January 9, 2003
Families of Military Members Can Send Emergency Messages to Loved Ones Via Red Cross
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| Pittsburgh, PA – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – As thousands of military men and women are deployed, the family members they leave behind can depend on their local American Red Cross to get emergency messages to their loved ones overseas.
The American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES) provides services to active-duty and community-based military members and their families that may include providing access to financial assistance, verification necessary for emergency leave, counseling, veterans assistance and worldwide emergency communications.
Through the AFES division, the Red Cross can deliver emergency messages to remote locations overseas including isolated military units, ships at sea, embassies and hospitals. Emergency messages include a serious illness of a family member, the birth of a child, or death of a loved one.
When contacting the Red Cross for emergency message assistance, please have ready the following information on the service member:
1) His/her full name, rank and branch of service
2) His/her social security number
3) His/her home base unit address and the complete military address where he/she is deployed, if known.
If social security number is unknown, please provide member’s date and place of birth, parent’s full name, last know military address, and date of last contact or date of entrance into military.
Red Cross volunteers are available to take AFES emergency phone calls seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Call 412-263-3100.
To volunteer as an AFES caseworker for the American Red Cross, you will need specific training – which is currently being offered by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross. To get a schedule of these AFES training classes, please call the Red Cross at 412-263-3138.
The American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter is dedicated to keeping the families and communities of Allegheny and Washington Counties safe. A humanitarian service organization currently servicing more than 1.5 million people, the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter annually mobilizes relief to the victims of more than 300 disasters and sends nearly 1,000 emergency messages to U.S. service members separated from loved ones. The American Red Cross trains more than 45,000 people in vital lifesaving skills such as First Aid and CPR. The Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter also locally supports senior volunteer services like the Foster Grandparent Program and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. To make a donation of time or treasure, contact the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter by phone at (412) 263-3100, by mail at 225 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222 or online at swpa.redcross.org.
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