Busy weekend not only for Megan and Harry  but for us too.  We were   installing  a new  ceiling mounted lighting rail  in  one of the workshops so that we can bring improved video content to  You ID Me subscribers.

Though we're not quite finished, the main ceiling framework structure and pantographs are in place and look great. With lighting arriving today  and a  few more accessories on their way, we should be able to start bringing you better quality  emergency identity  related videos  very soon.

Big thanks to a couple of people who have provided professional help and guidance:

Phill Connell from  Phill Connell Marketing Solutions in Rochdale who is probably the best  person on the planet to ask about business marketing, 360  degree virtual tours and photography  and business photography generally.  His help is always much appreciated (and very often sought!).

Gareth from LuxS UK Photography  Store for all his help  in getting us set up with the ceiling track rail system.   They're really nice people  at LuxS and  recommended if you have any kind of photo or video lighting or studio  needs.

This is all part of a new communications structure brought about by two things: GDPR and  a new product launch   strategy, but more about those later.

As you can see in the above short video the lighting is  needed as the studio  is set toward the rear of the You ID Me workshop.  We'll be using :

3 x Neewer bicolour LED lights  
1 x  LuxS ceiling  track system with 3 pantographs and   vertical extension pole
1 x Canon  M50  mirrorless camera
1 x Phot-R Professional Photography 3-Roller Wall Mount Roll Photo Backdrop Elevator 
1 x Whiteboard
1 x Paper background  support system from  Creativity Papers

Ok so that's it for this quick post. We'll do another demo shoot when the lighting arrives.

Hi, Lee here from You ID Me.

​Yesterday I received an  email asking  "My son has autism. How can this help?" The author was of course referring to You ID Me.  I should start by stating that I am not medically trained in the field of autism however...

What I have learned from hundreds of other parents of children with autism  that use the You ID Me system is that   children with autism  may have multiple complex needs.

From skin sensitivity through to  visual  stimulation and  being non verbal; there isn't a simple set  of associative conditions for every autistic child; on the contrary, they vary greatly.

So  in my reply to the email  I took this into account and  pointed out that helping to deal with the complexity  of autism in an emergency - in particular, helping avoiding crisis - is a task that You ID Me can certainly help with.

You ID Me is an emergency ID and alert service.  Users of the service carry an emergency ID product  which may be a bracelet, necklace tag or wallet card.

The  ID product has printed on it a concise instruction for any first responder telling them what to do in an emergency as well as one or more of  the following: - 

• A  unique 12 digit  ID number
• A QR code
• An NFC tag

You ID Me  can provide three valuable services in an emergency:  -

• Quickly provide    first responders with  vital   / lifesaving information 
• Alert    emergency contacts' phone to let them know there is a problem
• Provide    emergency contacts with   the first responder's contact details 

So in an emergency the  first responder is follows the instruction on the emergency ID product  - which takes  just a few seconds.  They are instantly presented with  the users emergency ID profile showing all the  vital / life saving emergency details that the wearer (or their parents) has registered.

This may include the name of the wearer as well as the contact numbers of their emergency  contacts, medical condition/s, medications, NHS No (if applicable), blood group,   special instructions and any other information.

If  set up, the system may also immediately alert the  emergency contacts' mobile phone to let them know there is a problem - no app is needed for this. It is all done by SMS to keep things simple.

​Additionally  if the first responder has  chosen to provide their contact details, these are appended to the SMS  sent to the  emergency contact/s' mobile phone.

The system is very fast and works anywhere in the world where there is an internet connection.

Users can update their information and set up options at any time  from anywhere. So if a contact number, condition or medication changes, this can be quickly and easily live on the system in seconds. 

The system is recommended by numerous  groups and professionals. 

So because You ID Me can  hold specific  and detailed information about the user (wearer of the  emergency ID), it can be used to add crisis information that could potentially help an autistic person  until help arrives.

For example, one   customer  that has a son with autism  added plentiful information in their son's emergency ID profile about the types of TV programmes that he likes to watch (all about sharks and sea life). They've added foods  that he likes  and doesn't like as well as letting people know that he is mostly non-verbal.   

The  son is prone to wandering off, so prior to becoming a user of You ID Me, the parent naturally worried  a great deal about  what would/could happen in the event their autistic son went missing and was  located by  someone unfamiliar to him; they wouldn't know his particular characteristics and  so the event could be traumatic for him (and them!).
 
This kind of information could be crucial in enabling the young boy with autism to feel safe.

And that is the very difference that You ID Makes to people with autism and parents of autistic children...

The ability for them to truly tailor the emergency medical information carried by the autistic   person  helps enormously in the event of a crisis or an emergency. 

The ability   for parents or relatives  to be alerted within seconds of their loved one's ID profile being accessed.

The ability to put parents  or relatives of an autistic person  directly in touch with the first responder that's helping them.

I want to share a quick thought today about a conversation I had recently with a lady I'll refer to as Debbie.

Debbie  has recently been diagnosed with epilepsy after having a number of seizures 'out of the blue'. She is a 27 year old  single mum.  

Some time ago Debbie called You ID Me to ask about our range of emergency ID products for epilepsy. During the conversation  Debbie shared with me that the emergency ID product was for her following her recent diagnosis.

Debbie told me  how almost immediately following diagnosis   she began to very scared of the real possibility  of having another fit, especially in  a public place when alone with her five year old or when alone by herself. 

She   said that the fear had been almost paralysing for her;  causing her to become anxious and to cease doing many of her regular  everyday activities  "[...] I'm so afraid  that the medication won't be effective, I'll have another fit some  place or when I'm by myself... the fear  is crushing me. What if nobody was there to help me? What about my little girl?"

Debbie was  therefore  interested  the emergency ID and alert service provided by You  ID Me  for two reasons:

Firstly because her emergency medical details were not limited to a bit of engraving on a tag; she could  share all her emergency  identity information in an accessible format; easy effective emergency medical ID for her epilepsy. 

Second,  the emergency contact alert service provided by You ID Me  was, as Debbie said "the next   best thing to carrying a direct line to my mum in my pocket."

I next heard from Debbie two weeks later by email.  The tonality behind her words was upbeat and joyful.  "You ID Me has set me free. I am a complete advocate."   the email read.

She added that after testing her emergency ID bracelet out she knew that this is just the thing to give her back her life. Seeing all here vital lifesaving emergency information pop up on the screen of her mobile phone in a second and then receiving the emergency alert within a  few seconds on her mother's mobile was liberating.

Debbie immediately knew that "...this   is as good as emergency ID  gets".  As a result Debbie has gone back to all her previous activities and more; she's also taken up yoga too! 

I thought more about Debbie when I recently posted on     lifesaving emergency ID   because  it served to fuel  the very point about You ID Me being  life changing for  many people.

It caused me to consider  what thoughts and feelings  are at the root of our decision to   purchase an ID product. Now  it would be very easy to   dismiss the thought.   But I would say  people generally want less pain and more pleasure in their life.

People want certainty. Certainty  can reduce pain and increase pleasure. I think  most emergency ID products and services on the market  provide a little certainty. But  not much.

If I wear a silicone band with the word epilepsy stamped on it (using epilepsy as an example)  then  that is all it tells a first responder. And that might just be enough. But  if I want CERTAINTY then  the You ID Me product and service offering gives me 100%. It gives me  - and those close to me - three very important things: - 

1. Provides first responders with ALL my vital lifesaving information
2. Alerts  my emergency contacts that I'm in trouble
3. Puts my emergency contacts in touch with the first responder treating me*

For those diagnosed with any kind of medical condition  the  uncertainty  felt thereon after is enough to paralyse them (metaphorically speaking).  Worrying what would happen if a medical emergency was to occur.  Worrying where might it happen. When might it happen. Who will I be with?  Will I be alone?  Who would help? What about my children?  Will I survive it?  Will I  be able to communicate effectively enough to make a call...? Drive...?  Get to a hospital...?

There  is so much more than the above to worry about.  And some of this came out when I first   spoke to Debbie.  I was so glad to receive Debbie's email a couple of weeks later because it tied up the good work that I've been doing. It also will help me lay down the script  for the next part of my relaunch which I am planning.

​

Yesterday we received the following review for our children's identity wristband from another happy customer. 

It's always a real pleasure to receive customer reviews  whether positive or 'constructive' so  thank you  very much for this.

Child emergency ID has become a big thing over the years especially for holidaying purposes where parents worry of the dangers when travelling abroad with small children.  Search  Google for example!  High profile  child abduction cases such as that of Madeleine McCann, still  haunts parents.

Thankfully  such cases are rare though children can still wander off in busy places such as airports, stations and shopping centres.  Best to have some kind of safety mechanism in place.

ChildSafe ID   from You ID Me  is a way that a lost or missing  child can  be quickly and easily identified by a helper. Children can be trained  to reveal their ID bracelet (or tag or necklace etc.) to a person in authority.

So if you are heading off this year for sunnier climbs and you are taking the kids then consider equipping them with kids ID wristbands.   Even  if you opt not to pay the additional cost  for the Platinum Plan then at least  get them each an identity band that they can wear  whilst in another country. 

You'll feel a lot less worried about  your child going missing. You  may even be able to have the conversation with your child  - what to do if we become separated (a good idea in any case whether you  buy child identity bracelets or not).  You can develop them with a crisis plan if they are old enough too. It's really good practice, so they at least know the dangers.

And  I get to say this... I sincerely hope that you never need to use your child emergency identity bracelet for any reason.  I hope that it  just sits there on your child's wrist   whether they're in the pool, ocean on the beach, in the mall, at the airport,   on the train,  at the event,  on the school trip,  on a sleepover with friends, or at the other busy place,,,  well you get the picture.

A customer testimonial came through to my inbox ​toward the end of last week that  was really timely.   It caused me to think hard over the weekend about what's really been achieved  with You ID Me.

The customer who, of course I won't name, explained how the You ID Me system has changed their life.  How she'd now been able to start going out  more to places alone that she would not have dreamt of doing prior to discovering the You ID Me Emergency Identity and Alert service. She said - her words, not mine - that You ID Me has been a life changer for her.

Life changing huh?  Life changing.   Life  changing.  I repeat that simply to emphasise the size of anything that changes any of our lives.  When our life genuinely changes so  much so that we acknowledge the shift then it usually is for better or worse.

So it felt really good to be  part creator of something that is a positive life changer for someone.  And then I began thinking  of  how  many people contact us to say thank you or, how great they think the service is or how much it helps them - we really do receive many lovely emails letters and texts.

Many people have given us insight into their personal experiences; specific incidents, accidents and genuine emergencies  where You ID Me has allowed medical staff to save their life and also allowed those close to them to be alerted by SMS to let them know there was a problem.

The truth is though, to this point I had not really seriously considered  the You ID Me service to be 'life changing'. Helpful, sure. Convenient, of course. But life changing? I would have considered this suggestion a bit of an exaggeration. But that was just my own perspective.

Anyway, I got to thinking,,, how much change needs to occur for something to be considered life changing? If something alters our day a tiny bit would that be considered life changing? I think yes and no. No simply because 21st  century  society expects something life changing to be something BIG.

But "yes" because something small can be life changing too...

If say I worry about what would happen to me in an emergency if I was on my own and this causes me to worry about it every time I go out or even not  go out at all. Then I discover a little thing called You ID Me that gives me new freedom; new confidence  and a new level of safety and security.  Has this been life changing? Absolutely. 

So I'm  thinking 'even bigger than ever' before about You ID Me (sounds like a soap powder ad!)  because of the number of people that come back and tell me  "we love it" or "it's amazing" or  "it's changed my life for the better".

This is not an ego thing. Rather the dawn of a new era in emergency medical and child ID.   We're going to be re-launching the service with further improvements in  stages with new  features  for customers. 

 I personally use two You ID Me emergency ID products  so I'm a big believer in the sense of how much it helps... I just hadn't thought of it as life changing before.

With that I began writing the beginning of a script for a new video series...

"Since 2012 I’ve helped many thousands of people with all kinds of medical conditions to transform their lives.

So from people with autism to Addison’s disease. From those with diabetes to dementia. And every single medical condition in between.

Though the medical condition is not nearly as important as the change which takes place.

The transformation can be truly liberating; and has given people a new freedom, massive confidence and a new-found sense of safety and security. So that they can reclaim their lives and go about their days with certainty.
​
So if you are: -

• A person with any type of medical condition where you need to take regular medication
• A person who’s medical condition could cause you to become unconscious or to enter a state where you are incoherent; unable to communicate effectively
• A person perhaps with a close relative, friend, colleague or associate with such a condition
• Or if you’re a person that would simply like to have the certainty for yourself or someone close to you that if a medical emergency happened paramedics would have the right information in seconds and emergency contacts would be alerted immediately no matter where you are in the world.

…then you’re in the right place.
 
I’m to share with you – over the course of a few short videos, how you can

• Get your life back
• Regain confidence
• And finally feel safe…

…that, if the worst happened and you had a medical emergency, that any member of the public, any first responder, any paramedic or other medical professional could access all of your vital life-saving information in just a few seconds from any mobile device anywhere in the world.

…AND that your emergency contacts could be alerted on their mobile phone again within seconds…

But first let me tell you a little bit about myself and how I got to be here in the first place…"

I'm not a pro writer (as you can probably see!) but I'll keep editing to make sure it hits the spot so that those people with medical conditions that perhaps have never experienced what You ID Me can do for them can appreciate its positive power.

Thanks for reading.   More later.  

​<LC