PINEHURST, Idaho — In a medical emergency, sometimes having an individual's medical information readily available could be the difference between life and death.
Pinehurst Police Chief Tami Holdahl is hoping to make that happen by offering the citizens of Pinehurst a free Emergency Medical Information tube.
Holdahl got the idea when a friend of Pinehurst City Clerk Carla Ross showed her an EMI tube from back home in Hawaii.
"I looked at it and thought, 'oh my gosh, this is a great idea!" she said.
Upon receiving an EMI tube, the individual will find a roll of papers in a plastic bag and an EMI sticker. Once the forms have been completed with the appropriate information, they are to be put back into the plastic bag they came in, put back into the tube, then the tube is to be placed in the individual's refrigerator or freezer.
"Everyone has a refrigerator or freezer and if their house burns down, it may survive in there," Holdahl explained.
The last step is to place the EMI sticker on or near the front entrance of their home, so that medical personnel know to look for the tube.
Holdahl explains that while the EMI tubes are great for everyone to have, they are especially useful for senior citizens, those with special needs, and/or people who live alone.
"If they're alone and someone finds them, then EMS comes in, you might not know what is wrong," she said. "It will save EMS time so they aren't trying to figure out information."
The paperwork gives EMS important information their medications, medical conditions, allergies, emergency contacts, requests if incapacitated, and much more.
For the 500 EMI tubes available, PPD spent approximately $1,500.
Shoshone County Fire District No. 2 Chief Mark Aamodt said he likes the idea of EMI tubes and believes that they can definitely be useful for EMS crews when responding to a situation.
Anyone looking to receive an EMI tube should call Pinehurst City Hall at 208-682-3712 or stop by at 106 N. Division St. in Pinehurst.
