Medical "Emergency Contact" - how, actually, do you do it

[drohn]

** I don't know if this is the correct forum, please move if not **

Hi Forum,

As you know, we are frequently asked to provide an emergency contact, sometimes two - be it by the dive shop/agency, be it by our insurrance, be it by a
SOS/SAR network (Garmin...).

And yeah, they all certainly have their own standards & proceduces for that and why that is. It's just that this is where the black box starts, for me.

I am really picky about whom to have as an emergency contact, and it narrows down to a really small group. Like: Really small. Super small. I'm happy to
(still) have a dad who is a retired MD. I love him, and I also know that he can handle dense, emotionally stressful situations professionally. Back then I asked him
about being my emergency contact, and there was no question about it, and he still is (the first contact).

Other than that: I have no Idea. It really is difficult. Questions/Answers go like:

"I can do that, but what would I be supposed to do?"
"I really don't know - just, be there I guess. And communication..."

"Who would I call?"
"My dad."

That's mainly how it goes if people ask questions, which, mostly, they don't even do. Which also is not good.

But here is my question:

Who of you ever had to act as the emergeny contact and how did that come/go? And yeah, it probably depends a lot on how agencies etc. handle things.

Thank you!

 

[tursiops]

I provide the name of one of my nephews who happens to dive so he has some useful knowledge, and is a calm, reliable person. I am the emergency contact for him when he is diving. We very rarely dive together. I do not view the role of emergency contact to be anything thing other than be a conduit to notify your family that you died. DAN is a far more useful phone call if I just happened to be hurt.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Good question. Since my wife is usually diving with me, we can't use each other as our emergency contact. Anyone from my parents' generation is now too elderly to serve as my emergency contact, and I have no children. I don't have friends I feel I could count on in an emergency. So I usually list a cousin who lives a few thousand miles away from where I might be diving. She knows nothing about diving, and I don't typically let her know about my travel plans, but at least she's a responsible person who could keep calm and make calls as may be needed if she is contacted.

 

[AdivingBel]

Most airlines ask for an emergency contact. Who do use for that? Use the same person. It will be used for the same purpose.

 

[Johnoly]

Several of us have been involved with fatal dive accidents and the investigator will need to know who is " Next of Kin " for legal notification purposes. Listing your neighbor or co-worker, cousin, etc won't allow the investigator to even tell them 'anything'. They will just end the call without explanation. You should list your "next of kin" on your emergency contact & their relationship (sister/brother/mom/etc). Also that same information should also be somewhere waterproof printed with your gear so the investigator will easily find it (wallet, purse, drybag, etc.) If it is a death in many cases the investigator will request a local police go personally to the next of kin's residence to inform them rather than by phone, but that varies. If you are not dead, then you will usually direct your own treatment and your emergency contact info won't be used.

 

[fred32176]

Most folks including me use their spouse as their emergency contact. I have been contacted as an emergency contact when a son rolled is vehicle and went to the emergency room.

 

[tursiops]

Several of us have been involved with fatal dive accidents and the investigator will need to know who is " Next of Kin " for legal notification purposes. Listing your neighbor or co-worker, cousin, etc won't allow the investigator to even tell them 'anything'. They will just end the call without explanation. You should list your "next of kin" on your emergency contact & their relationship (sister/brother/mom/etc). Also that same information should also be somewhere waterproof printed with your gear so the investigator will easily find it (wallet, purse, drybag, etc.) If it is a death in many cases the investigator will request a local police go personally to the next of kin's residence to inform them rather than by phone, but that varies. If you are not dead, then you will usually direct your own treatment and your emergency contact info won't be used.

My next of kin is on the dive trip with me.
It they wanted next of kin they would ask for...wait for it...."next of kin." That is a different question than "emergency contact" and I've never been asked it on a dive trip.

 

[BoltSnap]

My youngest brother is my usual emergency contact person. He's an MD and lives in the UK, doesn't travel or dive with me and can travel to almost anywhere in the world to take care of things. Second contact will be my lawyer depending on the location.

 

[also_anon_dc]

My next of kin is on the dive trip with me.

That is not true. I think what @Johnoly means is that if you died someone would inherit your estate. That is usually your spouse but if your spouse also died it would then to go someone else- your children or a sibling or a cousin etc. Legally you will always have a next of kin even if it's someone you don't even talk to.

 

[tursiops]

That is not true. I think what @Johnoly means is that if you died someone would inherit your estate. That is usually your spouse but if your spouse also died it would then to go someone else- your children or a sibling or a cousin etc. Legally you will always have a next of kin even if it's someone you don't even talk to.

Of course it is true. My wife is my next of kin, and she is on the trip with me.