Pic MonkeyTutorial: Adding emergency contact info to your phone’s lock screen

Chances are pretty slim that something will happen to you while you’re out running, but things do happen.  If I fainted on a long run, or got hit by a cyclist or a car, I would want my family to know where I was and what had happened as soon as possible.  Especially since I have children, who might be waiting for me at preschool, with me in the jogging stroller, or with a babysitter.

So, I’ve finally decided to do the responsible thing and make it easy for someone to contact my family in case of an emergency.  It’s better than pretending an emergency will never happen to me.

I now run with my phone on me at all times.  This allows Greg to “find my i-phone” and locate me if he ever needs to, as well as giving me the ability to make an outgoing phone call if I need a ride, or check for directions if I get turned around on a new running route.

Since it’s always strapped in a spi belt around my waist, it should be easy for a first responder to find.  Anyone looking for identification would likely check a phone in the absence of a wallet.

Here’s how I edited a photo to add my emergency contact information.  For a tutorial on how to change the photo for your lock screen if you have an i-phone, check out this site.

I use picmonkey.com, a free online photo editor.  You can upgrade for a price, but even their basic edits are fantastic.  (Thanks to Abby Glassenberg of whileshenaps.com for introducing me to picmonkey!)

Choose a photo.  It doesn’t matter too much what colors it is, because we’re going to change the brightness so that any text you add stands out.

Go to picmonkey.com and select edit a photo.

Upload your photo.

Under Basic Edits (the very top box-like icon on the left), Select “Exposure”

Increase the brightness of your photo until it’s faded looking enough that black text will stand out easily.  You can always repeat this step after you’ve added your text.

Click on the Tt icon to add text.  A box will pop up allowing you to change the size and fonts.  Make sure your text takes up most of the photo so it will be large enough to read once it’s reduced to fit the screen of your phone. 

 

Emergency Contact Suggestions:

Include at least two phone numbers so it’s easy for them to reach someone.  I included my mother, because even though she’s two states away, she has phone numbers for my baby-sitters, and can call Greg’s work if he doesn’t pick up his cell phone when a first responder tries.

If you have known allergies or medical conditions, you may want to list those also.

I prefer black text for important information because it’s easiest to read under different lighting conditions.

Save your photo to your computer by clicking the Save button at the top center of the screen and following the prompts.  E-mail the photo to yourself and download it onto your smart phone, then set it as your lock screen when you’re going for a run…. or always.

I used fake phone numbers.  Greg is pretty awesome. I’m not posting his phone number where a whole bunch of motivated women can see it.  Sorry.

Alternatives:

The big name in emergency contact bracelets for runners is Road ID.  They make engraved bracelets, shoe ids, ID cards, etc. specifically for runners and other athletes.  They’re another great option.

I went with changing my lock screen because it’s free, and it’s something I already bring with me rather than an additional item I need to remember to wear when I’m going out for a run.

I’m a careful runner.  I don’t do much night time running, and I run facing ongoing traffic if I’m in a breakdown lane, and stick to sidewalks whenever possible.  But things happen, and I want my family to find out as quickly as possible if they do.

Honestly, something is more likely to happen when I’m driving my car, which is another benefit to changing your lock screen.  If you leave it that way, it could benefit you if you’re ever in a car accident or have a heart attack in the grocery store.  (Sometimes I get so excited when I see raspberries on sale that I think this could happen to me.)

I hope nothing ever happens, but it makes me feel a little better to know that I’ve taken steps in case something does.  We have life insurance and a will and testament for our children, too.  They’re hard conversations to have, but once you take care of it, you can stop thinking about it.

Remember – preparing for a bad situation does not mean you think it’s likely to happen, and it doesn’t mean it’s more likely TO happen.

I think running is a safe and wonderful thing to do, but I also believe in exercising caution, staying alert for distracted motorists, and having a backup plan in case you dehydrate and fall over 4 miles from home.

Best wishes,

Kelly