The Albert Lea LakeView Lions want to be sure that when a medical emergency takes place, medical personnel will be able to find vital information.

That’s why the Lions have revitalized the Vial of Life project.

“The Vial of Life is designed to speak for you when you can’t speak for yourself,” said co-chairwoman Alice Petersen. “The vial contains important medical information that can assist emergency personnel in administering proper medical treatment.

The Lions did the project a number of years ago, but it went by the wayside. Now it’s back, said Petersen, with a few changes.

Before, the club passed out large pill bottles with an information sheet a person could fill out. A sticker on the door jamb of the residence alerted emergency personnel that the person had filled out the vial of life form and the information was in the freezer.

Now, people fill out the form, place it in the accompanying plastic bag, place one of the two accompanying decals on the front of the bag and affix the bag to the front of the refrigerator. The second decal goes on the front door or window of the residence.

“It’s also recommended that if there is a husband and wife in the residence, that they place a picture of the person who filled out the form in the bag,” Petersen said.

People can also include a copy of a living will or “do not resuscitate” documentation in the bag.

Petersen and co-chairwoman Cathy Carter have discussed the program with local pharmacies, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, sheriff’s office personnel and police. They’ve also gone to congregate living places for seniors to educate the residents on the vial.

The Lions are donating the decals and kits to all seniors. Anyone who who would like one can pick one up at any Albert Lea pharmacy.

In this case, “Life” stands for Lifesaving Information For Emergencies.

The Vial of Life is a nationwide program. All EMTs are trained to look for one on the refrigerator.

For more information on the Vial of Life, go to www.VialofLife.com.

Petersen was recently recognized as the 2009 Zone Lion of the Year for her commitment to the Vial of Life project. She was a charter member of the LakeView Lions in 1992.

Her nomination read:

“This Lion’s contagious energy and good humor make our meetings, projects and social gatherings even better. This Lion is the first to volunteer when assistance is needed. She has re-energized a project she worked on several years ago, titled ‘Vial of Life.’ This project is vital to our older community members and provides them (free of charge) with the tools to identify where emergency information may be found in a home should emergency response services in the community be needed. (The LakeView Lions Club) states it is rare to find an individual of this caliber who is dedicated to the whole concept of ‘service’ and not just the parts that could be considered easy.”