Police encourage emergency contact in mobile phones.
By Michelle Delgado
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Emergency services were called to this college at 1:35 p.m. Thursday for a student who was suffering from heat exhaustion.
Radio-television-broadcast sophomore Christian Erevia said she found journalism sophomore Aly Miranda in a restroom in Loftin Student Center having trouble breathing after the pair volunteered at the Antojitos Festival.
After a few days of cool air with temperatures in the mid-70s, the sun came out today, bringing 85 degrees with it, according to weather.com.
“We were bringing in a lot of heavy equipment when we were tearing down the booth,” Erevia said.
While the pair waited for EMS to arrive, Erevia and journalism Lab Tech Tricia Buchhorn tended to Miranda with water, ice and Gatorade.
Buchhorn later said Miranda had experienced heat exhaustion. Paramedics offered to transport her to a nearby hospital. Miranda declined so her family could take her to another hospital.
A complication occurred when there was no emergency contact in Miranda’s phone for paramedics to reach.
Officer A. De Hoyos of the Alamo Colleges department of public safety stressed the importance of an ICE contact on everyone’s mobile phone. ICE stands for “in case of emergency.”
“During an emergency, people will know that’s the number to call,” De Hoyos said.
An emergency contact should be someone who knows the person and is aware of any medical conditions such as allergies and medications.
Most mobile phones include an emergency contact button that anyone can touch in the case of an emergency, even when the phone is locked.
IPhone users can set up an ICE contact by using the pre-installed health app; Android users may have to go through phone settings.
Adding “ICE” and the relation to the user under the name of the contact is also recommended, according to PCMag.com.
