Carry ID At All Times

An elderly man collapsed in the street in front of my house at 7 a.m. [last week]. He went down hard, hit his head on the pavement, was bleeding from the impact and was unresponsive. A neighbor was walking her dog, saw the man fall and shouted for help. I called 911 and soon four sheriff’s department patrol cars arrived, followed by a fire engine, paramedics and an ambulance. The man apparently did not have identification with him, but the officers did find a cellphone in his pocket.

An Armenian-speaking officer was able to communicate with someone on the man’s phone, and presumably notify family. This was a good reminder to always carry a cellphone (with an ICE contact) and identification, even on a quick walk around the block.

Anne McNeill
La Crescenta