McDonald Funeral Home in Picayune has partnered with the makers of Vital ICE, in an attempt to assist first responders in helping save more lives.

Vital ICE, which stands for in case of emergency, is a cellphone app that allows people to fill in information regarding medical conditions and identifying information that can be used by emergency responders in the instance of an emergency.

While responding to an emergency, first responders can easily retrieve the information through the app and provide the necessary medical assistance.

Kenny McDonald, of McDonald Funeral Home, said the app can serve as a head start for first responders who arrive at a scene where someone is unconscious and unable to communicate effectively.

“The application will have all details including information about medications, whether or not the patient is diabetic or allergic to something. This speeds the process of having to take the patient to a hospital and have them diagnosed,” McDonald said.

According to a release from the funeral home, after first responders retrieve the information from the app it can be passed on to ambulance personnel who will then share it with hospital staff either directly or via the app.

According to the app’s listing on the Google Play Store, the app works by locking the person’s information behind a 128 bit encoding system, and can be accessed via a four digit code provided to them.

Frank Hastings, developer of the app said responders could access the comprehensive app even if the phone is password protected.

Hastings said the community needed an application that allowed first responders, family and friends to access their loved one’s information in an event they are incapacitated.

“It’s a grassroots campaign that has blown up across the country with 2,300 funeral homes having already purchased the app, and our ultimate goal is to reach more people,” Hastings said.

The app is currently available in English and Spanish and should be downloaded by people of all age groups, Hastings said.

For more details about the app contact McDonald Funeral Home at 601-798-1212 or visit www.vitalboards.com/vitalice.