Emergency Assistance

The American Red Cross helps members of the military, veterans and their families prepare for, cope with and respond to the challenges of military service. They provide 24/7 global emergency communication services and support in military and veteran health care facilities across the country and around the world.

The American Red Cross offer confidential services to all members of the military, veterans and their families by connecting them with local, state and national resources through their network of chapters in communities across the United States and offices on military installations worldwide.

Local Red Cross offices develop and maintain relationships with key community partners. Military families rely on the Red Cross to help them identify their needs and connect them to the most appropriate Red Cross and community resources. This key Red Cross service ranges from responding to emergency needs for food, clothing and shelter, referrals to counseling services (e.g., financial, legal, mental health), respite care for caregivers and other resources that meet the unique needs of local military members, veterans and their families.

As a member of the military/veteran communities, the FREE Hero Care app will connect you to important resources that can help you through both emergency and nonemergency situations. The American Red Cross Hero Center is available, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

Local Red Cross Office: 
Georgia Region

1955 Monroe Drive

Atlanta, GA, 30324

Phone: 404-876-3302

Red Cross Military Line 1-877-272-7337

Navy-Marine Corps Relief can also provide financial assistance to meet unforeseen required travel and/or related maintenance expenses such as transportation, lodging or food, when applicable due to extraordinary costs involved with permanent change of station (PCS). The American Red Cross and other agencies are available for emergency aid after hours.

Before you leave, make sure you have all important papers with you and not packed with your household goods. Important papers include, but are not limited to:

• Orders
• ID cards
• Passports
• Medical records
• Insurance Cards
• Birth Certificates

Additionally, if you have elected to use your government travel card as means of payment for your move, make sure you know your entitlements, the card is turned on and it's valid until your arrival to your next command. A great way to find out what your entitlement will be is to visit the Defense Travel Management Office. Contact your Command Pay and Personnel Advisor (CPPA) from both detaching and gaining Commands to ensure transfer paperwork is processed properly.

Be sure to install the MyPCS App on your smart phone. Make sure you have important numbers saved such as your gaining command duty officer or your sponsor. Your sponsor can be invaluable in case of an emergency while in transit. Also, keep relative and Command numbers accessible in case of an emergency.

No matter how well you've prepared for your move, emergencies do happen. Regardless, make sure you stay in contact with your sponsor or command. It's imperative your situation is known and you're alright, including your family members or significant others.

Just in case, be prepared:

• Know your insurance’s 24-hour call number (program it into your phone)
• Make a list of emergency contacts and keep them on you or in your vehicle
• Ensure you have available funds in case of an unplanned travel delay whether it is driving or flying

Remember, safety is paramount. Don’t rush it! If you're delayed, your sponsor or command is just a phone call away.

Emergency Family Assistance Center (EFAC)

All military installations are required to create and maintain an emergency family assistance plan to help protect military families and other Department of Defense personnel. An EFAC gives guidance, services and information on:

Emergency Family Assistance Center procedure: 

• Installation Commander (or designated representative) will activate the EFAC.
• Deliver assistance (e.g., legal, financial, mental health, medical services) to survivors and family members including initial case management and referral services for longer term support
• Provide timely factual information to families
• Serve as a centralized location for communication between family members and representatives from official organizations
• Offer a safe haven for families mutual support and comfort
• Manage the media’s interface with families to protect them
• Provide acute crisis-response services addressing physical, psychological, spiritual, and logistical needs

Location of EFAC 

When possible and appropriate to the circumstances, the EFAC will normally be established at the FFSC Classroom C (Bldg. 1052). Information on exact location will be posted on Facebook and announced through local media.

Mustering 

During or following a disaster, the Navy must be informed of your status and needs. The Navy requires you to muster or report your whereabouts with your command to ensure all members of the Navy family are accounted for. 

To muster:

• Follow your command’s established procedures to report your status. If command or alternate command cannot be reached. 
• Log into the Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS): https://navyfamily.navy.mil. Family members will need their sponsor’s date of birth and social security number to log in.
• If a computer is not accessible, call the Navy Personnel Command Emergency Coordination Center (NPC ECC): 877-414-5358 or 866-297-1971 (TDD).

If you or your family has been affected by a declared emergency and you need assistance, log into NFAAS and report your needs. A Fleet and Family Support Center representative will contact you to determine the appropriate response or assistance needed for your recovery efforts.

Basic Emergency Kit

The following supplies are recommended for a basic emergency kit. It’s also a good idea to create a Go Kit, a portable kit that can be stored in your car, at work or in case you evacuate quickly.

Water — at least one gallon per person per day for at least three days

Food — nonperishable food for at least three days

Baby formula/food and supplies — nonperishable baby food for at least three days, diapers, blankets, toys, bottles and pacifiers

Pet food

Manual can opener and eating utensils

First aid kit

Prescription medications 

Dust masks

Personal Sanitation supplies such as moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties

Flashlight 

Battery powered or hand-crank all-hazard NOAA radio

Extra batteries

Cash 

Tools to turn off utilities 

Local Maps 

Important documents

List of Resources

The resources listed below provide additional information about preparing yourself and your family for an emergency:

Ready Navy (www.ready.navy.mil): Emergency planning information and tools for all Navy personnel. 

Fleet & Family Support Center (www.ffsp.navy.mil): Programs and services to support sustained mission and Navy readiness.

NFAAS (https://navyfamily.navy.mil): Web-based accountability, assessment and recovery tool for disaster-affected Navy personnel and their families. 

American Red Cross (www.redcross.org): Preparedness guides and information for home, school, work and community. 

Ready.Gov (www.ready.gov): Information, checklist and printable forms to educate and empower Americans to prepare for various emergencies. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov): Tools and resources to ensure the health and safety of all Americans. 

FEMA (www.fema.gov/plan): Offers information on the range of natural and manmade disasters and guidance for protecting families and their property

The AGS Foundation (www.healthinaging.org): Assists older adults with resources that address their special needs before, during and after a disaster. 

Hurricane Registry (www.gachd.org/registry): For those with functional, access or medical needs. Local resource that offers support to special needs, handicapped, disabled and vulnerable populations affected by disaster. Register on the website or call 1-833-243-7344.

Local Emergency Services Offered 

Register with Camden County CodeRED. CodeRED is a FREE emergency notification service provided to all residents within Camden County that will notify you of emergency information through phone calls, text messages, emails, social media and the CodeRED Mobile Alert App. The system will used to keep you informed of local events that may immediately impact your safety. As a local resident, Camden County Emergency Management encourages you to take action and register your home, office and cell phone for this service and verify your home/work location to receive targeted notifications that directly impact your home or business. The CodeRED system will be used to send critical and time-sensitive communications such as: Missing Children, Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Evacuation Notices, Wildfire Alerts, Public Health Crisis and Criminal Activity. 

CAMDEN Are You Okay (R.U.OK) Program provides a free service for daily wellness calls by the 911 Center to ensure safety for those who qualify. For more information, call the 911 Center Non-Emergency line at 912-729-1442.

NOAA Extreme Weather Information Sheets (NEWIS) contain contact information for local, regional, and national organizations that can provide aid and information during tropical storms, hurricanes, and other extreme coastal events. NCEI created these sheets to help residents of coastal states and the two US territories that are particularly at risk from tropical storms and hurricanes.

In the event an evacuation is implemented, it is necessary to know the evacuation routes out of Camden County. Visit the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) website or dial 5-1-1 for travel information.

Camden County Hunger Line: Resources for local Food Pantries 912-409-6920.