Home" and "Emergency Contact" since his name is different than mine -- all of those entries list his mobile number.  Barring that, my father is in there as "Dad."

I still have my US drivers license in my wallet, but that'll do little good if I'm hit by a bus in London.  I do have my husband's business card in there, with "Call in emergency" written across the top.

I have no idea how I'm listed in his Blackberry.  Of course, it's password protected, so nobody could get into it anyway.  Hmmmm.  

I think a lot of it depends on what kind of accident it is.  For instance, if he was driving in his own car and there was an accident, they would fairly quickly be able to tell who the car was registered to and then they could get contact information from there.  

The mobile phone idea is good but once again, depends on what kind of accident.  The phone could be damaged and unusable.  My hubby has our house number as 'Home'.  He doesn't have me down as 'Wife' (I'm just under my frist name) but he does have 'Mam' so she would probably be the one to get the call if I wasn't at the house.

My hubby carries his NIN card in his wallet (so do I) so even though it's not the a photo ID, they can identify him and get contact information that way.

Is the ICE terminology pretty standard over here?  It would never occur to me to look for that, but there's every indication that I'm just clueless!  

After the bombings in 2005, I think this became pretty standard.

After the bombings in 2005, I think this became pretty standard.

Thanks!  And thanks to bookgrl for posting it.  I had no idea!  

ETA:  Of course, now that I'm thinking about it, I do wonder how -- other than cell phone -- someone would track me down if something happened to my husband and he was alone.  I guess they might find his work ID and his office would find me, but that certainly wouldn't be quick.  And beyond that -- there's nothing.  No car with a registration.  No UK driving license.  Not really anything that attaches him to me or our rented flat.     Yikes.

I have "ICE", as well as my husband listed under "A Husband", so it is the first in my phone. But I think you should be okay, since when most people find lost phones, they call the last few dialed numbers, I am sure emergency people would do the same!

I am concerned that someone would call my in-laws and they would neglect to tell me, as they waited a 4 days to tell my husband his closest relative died unexpectedly because they didn't want to 'bother' him with the news. I just pray my SIL is around, since I know she would call!

Thanks sweetpeach I thought I was being paranoid too. I think about this all the time. I don't have any form of ID with my name and address on it. My work ID just has my picture and name, not even the company, though there is an emergency telephone number on it. I don't have a driver's licence. I guess I could be traced through my credit cards but I don't carry them when I'm out running.

And thanks to everyone else for the ideas of listing emergency contacts in mobiles.

I don't know -- it seems to me that the British police have been dealing with emergencies for years, even before modern technology, and I'm sure they've managed to notify the concerned parties with due efficiency and promptness. 
It was never something I've worried about, except possibly during the recent London bombings and no one could get hold of anyone on their mobiles. I knew DD had gone for her hospital appointment and, even though I couldn't reach her or vice versa, I figured she'd be safe at the hospital! DH was at the British Library, so had switched off anyway. But I felt sure that if anything dire had happened the authorities would somehow contact me.

FYI, even if you have no intention of ever learning to drive here, you can still get a provisional licence for £50, and this will have your photo and address on it. The picture card expires every 10 years I believe, but the licence itself is valid until you pass or turn 70. It is also free to change your address, so you can keep it up to date.

Thanks sweetpeach I thought I was being paranoid too.

Thank you for letting me know that I'm not the only one.

my husband is listed as ice in my phone with all of his details, mobile, landline, email, address.

a couple of years ago I ended up helping a woman who had been hit by a car and she didn't have ice or anything in her address book that indicated who her partner or parents were. Luckily she wasn't hurt very badly and was able to speak so we asked her who we should call and she gave us her Boss's name! Luckily her boss was able to give us her husband's name and even called him to meet her at the hospital.

ICE is good to use.