The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department, the Greensboro Fire Department, the High Point Fire Department, the High Point Police Department and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission are all teaming up for a fresh promotional push of an existing program called “Yellow Dot” that’s meant to save lives.
Guilford County Sheriff’s Department Master Corporal J.A. Page said that, though the program has been around for years, first responders in the county want to see it become more popular. The program allows law enforcement officers or emergency responders to know immediately any medical conditions, allergies to medications, blood type and other information that can affect proper medical treatment.
Page said it’s a simple yet vitally important program, which is the reason behind a coming new push to get more citizens participating in it.
“We have some new pamphlets and redesigned materials and we’re really trying to make people aware of the program,” he said.
Area residents can expect to hear a lot more about Yellow Dot this spring.
The program provides participants with two stickers – yellow dots if you haven’t guessed – as well as corresponding medical forms. Participants fill out the form – which was designed by medical personnel to provide needed information in an emergency situation – and they put that form in the glove compartment of their car. They’re asked to then place the Yellow Dot sticker on the lower left side of their rear car window. This lets first responders know immediately upon arriving on the scene that the person’s vital medical information is there, and that speeds up care in an emergency.
Page said that having the information available, and using the program to notify responders quickly that it’s there, can mean the difference between life and death in an auto accident or some other life-threatening event.
With the second Yellow Dot sticker, local law enforcement and first responders are asking people to place the form on their refrigerator and put the sticker on their front door, where it’s easily visible.
According to Page, over time the Yellow Dot program began losing traction as original founders retired or were promoted to other sections of the department. Last year, however, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department’s Community Resources Unit began exploring ways to rejuvenate the program and put it back to the front burner. The department got funding to redesign the original packet for Yellow Dot to be more cost effective and user-friendly. New packets are now being circulated within the Sheriff’s Department and other agencies and officials say the new public information campaign about the program will launch soon.
Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers said the Yellow Dot program is definitely a worthwhile investment of people’s time since its easy to do but can have extremely beneficial consequences.
“This program only requires a few minutes of your time but provides you a life-saving benefit,” the sheriff said.
There are also other ways that people can let medical professionals know about their important conditions. Apple’s iPhone and other smart phones now on the market allow for that information to be stored on the phone in a way that’s readily accessible by medical professionals.
