ORIGINALLY WRITTEN LAURA CAMPBELL
Seniors can be safer on the roads of Marion County, now that the county’s emergency medical services have joined the Kansas Yellow Dot Program.
The Marion County Emergency Medical Services office received its first batch of 500 Kansas Yellow Dot kits about two weeks ago, said office manager Woody Crawshaw. About half have already been distributed to area seniors.
Each Kansas Yellow Dot kit contains instructions, a medical information form, a self-adhesive sticker and a bright yellow envelope.
The recipient fills out the medical information form and attaches a recent photograph to the envelope, which is then stored in the glove box of the recipient’s vehicle.
Placed on the outside of the windshield on the lower rear driver’s side window, the Kansas Yellow Dot sticker indicates to first responders such as police, emergency medical technicians and firefighters that the occupant of a motor vehicle has special medical information stored in his or her vehicle.
This allows the responder to administer the proper treatment quickly and effectively even if the occupant is unable to tell the responders his or her special medical information.
The program is free for persons who are 55 and older, on multiple medications or have serious health conditions that can affect treatment.
Kits are available at the EMS office, located in an annex building to the county courthouse at 200 S. Third in Marion. For more information, call 620-382-3271.
The Kansas Yellow Dot Program is sponsored by the Kansas Department on Aging.
