Emergency Communications Services
American Red Cross communication services
keep military personnel in touch with their families following
the death or serious illness of a family member or other important
events, such as the birth of a child. The Red Cross sends
messages quickly, anywhere in the world, including ships at
sea, embassies and to isolated military units. The information
or verification in a message assists the service member's
commanding officer in making a decision regarding emergency
leave.
Contacting the Red Cross to Send
an Emergency Message
- Active duty service members stationed
in the United States and their immediate family members
can call the Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Service Centers
for help seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The toll-free telephone number is available through base
or installation operators and from local on-base Red Cross
offices.
- Other family members who do not reside
in the service members' household, members of the National
Guard and Reserves, retirees and civilians may access Red
Cross services through their local Red Cross chapter. In
Portage County please contact 715- 344-4052. Other
Red Cross chapters are listed in local telephone books and
on the American Red Cross Web site at http://www.redcross.org/where/where.html.
- Overseas personnel stationed on military
installations should call base or installation operators
or the on-base Red Cross offices.
- At overseas deployment sites, contact
the American Red Cross deployed staff.
When calling the Red Cross to send an emergency message to
a family member, please have ready the following information
which will speed the process of sending your message:
- Service Member's Full Name
- Rank/Rating
- Branch of Service
- Social Security Number
- Military Address
- Information about the
deployed unit and the home base unit (for deployed service
members only).
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