What If's? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

igotjam · RV-Dreams Family Member

What If's?

jrzygrl64 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Good morning all! I have a question I have not seen addressed here on this forum, not recently at least. I want to preface it by saying that yesterday I ALMOST had what could have been a bad car accident. Someone not paying attention to my blinker being on and entering the lane I was entering at the same time - and they were speeding. Got that blood draining out of me feeling the rest of the way home - which thankfully wasn't far. So, here goes, the thing that kept my mind occupied while I dealt with 2 hours of insomnia last night:

When full-timing, what happens if you are out and about exploring an area, esp. if you are using a company, like Escapees, for your home address, if you have an accident? I mean, how do they know who to call? I know I have ER numbers in my cell, but it is password protected. How will anyone know where your RV is? I am especially concerned about this b/c I have pets that would be home waiting for us. I mean, do you have to let someone know everyday exactly where you are? This is obviously only a concern if you are both so hurt that you cannot communicate, but let's face it, it could happen.

Sorry to be a downer so early in the morning, but maybe there is an obvious answer and I just can't see it. Thats what I am hoping.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Kelly

Dog Folks · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sorry, I don't understand your question. In an emergency situation, the responders are not going to call any one. No phone numbers needs. If you are unconscious at a hospital, they won't be calling anyone.

We keep my son's phone number on our cell phones, under ICE, just in case. He knows, generally where we are. Our trailer has a sign posted about pets inside.

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

I shared your thoughts!!!

Just over a year ago I was put in that position....I had a life changing event and was flown out of where I was. I,m a solo traveler.

Im sure if I was boondocking at the time things would have been different, who knows what would have happen to my rig!!

Anywho......the rv park I was in looked after my coach... came to the hospital and got the contact numbers and info they needed......they asked and removed all perishables from my coach and there maintenance crew shut everything down and winterized it on site and the park charged me for storage only....these are very good people!!!

I now carry usb fobs with all info on them.....I check in daily with at least one close family member to let them know where I am...as far as pets I have a service dog....she has a GPS Tracker on her harness and its there to give the needed info to find her if I just happen to disappear.

Always remember the Buddy system!!!......mom was right!.....if your going somewhere, let someone know where your going to be.....keep important info on your person that can be seen in an emergency......and always wear clean underwear!!!

bzffr8 · RV-Dreams Family Member

When Maxine and I used our Honda Goldwing motorcycle to sight see an area, we always carried a slip of paper that I put next to my drivers license. It stated that we were fultime rver's and our rig was located at such and such campground. We also included our boy's contact info in case of emergency. Every new place we go to I just write up a new slip and put it in my wallet. Hopefully the authorities would contact the boy's and they would call the campground to make arrangements as necessary. We no longer have the motorcycle but still use this method in case we have an accident in the Jeep.

Dance Chick · RV-Dreams Family Member

igotjam wrote:
Like Dave & Maxine, we carry a business card that is titled "IN CASE OF EMERGENCY" and lists both our names and phone numbers. It goes on the state that they can also call our son and his phone # is listed. WE then have a line that says" Effective ____________, we have an RV parked at ____________________________. WE fill out one of these cards at every stop and put it in our wallet. It stays there till we move to the next park. We got 500 custom cards made up at Staples for about $10 years ago.

-- Edited by igotjam on Thursday 26th of September 2013 09:00:45 AM

That's a cool idea.

el Rojo and Pam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Those are good ideas putting it next to your drivers license.

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

We selected Florida as our state of residence, and one of the feature of their driver's license is that you can list 2 or 3 emergency contact people on your record. So, if anything happens to either of us, and our DL is with us, each other and our parents will be contacted.

Also, on our contact info at our mail forwarding service, I list my mom's phone number as well.

In addition, we're pretty transparent about our location online - on Facebook and via our blog. If we go quiet for too long, hopefully folks will start inquiring. And we use the 'Find Friends' app on our iPhones, in which our current location is automatically shared with trusted friends & family.

Great idea on the business cards too!

- Cherie

ClassicRoadTrip · RV-Dreams Community Member

We use Dynotag www.amazon.com/Dynotag%C2%AE-Enabled-Medical-Emergency-Information/dp/B005ZBAGA8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hpc_4 they also have for dogs and all kinds of applications. The biggest thing for me about this system is that first responders can see your medical information on site and also the Police will have access to all the information you provide by just scanning QR Code with any cellphone in other words you will be able to provide almost unlimited information that you want to provide including instructions on who to call what to say and what you need done and all this in either a credit card size or as for a dog in a small dog tag dynotag.com/

I am allergic to certain medications some which are standard in trauma treatment which could cause me death so this was a huge deal before we went on the road.

Also I bought some small tags they also make which we have on the whole family when we go to theme parks again something happens even if we do not our wallets we alsways have on us some way to communicate with first responders with out the need to actually talk.

PIEERE · RV-Dreams Family Member

I certainly hope medical personnel go through my wallet if I am unconscious or in shock. I keep a wallet card with contact information in it for that purpose also a card for the three stents and medications I have allergies to. The office at the RV park has information on file.

jrzygrl64 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank you everyone for the great responses! I really appreciate all the ideas! I was fairly certain I wasn't the first person with those kinds of concerns!

I especially like the business card idea - so quick and easy to just fill in the blanks and pop it in your wallet!

Mike - I am just curious, you have a dog, what happened to her when you needed to be flow out? Was she with you? That was very nice of the people at the campground to help you out! My biggest concern would be if we couldn't return home and the pets were there and - well I think you know where I am going with that...

Thanks again everyone - you guys are great - can't wait to meet you in April!

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill and Kelly,

Another thought is to have a second, very cheap cell phone that is NOT password protected that has your ICE numbers on it.

Personally, I own a smart phone, but I use the "smart" more than I use the "phone." I wouldn't have even had one had it not been that Jo insisted I have a phone so she could always get in touch with me. At any rate, I have nothing on my phone, other than names and address of people I know, that would require password protection. I try not to even store addresses for contacts on my phone.

Terry

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

This is a very real topic. A couple of years ago a"blogging" fulltime RV couple who were well known in the RV blogging community were visiting Pismo Beach CA. An angry young man bent on hurting someone drove his vehicle up on to the sidewalk where they were walking killing them both.

The wife was always well prepared. Her daughter knew how to get into her blog. She kept a note in her pocket where they were parked and that they had a dog in the RV. And a list of emergency contracts. She had complete instructions what to do in case of emergency. Also where to find an extra key so police were able to get into the RV to get the dog.

We don't want to think these things can happen, but sadly they do.

Ravenlotus · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cool ideas. I am going to run these ideas by DH.

BruceandTrisha · RV-Dreams Family Member

I appreciate this discussion - had not really given this much thought, but now realize how important it is to have information available by many means...phone, card in wallet, communication with family or friends.

Thanks for all these good ideas...the "just in case" stuff we don't like to dwell on, but we've had enough Boy Scouts camping around us that I am all for being prepared! :)