In case of emergency, be prepared

In the Girl Scout Handbook, the Girl Scout motto explains: “A Girl Scout is ready to help out wherever she is needed. Willingness to serve is not enough; you must know how to do the job well, even in an emergency.” 

I was a Girl Scout. Combine that with being a career Project Management Professional and I like to think I’m good on my feet and there’s little that can throw me.

That is until a couple weeks ago, when this happened:

I arrived at the scene of the accident within 5 minutes. My friend (let’s call her Jamie) was flat on the pavement, unable to move, one of her limbs twisted in a cartoonish way. Witnesses shouted at me what had happened. The ambulance had been called. Jamie was fully conscious though not making sense, obviously in shock and in pain. Within minutes, EMTs were on the scene, wrapped Jamie up as best they could, and we were off to Emergency.

Over the next few hours, first responders and her care team needed the basics:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Emergency contact
• Allergies
• Medical conditions
• Medications

Between the two of us (we might have led the EMTs to believe we were married so I could ride with them), we could provide most of the basics but neither of us could provide a comprehensive list of medications. And since the Emergency Department where we ended up is out-of-(her)-network, her electronic medical record didn’t have her current information. (That’ll be a rant for another time.)

Over the next days and weeks, Jamie would face several major surgeries. It had been years since she had sat with an attorney and drafted the legal documents every adult should have. In fact, we were all a few years into #adulting and named each other proxies and executors (as if we knew what any of it meant)! Jamie needed to ensure her directives were clear and up-to-date. The challenge: She was completely immobilized. Had she updated them since her move from New Hampshire? Since her divorce? Where did she put them? I went to her house in search of a folder of important papers.

The basics: There’s an app for that

If you have a smart phone, if you haven’t already, consider enabling the “in case of emergency” and “medical ID” functions. Once set, even if your phone is locked, first responders can see critical medical information such as allergies and conditions and know who to contact.

With more current smartphones, you can enable access to all your health records from multiple institutions. And with the newest phones, environmental triggers can simultaneously contact both emergency services and an emergency contact if you’re unable to do so. According to user documentation, neither Apple nor Android can read your Medical ID info; your information is yours to control and protect.

• To enable “emergency contact” and “medical ID”
  • On iPhone: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207021
  • On Android: https://www.wikihow.com/Add-Emergency-Contacts-and-Information-to-Android
• To enable access to all your health records from multiple institutions (if supported by the institution)
  • On iPhone: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208680
  • On Android: Common Health

#Adulting: important legal documents all adults should have

Every adult should have the following legal documents. Depending on your situation, there are more, but these are the basics. The documents should be signed, dated, and notarized (as necessary), in a safe place and accessible by your designated agent when needed.

• Living will/Advance directive
  • Informs doctors, medical professionals, and family which treatments you want if you’re dying, permanently unconscious, or otherwise unable to make decisions about emergency care
• Health care power of attorney (also known as health care proxy)
  • Enables your designated agent to step in to make medical decisions if you cannot make them yourself
• Financial power of attorney
  • Allows your designated agent access your accounts to pay bills and make financial and personal decisions if you cannot make them yourself 
• Last will and testament
  • Designates who will receive your assets after your death. This doc also designates the person you entrust to carry out your wishes
• Guardianship
  • Designates who should be responsible for the personal and financial of any dependents – child or adult – if you are unable to do so

If you don’t have any of these docs, look for online resources such as https://www.legalzoom.com/personal/estate-planning or search for Estate Planning in your area.

Friends: Apologies for the heavy topic. No one wants to think about emergencies and life/death situations. It certainly was not top of mind when I was thinking of blog topics to write about. I hope this serves as a gentle reminder to be prepared. Be well and be safe.