For the past 25 years, Debby Holcomb has been mother to a son named Micheal who is quadriplegic and ventilator bound. This means that for the past 25 years, Holcomb has worried about who would advocate for her son in the event of a car accident, a house fire or any occasion that Micheal would have to interact with first responders who don’t have expert knowledge of his conditions.
Holcomb said that for Micheal to receive the care he needs, first responders would have to know the medications necessary to prevent his seizures, his ventilator settings, and who his doctors and emergency contacts are. She added that if Micheal were having a seizure, it could actually be an autonomic storm, which might be difficult to distinguish for an emergency caretaker.
“They need to know those kinds of things,” Holcomb said. “If I’m not able to communicate that in an accident, then there’s nobody to speak for him.”
Holcomb testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Transportation Committee on Tuesday to support House Bill 1297—a bill that would establish the Yellow Dot Program in Indiana and ensure people like Micheal receive the care they need in emergency situations.
The bill passed unanimously.
The Yellow Dot Program, according to bill author Sue Errington D-Muncie, is an initiative that allows first responders to quickly access the medical information of the victim in a car accident. Participants would place a yellow sticker on the back driver-side window of their car, which would indicate that they have a medical information packet in their glove box.
Errington said participants would fill out the packet themselves to include medical history and information, medication lists, allergies, and emergency and health-care provider contacts.
“This all helps first responders deal more quickly and effectively with the emergency,” Errington said.
She stressed that yellow dots would be beneficial to elderly Hoosiers, specifically those with Alzheimer’s and people who have degenerative neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease. Errington said those conditions make everyday communication hard, but the stress of an accident could make ailments even worse.
Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith testified in support of Errington's bill during the committee meeting.
He said that as a pastor who works closely with many elderly people, the program would be helpful to those who might find themselves in dire situations while driving.
“I think it's a fantastic opportunity to serve constituents,” he said.
Beckwith added that if Indiana joins the 22 states that already have the program, it could encourage Ohio and Michigan to join the pack. Errington said Kentucky and Illinois already participate.
Another benefit, in Beckwith’s opinion, is that the program has no fiscal impact.
“I think it’s a kind of common-sense step to take in serving those that sometimes find themselves in situations where they can’t communicate with first responders,” Beckwith said.
Tendra Duff, Holcomb’s friend who accompanied her to the meeting, told TheStatehouseFile.com that she is a special-needs mom who shares in the concern that her children may not receive the emergency medical care they need.
Duff said that when her twins were born, they were both bound to a trach and g-tube. To prevent issues in possible future emergency situations, Duff told her local first responders about the medical needs of the twins because she worried that no one would be able to care for them if Duff and her husband were unable.
“Just going anywhere is just so nerve wracking,” Duff said, “not knowing that somebody's gonna know what these kiddos need if you’re in an accident.”
Holcomb added: “The Yellow Dot Program would allow a way for the first responders to know that there’s medical information. That’s my biggest fear. … Who’s gonna speak for my son? Who’s gonna take care of him when I can’t?”