Preparing Families to Communicate Their Well-Being Before They Are Affected by a Disaster
Purpose
Welfare Information is an integral part of American Red Cross Disaster Response. Welfare Information provides the following services:
· Preparing families to communicate their well-being before they are affected by a disaster.
· Assisting families and individuals in registering themselves on the “Safe and Well” website
· Concerned loved ones can search for messages posted by those who register.
· Helps chapters effectively manage phone calls concerning the whereabouts of loved ones as well as create cases to search for individuals with health and mental health concerns.
· Provides peace of mind to individuals concerned about loved ones during disasters
· www.safeandwell.org
Contact your local
American Red Cross
for additional information
American Red Cross
Disaster Welfare Information
Safe and Well Website
“Assisting families and loved ones in reunification and to identify and refer emergency health and mental health needs”
Tradition
In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln placed Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, in charge of the search for the missing men after the Civil War. While engaged in this work, she traced the fate of 30,000 men. This experience launched her on a nationwide campaign to identify soldiers missing during the Civil War.
When disasters strike, family and loved can sometimes become separated by the event. Welfare information assists people in communicating their status as well as aides in searching for people with health and mental health conditions.
Welfare Information continues to honor Clara Barton’s tradition to it’s current day by utilizing it’s Safe and Well Website.
We encourage the public to Prepare, Plan, and Use the Safe and Well Website before and during a disaster to contact family and loved ones.
Safe and Well Website
Accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week via www.safeandwell.org. People within a disaster area can register themselves as ‘safe and well’ by posting standard messages. Concerned family and friends outside the disaster area can search for their loved ones on the website.
Toll-free number provided for those wishing to register by phone when they do not have access to internet.
Available to register at Shelters, Service Delivery Sites, and partner agencies.
Privacy- personal privacy is preserved and no specific location or contact information of those who register is displayed.
For Chapters
Chapters can either refer a caller to the website, or assist them in registering or searching for a loved one if internet access is not available.
The website is easy to use and does not require any training.
The Safe and Well website assists chapters by reducing the number of phone calls from concerned loved ones.
Chapters can assist the public in creating cases in the CAS system for loved ones searching for a family member with either health or mental health concerns.
You CAN make a difference!
All Red Cross Volunteers are de facto Welfare Information agents. Regardless of which activity you are working in, you have the ability to help clients as well.
Simply remember to ask clients “Have you contacted your family or loved one?” If they haven’t, all they need to do is register when they are in a shelter, at a service delivery site, or anywhere internet accessibility is available. They can also call the 800 number (when activated), or local chapter for assistance.