Keep a ‘File of Life’ on your fridge
Photo by Tara Winstead | Pexels.com
When firefighters respond to an emergency in a home, they’re trained to check the refrigerator.
That’s where many homeowners keep a “File of Life” — a list of their medications, emergency contacts and other important information. The typed or handwritten list can be posted to the front or side of refrigerator with a magnet or in a magnetic sleeve.
The File of Life lists allergies, medical conditions, insurance information, emergency contacts and resuscitation orders — anything you’d want a rescue team to know.
Many communities offer free materials to make it easy to display this list. In Arlington, Virginia, the town website has a form to download, print out and attach to the refrigerator. In Montgomery County, Maryland, the fire department even offers free magnets designed to store this information.
Although Washington, D.C.’s fire department doesn’t offer free magnets, they do install free smoke alarms. In D.C., request one by calling (202) 727-1614 or emailing fems.fireprevention@dc.gov.
For more information, visit thefileoflife.org.
