Your ID is More Than Just Your Identification – It Can Save Your Life While You’re Working Out!

Alex Butler • Thursday, February 2, 2012 10:00 am

Alex Butler is a member of the =PR= Training Programs’ Distance Training Program. He shared the experience in this blog with that group and it was so relevant that we asked if we could share it.

Our coaches have mentioned the importance of ID a few times. To build upon the importance of ID and contact information, I thought it might be worth sharing an experience I had this afternoon.

This afternoon I was at the gym and got on the treadmill said hello to those around me and started a few minutes warm up before venturing to the weight room. Less than 5 minutes later, the person next to me (around 30-32 years old and not running very hard) suddenly moaned, leaned over to start holding onto the rail and then stiff as a scarecrow was carried off the back of the treadmill unconscious onto the floor.

There were about 15-20 people in the room and I was the only person who witnessed it (others engrossed in their iPods, CNN, or something else on the screen). I jumped off and grabbed the person to my right and we started preliminary care. We got the front desk to call 911 and then returned to realize (while having 911 on a wireless phone) that the person had no ID on him. (No phone, no iPod, no keys, nothing....). The front desk resorted to scanning pictures from key-card scans (linked to member photos) for all recent arrivals in the gym. That took about 15 minutes -- and then they started calling to see if they could reach one of the contacts he had on file. His wife called back and was in the gym about 30 minutes after the event (and 10-15 minutes after the EMTs) She was able to share medical history then (no history except for some medication he was recently prescribed).

As the EMTs commented, it only takes once for something unexpected to happen.

With the treatment he received and the care he is receiving at the ER/hospital, I hope that my treadmill neighbor (who I now know by name from a very unfortunate experience) will be OK after his seizure. Hopefully, the delay in identifying him and reaching his wife does not complicate his recovery.

Before a very subdued return to our workouts after the ambulance left, those of us in the room were discussing that while we generally are pretty good about taking IDs on longer runs, we often forget in a short run or almost never have ID on us in the gym except perhaps a license or mobile phone.

Although 1 month late, I have a shareable new New Year's resolution to have my RoadID (with contact details and insurance info) on both while on the road and at the gym.

Something to keep in mind.

Addendum from =PR=: All =PR= locations have more information on RoadID – stop in if you don’t have one yet, and if you do have one, remember to switch it when you change your shoes, just like you would with a belt on your pants. Stay safe!

 

Comments

I just got my RoadID in the mail yesterday! Since I recently had a stroke (the day before my 38th birthday), I thought that I should have some sort of identification at the gym and out on runs. Although I hope that it never needs to be put to use, the peace of mind is priceless.
Kathleen February 7, 2012 7:03 pm
Thank you so much for the photo shoot! You are AMAZING (as alwyas). You never cease to inspire!Love, love, love your work!
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