Jan. 11--When he makes an emergency medical call to a senior, Kris Marrs knows he's not likely to get the answers he needs to begin what could be lifesaving treatment.
"They forget to tell us important information -- surgeries, allergies," said Marrs, a firefighter/paramedic for West Bloomfield. "They panic. Or maybe they can't talk. So we have to go through medicine cabinets and refrigerators looking for clues as to what kind of medical problems they might have."
So in October, the department joined about 200 other Michigan communities to offer the File of Life -- a small red plastic packet that contains a form where residents outline their medical histories, current medications and insurance information. The packet hangs on refrigerators through an attached magnet so emergency medical workers can have easy access to it.