Armed Forces
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 quickly sends these communications on behalf of the family to members of the U.S. Armed Forces serving anywhere in the world, including ships at sea, embassies and isolated military units. The information or verification in a message assists the service member's commanding officer with making a decision regarding emergency leave.
How to Contact the Red Cross to Send an Emergency Message
- Please contact the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chapter Monday thru Friday between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm at 228 896 4511 during after hours, weekends and all holidays for EMERGENCY communications call 800 696 3873
- Active duty service members stationed in the United States and their immediate family members may call the Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Service Centers for help 7 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, which is listed in local telephone books and 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, it is helpful to have the following information:
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)
As of July 1, 1998 the Chapter assumed responsibility for all military installations in the Chapter’s area, including Stennis Space Center.
We will be providing the following services:
- Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES)
- Health and Safety Classes
- Disaster Services
To provide these services to the on-base community, we maintain an office on Keesler Air Force Base. For emergencies occuring after normal business hours, please call: 1-800-696-3873 to reach a 24/7 National Casework Center.
When a military family experiences an emergency situation in the homefront, the American Red Cross can serve as a liaison, linking deployed servicemembers with their loved ones. The process works as follows:
- A military family member contacts his/her local Red Cross Chapter to send an emergency message to a military member.
- A Red Cross AFES caseworker gathers necessary identification information from the family member.
- A Red Cross AFES caseworker verifies all pertinent case information.
- The caseworker enters the case in the National AFES Casework Database for message delivery.
- Message is delivered to the military member and his/her command as required by the nature of the case.
Please be aware that the Red Cross cannot grant emergency leave. We can make a recommendation for emergency leave depending on the nature of the emergency, but the final decision is up to the servicemember's command.
Additionally, we provide instruction in Health & Safety subjects as, CPR, Automated External Defibrillator (AED), First Aid, and Baby Sitting.
We support the Family Support center in any disaster and are part of their plan for emergencies.
Disaster Services
Health Services
Resources
Red Cross Ready
Disaster Types
Classes
Service to Armed Forces
