I.C.O.E. bracelets and a GIVEAWAY!!

I.C.O.E. bracelets is a company that was started in my hometown. they sell personalized 'in case of emergency' bracelets (wristband-style) for children and adults!

they have a great product and they're growing fast (they've been on the local news and they even had an interview on CNN! for real. sorry i couldn't find a link.)! i took a minute to have a chat with one of the owners of I.C.O.E. bracelets to find out more information, because i think they could be a great product for diabetics - of any age. i have one coming my way, and i'm pretty excited about it!

What are ICOE bracelets?
ICOE stands for “In Case of Emergency.” They are emergency contact bracelets for, all ages that provide emergency contact phone numbers in the event that a child (or, adult) gets lost or separated from their caretaker. We also have allergy and medical, alert bracelets, which provide allergies and medical conditions that the person wearing, it has.

How much are ICOE bracelets?
Currently, they are $5.00 each and a portion of every sale is donated to charity.

What charities do you donate to? 
Most often, we donate to Home of the Innocents and Make A Wish Foundation. We chose those because they are both focused on bettering the lives of the children they serve. Some months we choose different charities depending on the time of year or if there are any events. note from fancy nancy: last year ICOE made a donation to my walk team for the JDRF walk! 

What are the most common things people have put on bracelets?
For our children’s “regular” emergency contact bracelets that have one or two phone numbers and a design of their choosing, parents most often order the train and ladybug designs. The most common allergies we see are peanut and tree nut; for medical conditions, probably Diabetes or Asthma.

Is there anything that you can not put on a bracelet?
We have a company policy not to put a child’s name, under the age of 12, on the bracelets. This is to limit the amount of personal information available for strangers to see. We have made exceptions, in cases where a child is non-verbal and the parent NEEDS that on the bracelet.

What sizes do your bracelets come in?
Toddler (fits wrists up to 5.9 inches around), Youth (fits 5.9 – 7.1 inches) and Adult (fits 7.1 – 8.0 inches around). Please keep in mind that you’ll need to fit the bracelet over your child’s hand. They do have some stretch, but not a whole lot.

How are ICOE bracelets different from other medical ID bracelets?
They are made of silicone, which is a type of rubber. This makes them very comfortable and inexpensive. We have had parents tell us that the Velcro bracelets scratch their children and a lot of times, children don’t want to wear the metal ones. These offer cute designs, which helps make the children want to wear them. They
also come in 9 different color options (allergy/medical alert only come in maroon).

What if someone wants to put their own design on a bracelet? is that an option?
We have done custom created designs, but we can’t put characters or designs on them that are copyrighted. For example, we can’t put Mickey Mouse or Winnie the Pooh on a bracelet.

Do ICOE bracelets really work?
We hope so! The information is right there. As long as your child will keep the bracelet on, your phone number can be with him/her at all times. We have taught our 3 year old that if she gets lost and can’t find us, to find another Mommy, tell her she can’t find us and show her the bracelet.

Do kids really wear them? are they comfortable?
They are very comfortable, but it’s going to depend on your child. Our daughter wears hers almost any time we leave the house and never complains about it. We have never had anyone complain of them being uncomfortable.

How long does it take to get a bracelet once i place my order?
Our turnaround time is 1-2 weeks.

Do you have any success stories (because of someone wearing the bracelet) that you can share?
Not that we’ve heard, but we’re okay with that. We don’t WANT kids to get lost or need to use it, we’d rather it just provide peace of mind for parents.

and now for the awesome news! I.C.O.E. would like to give one reader two bracelets! for a chance to win, you need to do two things: become a fan of their page on facebook (make sure you say you were sent by withasideofinsulin.com), and leave a comment on this blog post. you have until midnight tonight (eastern time, 6/23/11) and i'll post the winner tomorrow! 

for more information or if you have questions about I.C.O.E. bracelets, be sure to visit their web site!