In an emergency, letting your loved ones know you are safe can bring them great peace of mind. The American Red Cross has two easy ways to help people reconnect:
Emergency! App
The Red Cross Emergency! App features an “I’m Safe” button that allows users to post a message to their social accounts, letting friends and family know they are out of harm’s way. The Emergency! App is free and can be found in the app store for your mobile device by searching for “American Red Cross” or by going to redcross.org/apps.
If service is available for mobile devices, people should download the Red Cross Emergency and First Aid apps to put safety and preparedness information in their hands.
The Red Cross offers helpful tools and preparedness info via mobile apps – information literally in the palm of your hand. To date, more than 81 million hurricane and flood alerts have been issued through Red Cross mobile apps for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria. The alerts provide people with real-time information so they can help protect themselves and their loved-ones. Learn more about Red Cross mobile apps.
Safe and Well
The Red Cross also offers the Safe and Well website which is a secure and more private option than the “I’m Safe” feature on the Emergency App. It allows people to list their own status and allows friends and family to search for messages from their loved ones. The Safe and Well website is a free public reunification tool that allows individuals and organizations to register and post messages to indicate that they are safe, or to search for loved ones. The site is always available and open to the public and available in Spanish. Registrations and searches can be done directly on the website.
• Registrations can also be completed by texting SAFE to 78876. Messages exist in both Spanish and English. To speak with someone at the American Red Cross concerning a missing friend or relative, please contact 1-800 Red Cross.
You can also call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to be connected with your local chapter.
Reconnecting with family affected by international disasters
Recent disasters, like Hurricane Maria and the earthquake in Mexico, have left many across the world looking for their loved ones, and the Red Cross is here to help. If you are looking for a U.S. citizen affected by recent international disasters, please contact the U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 1-888-407-4747 or go online at http://www.usa.gov/directory/federal/overseas-citizens-services.shtml.
If you live in the United States and are looking for non-U.S. citizen family members affected by Hurricane Maria in the French and Dutch territories, and British Virgin Islands, please visit www.familylinks.icrc.org to find more information.
If you are seeking information about non-U.S. citizen family members in Mexico who have been missing since the recent earthquake, please visit www.redcross.org/FamilyLinks, or call the American Red Cross Restoring Family Links Helpline at 1-844-782-9441.
During and after large, devastating disasters such as Hurricane Maria, connectivity can be a challenge. If you’ve put a request in with American Red Cross or the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, please continue to virtually reach out to your friends and family. Keep trying to reach out by calling during off-peak hours, and continue to send text messages and emails. Continually check social media for updates. Contact other family members or neighbors who live nearby who may be able to provide you with information.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
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