CRS deals its cards for safety

October 21, 1997

By MARLO BARNHART

Staff Writer

When an ambulance comes to the house, the more medical information rescuers have at hand, the better.

Community Rescue Service and other rescue companies have now embraced efforts to improve that knowledge by way of special cards that can be put on home refrigerators.

"We are using the same card already being used by Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (SALT)," said Brent Bankson of CRS. And they are adding their own logo to the cards they hand out.

The large yellow cards contain information about the residents of the household - ages, Social Security numbers and names of doctors.

"There is also space for information about major illnesses, allergies to medications and what medications the patient is now taking," Bankson said.

Washington County Hospital agreed to have 5,000 cards made up and supplied to CRS and other rescue companies in Washington County, Bankson said.

"We are also putting some cards in doctors' offices and here at CRS headquarters on East Franklin Street," Bankson said.

The cards are going home with students visiting Children's Village of Washington County, too, Bankson said.

"Our personnel will carry them on their clipboards when they respond to calls," Bankson said.

The benefits are obvious when rescuers arrive at an emergency call, he said.

"It helps us with the patient. And it takes the pressure off family members trying to recall information in a crisis," Bankson said.

Bankson hopes civic organizations will be interested in a speaker from CRS to talk about the cards and other important information in the safety field. Anyone interested in a speaker or in an emergency card can call 301-733-1112.

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