Monthly Archives: August 2019

Stay Safe in St. Peter by Putting Your Cell Phone on ICE

We don’t want to think about it, but each St. Peter resident who drives or rides in a vehicle is potentially an accident victim. In the worst-case scenario, those people are unconscious and unable to communicate with MN rescue workers.

Rescue workers and St. Peter police are well aware of this difficulty, even if the rest of us don’t stop to think about it. They can all recount stories of searching through glove compartments, pockets, wallets, purses and cell phone directories for a person’s name and for contact information for someone who can help them get the person the medical care they need.

This contact information is critical in an accident because St. Peter medical workers need to know about allergies and potential drug interactions. Also, in MN, some medical treatments can’t be provided without authorization or consent, and there can be insurance and billing issues if the person’s medical care is not properly arranged.

ICE provides a solution for these concerns. ICE stands for In Case of Emergency and is a way for others to quickly identify emergency contacts in your cell phone.

Bob Brotchie, a paramedic from Cambridge, England, developed the idea for ICE in 2005. It soon spread around the globe. The system is simple, affordable and highly functional. St. Peter rescue workers can tell you that they can’t always find purses and wallets at the scene of an accident. But these days, almost no one in MN goes anywhere without their phone.

To add ICE to your phone, simply put ICE in front of the names of those people who should be contacted in case you are in an emergency. For example, “ICE-Dad,” or “Ice-Deborah,” or “ICE-Dr. Mitchell.” St. Peter rescuers can quickly identify and access this information, saving valuable time. The only thing St. Peter drivers have to do after that is to keep their contacts current. Every time you change the batteries in your smoke alarm, it is a good idea to double-check your phone and make sure your ICE cell phone numbers are up-to-date. Of course, we’d rather avoid an accident in the first place. It’s good advice to keep up with preventive maintenance (we can help you with that at Autotronics of St. Peter in St. Peter) and practice good car care and driving habits. Those can go a long way to keeping you safe on the road. Planning for the unthinkable helps your rescuers find the information they need quickly. Let’s put the world on ICE.

 Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

 

 

Stay Safe in St. Peter by Putting Your Cell Phone on ICE

We don’t want to think about it, but each St. Peter resident who drives or rides in a vehicle is potentially an accident victim. In the worst-case scenario, those people are unconscious and unable to communicate with MN rescue workers.

Rescue workers and St. Peter police are well aware of this difficulty, even if the rest of us don’t stop to think about it. They can all recount stories of searching through glove compartments, pockets, wallets, purses and cell phone directories for a person’s name and for contact information for someone who can help them get the person the medical care they need.

This contact information is critical in an accident because St. Peter medical workers need to know about allergies and potential drug interactions. Also, in MN, some medical treatments can’t be provided without authorization or consent, and there can be insurance and billing issues if the person’s medical care is not properly arranged.

ICE provides a solution for these concerns. ICE stands for In Case of Emergency and is a way for others to quickly identify emergency contacts in your cell phone.

Bob Brotchie, a paramedic from Cambridge, England, developed the idea for ICE in 2005. It soon spread around the globe. The system is simple, affordable and highly functional. St. Peter rescue workers can tell you that they can’t always find purses and wallets at the scene of an accident. But these days, almost no one in MN goes anywhere without their phone.

To add ICE to your phone, simply put ICE in front of the names of those people who should be contacted in case you are in an emergency. For example, “ICE-Dad,” or “Ice-Deborah,” or “ICE-Dr. Mitchell.” St. Peter rescuers can quickly identify and access this information, saving valuable time. The only thing St. Peter drivers have to do after that is to keep their contacts current. Every time you change the batteries in your smoke alarm, it is a good idea to double-check your phone and make sure your ICE cell phone numbers are up-to-date. Of course, we’d rather avoid an accident in the first place. It’s good advice to keep up with preventive maintenance (we can help you with that at Autotronics of St. Peter in St. Peter) and practice good car care and driving habits. Those can go a long way to keeping you safe on the road. Planning for the unthinkable helps your rescuers find the information they need quickly. Let’s put the world on ICE.

 Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

 

 

What’s up with Diesels in St. Peter?

Would you be surprised to learn that about half of the passenger cars in Europe have diesel engines? You might also be surprised to learn that most manufacturers produce a variety of diesel-fueled cars for purchase abroad.

Diesel-fueled vehicles haven’t been as popular in the North American markets like MN. But that won’t be true for long. North Americans are seeing a lot more diesel-fueled vehicles on the road. And we’re not talking about buses and trucks. These vehicles will be passenger cars, pick-ups and SUV’s.

There are two reasons for this. The first is a recent change in environmental laws that have upgraded emissions standards for diesel fuel in North America. Diesel fuel in North America used to have higher sulfur content than European fuel, meaning that it was a dirtier fuel to burn. That was okay for larger vehicles, but the lighter-weight engines in passenger vehicles just couldn’t tolerate it.

But that high sulfur content is now a thing of the past. Fuel producers are now required to sell cleaner diesel fuel in St. Peter. That opens the North American market to more diesel-powered vehicles. The second reason we’re going to see more of these vehicles in St. Peter is that they’re more fuel-efficient than their gasoline-powered counterparts. Diesel fuel has higher energy density than gasoline. That translates to more power per barrel of fuel. In your tank, that translates to better engine performance and about 20% better fuel economy.

People in St. Peter may associate diesel engines with black smoke, noise and a definite “shake, rattle and roll.” That’s also a thing of the past. Modern diesel engines are smooth, quiet and produce cleaner emissions than gasoline engines. Also, forget that three-second wait behind a diesel vehicle at a stoplight. Modern diesels are just as quick to accelerate as other vehicles on St. Peter roads.

Diesel engines have other advantages over gasoline engines. Diesel engines are heavier than gasoline engines because they require more heavy-duty parts, but that means the engines are more durable and can last longer than gasoline engines. Also, diesel engines may be the engines of the future since they can burn many of the new bio-fuels.

Bio-diesel can be manufactured from vegetable oils, including used cooking oil from St. Peter restaurants. Just think, one day you could fuel your vehicle on stuff that was once considered waste—one step closer to a cleaner environment here in MN. And if you think hybrid cars are environmentally sound, consider what a diesel-electric hybrid could mean. 

St. Peter drivers who are considering buying a diesel-fueled vehicle should know that  preventive maintenance and inspection schedules are different for a diesel engine than a gasoline engine. Diesel fuel is harder on emissions systems than gasoline, so the filters and other devices have to be changed and checked more often. Also, the fuel injection system operates at much higher pressures for diesel than for gasoline, so keeping it clean becomes a higher priority.

When you switch from a gas vehicle to a diesel, you’ll have to learn some new rules of vehicle care. But you won’t be alone. Most St. Peter service centers are aware that diesels are coming to North America and are already prepared to provide service for diesel engines. At Autotronics of St. Peter, we are well-versed in diesel technology. You can rely on our team of automotive professionals to provide quality service for diesel-powered vehicles.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com