The County of Lambton Emergency Medical Services Department introduced the Cool Aid Program to Lambton County residents in 2005.
The Cool Aid Program consists of a fold-up, magnetized form that contains medical information. It is "Cool" as it sticks to the coolest place in your house --- the fridge. It is an "Aid" to both the person who is using it and the Paramedics who are responding to the call for emergency medical assistance.
The magnet allows the form to stick on the outside of a fridge. Inside the form, is a space to record personal information, medical issues, prescribed medications, and allergies.
Lambton's Paramedics are trained to look for this form when responding to calls for medical assistance and it has become a vital tool to Paramedics - especially when patients cannot communicate to Paramedics because they have become unconscious, had a stroke, etc. It is also not uncommon for people to forget important details during a stressful medical emergency.
The form also saves Paramedics time, as they have a current list of medications and do not need to search through drawers, medicine cabinets and nightstands to determine if a patient is taking medication that might interfere with treatment. Typically, 5-10 minutes can be saved on-scene by the Paramedics when the form is used, which means patients recevie treatment and transportation to the hospital much faster.
To get a copy of a Cool Aid Form for your home, call the Emergency Medical Services Department at 519 882-3797 x5024.
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