Medical Bracelet - good idea or not?

[numbnuts]

There was a brief craze on the army for getting blood type tattoos. I never bothered, because with my luck I'd lose the part of my body with the tattoo on it.

I was told they don't take any notice of it and will still cross match

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

There was a brief craze on the army for getting blood type tattoos. I never bothered, because with my luck I'd lose the part of my body with the tattoo on it.

Wan;t this standard in the SS during WW2??

I read that in some cases a German prisoner surrendered but was shot when they saw a blood group tattoo - as this was standard for all SS soldiers
Problem was that often if a normal soldier was injured and taken to an SS hospital then they would automatically tattoo him anyway
so a few normal soldiers were shot just because they had been treated in the wrong hospital


Not accusing anyone of anything - clearly everyone is far too young and any Army they might have been in wore different uniforms anyway

just an interesting historical point

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I was told they don't take any notice of it and will still cross match

I heard this as well - not worth taking the risk of it being wrong
probably do the same with bracelets and stuff
but warning them of allergies and drugs might just help

 

[Drago]

Wan;t this standard in the SS during WW2??

I don't know. My application was rejected when they discovered I was Jewish.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I don't know. My application was rejected when they discovered I was Jewish.

They were probably worried you would let your underpants near a prisoner
and that would be going too far!!!

 

[Jenkins]

Slightly more expensive than a dog tag, but I use a Sidekick from Road ID which attaches to a Garmin watch strap (https://www.roadid.com/pages/shop-road-id?category=watch) and has space for 6 lines of text - in my case...

Name & DOB
Partial address
ICE Contact details
'No known allergies'
'Organ donor registered'
(and last, but not least) 'Is the bike OK? '

 

[Andy in Germany]

Or, just be happy with the one I have, it warns others that if I start squirting blood everywhere, I would really appreciate it if you try and make it stop.....and quick!

Slightly more expensive than a dog tag, but I use a Sidekick from Road ID which attaches to a Garmin watch strap (https://www.roadid.com/pages/shop-road-id?category=watch) and has space for 6 lines of text - in my case...

Name & DOB
Partial address
ICE Contact details
'No known allergies'
'Organ donor registered'
(and last, but not least) 'Is the bike OK? '

Bearing in mind your signature and the nature of the condition, maybe an addition saying where the duct tape is stored...

 

[stephec]

I'm not sure that a thief knowing you have an incurable STD and your uncle should be contacted in an emergency is going to cause any real problems.

Even better, what if the thief collapsed and someone looked at the phone, and you're not allergic to penicillin but he is?

Lovely bit of justice. 😂

 

[stephec]

There was a brief craze on the army for getting blood type tattoos. I never bothered, because with my luck I'd lose the part of my body with the tattoo on it.

You were in the SS? 😂

 

[Ming the Merciless]

There was a brief craze on the army for getting blood type tattoos. I never bothered, because with my luck I'd lose the part of my body with the tattoo on it.

Nah they’d probably give you the wrong letter, and you’d get transfused with creosote

 

[Drago]

You were in the SS? 😂

I'd loved to have been a Scout Sniper.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Nah they’d probably give you the wrong letter, and you’d get transfused with creosote

In Drago's case they might work OK!!!
It would explain his underpants!!!

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I used to wear these, when running, particularly during races, & also still put them on when out on the bike

https://armydogtags.co.uk/dog-tag-catalog/product/us-military-exact-replica-army-dog-tags

2 x tags, with 'silencers'
They bear
3 x phone numbers (home/SWMBO/parents)
NHS number
'Contact Lenses'
Organ Donor
'NKA'


The 'USB' types are a "no-no", as no Ambulance service, hospital would risk plugging them in, & I doubt they'd keep a 'standalone' laptop just in case someone has that type of emergency bracelet/necklace
YAS/Yorkshire Ambulance Service certainly won't plug them in, I've asked quite a few Paramedics/HART staff, that I know

 

[JtB]

For practical reasons there’s a limit to how much information you can put on a medical bracelet, so put the basics and add also that you carry a card. You can then put all the detailed information on the card. In an emergency medics would see from the bracelet that they need to search your pockets for the card.

 

[Psamathe]

In addition to OP's question another thing to think about is the "Message in a Bottle" scheme. Unsure about any recent conventions but when I did itfor my parents it involved a specific container stored in your fridge containing medical info/prescriptions. Ambulance and emergency staff know about the scheme so if you are found (at home) unconscious or incoherent they know where to look in the fridge to get any crucial information about you.

Not a replacement for what OP was asking about but maybe additional as it provides space for info that might help emergency services eg conditions (as not all serious conditions mean medication and/or conditions medication is treating, dose levels, etc.

Ian