Can hospitals unlock an Iphone 4?

Hi all,
I have searched all over with many types of terms including "hospital", (including here,) but all I can find is Jailbreak type instructions/answers. Does anyone know if emergency personnel can unlock my Iphone to get my ICE and EMERGENCY entries? (FYI- ICE = In Case of Emergency, which emergency personnel know about.)
Thanks,
Shannon

I'm not sure precisely what you mean by "unlock" your iPhone, since the word "unlock" has different connotations in the world of phones.

If you have a passcode on your iPhone and are unable to tell emergency personnel what it is, then no they can't get into it.

I believe you are referring to the "Slide to Unlock" feature. As chas mentioned, if you have a passcode then they will not be able to get past the lock screen.

If you really want them to find this info but don't want to remove your passcode to allow emergency access, you're better off putting your emergency contact info in a wallet or purse that you always keep on your person.

Thanks Chas....

Thanks Chas! And... bummer about them not being able to get past my passcode, but.... I have the allergy, etc. info on a card behind my driver's license too, so chances are they will see that.

(All just recommendations for folks... you never know! Have both an ICE and EMERGENCY entry in your Iphone. ICE = In Case of Emergency, and personnel are trained to look for that.)

Thanks again....
-Shannon

I doubt it... I don't think they can go through your phone without your permission

snopes.com: In Case of Emergency (ICE) Number

Some further reading on this. Bottom line: unless you are dead, medical personnel are very unlikely to touch your phone at all for fear of being sued later. If you have a passcode on the phone, then they cannot use it even if they want/need to. They'll just pass it to police who might use it to contact next of kin; they don't need an ICE entry to do this, they'll just look for people with your last name and call randomly.

On NON-smartphones, particularly a few years back, the ICE idea made a certain amount of sense; now, not so much.

EMTs and other emergency personnel will not touch your phone. They cannot and will not go through any of your personal belongings (other than to determine your identity).

On scene in a critical situation (let's say a car wreck), emergency personnel have objectives: stabilize the victim and avoid making the situation worse than it already is. They will ask a patient about allergies and contacts (if the patient is conscious). If a patient is unconscious or otherwise unable to respond, they will look for Medic Alert tags that you may be wearing. Those are the most important means of conveying a medical condition or allergy that you may have. They may look in your wallet, but if time is of the essence, the EMTs may simply stabilize you and get you to a hospital ASAP (via ambulance or helicopter).

My husband is a certified firefighter. Often firefighters assist the EMTs during motor vehicle accidents, and they are always called in to assist when Life Flight (our local helicopter ambulance service) is called in. Many of the crew at his station are certified EMTs. I asked him about this. He said that they do not touch phones. Hospital and law enforcement personnel may, but emergency personnel on scene do not.

Even better look at something like this:-


MedicAlert Foundation: Jewelry

That's exactly what I was talking about, harry. Many vendors on the market, and there are some that create them with fashion bracelets or necklaces for women, too. You can engrave your allergy or medical condition plus your ICE on it.

I know because I have one. I got one because my husband told me it was the only sure-fire way for emergency personnel to know my drug allergies (which are severe) and how to get in touch with him if I was involved in a serious accident.

Best thing you could do is to get a Durable Power of Attorney form. Make copies to give to whoever is your first and 2nd emergency contacts. Keep a copy in your glove compartment. Keep the original in your wallet/purse. This is great because you can specify what medical treatments you will and won't accept, allergies, etc.

Many ways to do this, agreed. But the bottom line is that in an emergency situation, your phone is not the answer, whether it's an iPhone, an android, or an old clunky model that requires no password at all.