Emergency Assistance

Hand-carry your important papers: orders, ID cards, passports, financial information, insurance, etc. Keep the telephone numbers of your relatives, your sponsor, your gaining unit, and the Aviano Command Post with you and know where they are. These numbers could be invaluable in case of an emergency while travelling. It is recommended to download the USAF Connect App prior to arrival so you will have local emergency contact information. Once the App is downloaded, click on favorites at the bottom right corner and select 31 Fighter Wing (FW).  This is a great App for the base directory, base notifications and the Newcomers First 31 section.

Emergency Assistance

Air Force Aid Society/Army Emergency Relief/Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society 
Each branch of service has an emergency relief society - a private organization which assists service members, families and retirees/widows with a financial hardship due to emergency or unforeseen circumstances. These societies can provide financial emergency assistance based upon need, through either loans or, when there is a particular hardship, grants. Categories of financial assistance include: basic living expenses (food, shelter, utilities), uninsured medical/dental, funeral expenses, emergency transportation, essential car repairs, pay and allotment problems, and disasters. To apply for assistance; apply online at www.afas.org.  Once on the website find "Apply" and click there to start your financial request.  If there are any questions or issues during the application process, please contact AFAS Headquarters in Virginia at 703-972-2650 or email: afas@-afas-hq.org.

American Red Cross 
The American Red Cross can also help in times of emergency. 

• Communications about family emergencies, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for verification and/or notification of death or serious illness of immediate family, and birth announcements to the service member.
• Financial assistance for military personnel and their immediate families, through partnership with the military aid societies (Air Force Aid Society/Army Emergency Relief/Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society). The American Red Cross processes emergency requests for loans when the military aid societies are closed.
• Information and Referral when you need access to additional assistance.
• You may initiate an emergency communication message or request for financial assistance when your military aid society is closed by contacting the American Red Cross Hero Care Center toll free at 1-877-272-7337 24/7. At an overseas location, this phone number can be dialed directly from any DSN phone. You may also initiate an emergency communication message thru the American Red Cross Hero Care app.
• You do not have to wait for your family to initiate a message; the service member can initiate the message.
• If you need to check the status of an emergency communication message that you have initiated, or if you need assistance with the call to initiate the message, you may contact your local American Red Cross during duty hours to do so (Building 1467).

The American Red Cross needs as much of the following information as possible to initiate an emergency communication message:

• The action requested (i.e. death verification of grandmother, birth of daughter, etc.)
• The problem or why the action is being requested (i.e. for AFAS/AER assistance, emergency leave purposes, etc.)
• Service member’s legal name, social security number, rank or pay grade, military unit/address, branch of service, and temporary duty location/attached unit if deployed or Temporary Duty Travel (if applicable). All information is preferred, but if any information is omitted, birthdays may be supplied to aid in the location process (particularly for common names, for example: John Doe.)

The phone number and name of any person to be contacted for verification (e.g., Rosemont Hospital in Parameter, NJ, xxx-xx-xxxx, or Dr. Joseph Smith, private practice in Parameter, NJ, xxx-xx-xxxx.) If the message is concerning an illness, the person that the message is about must also provide consent to the American Red Cross to proceed with the emergency communication message.

NOTE: American Red Cross verification is not necessarily required for the command to make emergency leave determination or for the member to request emergency financial assistance. The decision for leave or financial assistance rests solely with the command or agency; however, many commanders and first sergeants will require verification of an emergency situation.

Who to contact first in an emergency 

Immediate assistance: to contact on-base emergency personnel, call 911 or 043-430-1911; to contact off-base emergency personnel, call 112. A number of agencies are available to assist you during emergencies. Your commander and first sergeant can help you determine the best resource for your need. They will advise you of the steps to take and what assistance is available through different sources. For emergency leave requests, notify your commander or first sergeant.