Carpentersville joins Yellow Dot program

First responders say that the first hour after a car crash could mean the difference between life and death.

To that end, Carpentersville has joined the statewide Yellow Dot program that encourages motorists to store vital health and medical information in their glove boxes on a single card. A yellow dot stuck to the lower left corner of the rear window alerts paramedics to the card’s existence — it’s essentially a mobile version of the practice many fire departments have, in which you store a prescription bottle in your freezer with details of your medical history.

During an accident, paramedics, after seeing the yellow dot, would read the yellow medical card in your glove compartment that will help them make critical decisions about emergency treatment and assist them in preparing the emergency room staff for your arrival.

“This information will have your photo, emergency contact information, medical doctors, everything,” Fire Chief John Schuldt said. “It’s only as good as people keep up the information in their glove box.”

Two weeks ago, Carpentersville’s village hall became one of several distribution points in Kane County for the information. Other county sites are at the Elburn Police Department, Sherman Hospital in Elgin and the Kane County Health Department.

Elsewhere, you’ll also find them at the Wheeling Police Department, the Addison Police Department, the DuPage County Health Department, the Downers Grove Police Department, the Countryside Fire Protection District in Vernon Hills, the Lake County Health Department and the Mundelein Police Department.

Officials say 25,000 packets have gone out since the program’s inception in November.

“The program is extremely popular. Obviously our hope is that these initiatives will continue to help save lives across Illinois as it provides first responders with even more critical info to help provide care within that golden hour,” said Josh Kauffman, a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Transportation. The program is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation. For more information, visit www.yellowdotillinois.org.