An emergency can strike at anytime and the American Red Cross is there to ensure Soldiers get notified.
Rebecca Estrella, Service to the Armed Forces regional manager, American Red Cross, said there are many things that constitute an emergency.
"Emergency is death, serious illness, critical time event and birth of a child," she said. "The emergencies have to be an immediate family member. Our definition of immediate family member is different than the military. We do send Red Cross messages for mom, dad, brother, sister, children, step-children, step-relations to include grandparents. The military does not necessarily see grandparents as immediate family members. But, we will send the message."
Ultimately, it is up to the Soldier's commander if they can come home to handle the emergency.
"It's mission first, that's really what it is," she said. "Red Cross is simply the messenger. We do not have a say on whether or not that service member can come home. So often when we are briefing, we will say, 'we are the messenger -- it's strictly up to the command.'"
To start the process of an Emergency Service Message, family members and sometimes the Soldier themselves, call the Emergency Communication Center at 877-272-7337, visit the website redcross.org/herocarenetwork or use the mobile app, HeroCare.
"There is specific information Red Cross has to know to format for delivery," she said. "We have to have the service members information, the emergency information and what it is they are requesting. Are they requesting for simply for their service member to have notification or are they requesting for their service member to come home or do they just want to notify them of the emergency or do they just need financial assistance? We kind of need to know those things."
The most important information needed, Estrella said is the verification that an emergency exists.
"We have to have a professional to be available to verify that emergency," she said. "If it is a death, if it is a critical time needed emergency -- we have to have a doctor, nurse, social worker, mortuary or funeral home -- somebody to speak as what that emergency is. Red Cross will call that person and verify it. Once that information is given, the message is formatted for delivery and it is sent to the command, rear (detachment), somebody who is able to receive that message. Then that person then goes and tells the command."
To ensure families are prepared, Estrella and her team hand out information cards at predeployment briefings, town hall meetings and other events for Soldiers to fill out.
"If the first sergeant, the captain, whoever wants to take ownership and oversee to make sure their service members are filling these out, they can do so," she said. "Then they can call us and say, 'hey we have these cards, can we drop them off or can you come pick them up?' We absolutely can do that."
With Soldiers on social media, Estrella emphasized the importance of preparing family with these information cards.
"I do get quite a few young Soldiers who are like, 'I don't need to do this. We have Facebook, we have Instagram, I know how to send a Red Cross message,'" she said. "I love the fact that you know how to send a Red Cross message. That's great, does your family know how to send a Red Cross message? The answer I usually get is, 'no.' The best thing you can do for your family is to prepare them. You don't know when an emergency is going to happen. An emergency happens when you least expect it. At that time you don't have all the information that you need -- you're scatter brained. You are scared, sad (and) you have all these emotions. If this is already in our system, that takes away another stress."
To help store and update Soldier contact information, the Red Cross developed the HeroCare app, which is free.
"The great feature that it has, I would say the whole purpose of it, is that you can input your service members information in there and it's ready to go," Estrella said. "The only thing that is missing is the emergency information itself. If you have the emergency information, all that information and the person to verify -- you plug that in, it's ready to go and it sends it directly to our HeroCare center."
To fill out the card, or the app, Soldiers or family members will need;
Soldier's full legal name
Rank
Branch of service
Social Security number or date of birth
Military unit address
Information about the deployed unit and home base information, for deployed service members only.
When the emergency happens, family members will need;
Name and contact for the immediate family member experiencing the emergency
Nature of the emergency
Where the emergency can be verified.
Once submitted to the care center, the message is verified and sent. Estrella said it can happen in as fast as 30 minutes.
"It really depends on that final verification piece," she said. "It's four hours or less. We definitely want it to be streamlined and fast and sent as soon as possible. It all depends on that verification piece to be honest."
To fill out a contact card or for more information on how to prepare for an emergency message contact Estrella at 785-239-1887, Rebecca.estrella2@redcross.org or visit the American Red Cross on the second floor Grimes Hall, 510 Reed Ave.
Social Sharing