Emergency Info Accessible to First Responders Through Yellow Dot Program
By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor
Photo by Lydia Berglar – Deidre Stewart tells seniors at the Dade County Senior Center about the Yellow Dot Program and how they can make their emergency information easily accessible to first responders.
The Yellow Dot Program, a free, voluntary program through the Georgia Department of Public Health, is being implemented in Dade County thanks in large part to Deidre Stewart. Stewart works for Dade County Schools as a parent mentor for special programs. Stewart and Susan Reyes (director of special programs) have been aware of the program for a while and have worked to implement it with special needs families and the elderly in particular.
The Georgia Division of Aging Services website reads, “Yellow Dot increases first responders’ ability to help older drivers and those experiencing a medical emergency, if they are unable to communicate. Responders in participating communities are trained to look for a “Yellow Dot” decal.” Yellow Dot has been implemented in many states and continues to expand across the country.
The program is simple enough. Those who wish to participate simply pick up a packet which contains a yellow sticker, a small folder, an emergency info form, and a Yellow Dot magnet clip. The yellow sticker alerts first responders that your Yellow Dot packet is nearby. Place the sticker on the rear driver’s side window of your vehicle and/or by the main entry to your home where it can be easily seen by first responders. Then, place the folder inside your glove box or hang it with the magnet on your refrigerator.
Stewart presented about the program and handed out Yellow Dot packets at the Dade County Senior Center on October 16. She noted that while she’s focused on the elderly and those with special needs, anyone (particularly with health problems) can use the program. Her family has filled out forms for everyone in the family.
Stewart told the seniors that she first heard about the program while living in Tennessee. She said, “My middle daughter has special needs, so when we went to a convention, they told us about this program.” Her daughter is on several important medications, and Stewart said, “My big worry was that we would have a car wreck, I would be passed out, and no one would know what was wrong with my daughter because she can’t speak much. Also, I was a pediatric intensive care unit nurse so I saw when really sick people came in from car wrecks and things like that.”
Stewart taught Dade County’s seven fire departments, the Trenton Police Department, the Dade County Sheriff’s Office, EMA Director Alex Case, and Kyle Gross with Puckett EMS about the program so that all first responders in the county know to look for Yellow Dot stickers and folders. Responders can easily find the folder and send that information with you to the hospital so that doctors can quickly access your emergency information, medications, and medical history.
The form in the folder has places for you to list information such as your medications (including doses and time), a photo (to help with identification), your emergency contacts, your doctors and pharmacies, and your medical conditions.
Folders are available at the Dade County Public Library or by contacting Stewart at 423-490-5491 or deidrestewart@dadecs.org.
