Moray Message in a Bottle relaunch

Date Added - 16/03/10

Moray Council’s Safer Communities initiative is relaunching its potentially life-saving Message In A Bottle project.

It is a simple yet effective way of encouraging elderly and vulnerable people to store personal details – including any illness or allergy they have – in case of an emergency in the home.

The details, which can also include emergency contact numbers, are placed in a plastic container which is kept in the fridge.

Stickers bearing the Message In A Bottle logo are also supplied and placed around the house to alert the emergency services to the presence of the container should they be called to the individual’s home.

People participating in the scheme are encouraged to place the container in their fridge because it is an item of household equipment which most people possess. It also avoids the need for the emergency services to search around to locate the container.

Safer Communities is receiving the co-operation of local flu clinics, health centres and home care workers in distributing the plastic bottles. Pharmacies throughout Moray are also taking part in the relaunch by offering the bottles to customers who might benefit from the scheme.

Moray Council staff member Scott Little, who is heading up the multi-agency project, said: “It is great to see all the different agencies taking the project on board.

“It is amazing how something so simple can save the emergency services as much time as it does and can lead to a speedy identification of the person and any health issues they might have.”

Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman Brian Jaffrey said the ambulance service had always been a great supporter of the campaign and was delighted that it was being resurrected.

“It is very important for us to know what medicines a casualty is taking to ensure the best possible outcome to any given situation,” he said.

Grampian Police partnership development officer Sergeant Adrian Moar said: “The relaunch of the Message In A Bottle project will assist the emergency services attending to the most vulnerable within our communities and I would encourage as many people as possible to participate.

“Police officers can often be the first to attend at homes following concern for the householder and any medical information that can be passed on can save lives.”

Gordon Gray, of the Grampian Fire and Rescue Service, said they were more than happy to support the relaunch.

He said: “Our fire crews have been briefed and if we have to attend an incident at a participant’s address this valuable life-saving information can be easily retrieved.”

Further information on the scheme is available by calling 01343 563316