No matter how well you've planned, emergencies do
happen. What should you do in case of emergency while you are
traveling?
First of all, make sure that you hand carry all of your
important papers with you including your SITES booklet. Numbers for
your Commander, Orderly Room and your sponsor can be invaluable in case of
emergency while in transit.
The American Red Cross is always available
for emergency aid anywhere you may be. Contact the nearest chapter (phone
numbers are usually listed in the white pages of the local phone
directory). They can sometimes help with emergency financial
assistance and contact individuals who will need to know where you are and the
issues you are facing.
Financial Emergencies:
If a financial
emergency should occur while you are traveling, for example your car breaks down
and you don't have the funds to repair it, you have several
options.
1) If you are near an active duty military
installation of any branch of service (Army, Air Force, Navy), contact that
installation's emergency relief office (Army Emergency Relief, Air Force Aid
Society, Navy Relief Society) for assistance. You will need your ID
card and a copy of your PCS orders. That office will advise you as to
what other documentation you might need.
2) If you are not
near a military installation, contact the nearest chapter of the American Red
Cross. They can provide financial assistance directly, or contact Air
Force Aid Society Headquarters for assistance.Air Force Aid Society 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),
medical not covered by CHAMPUS, dental not covered by DPP, funeral expenses,
emergency transportation, essential car repairs, pay and allotment problems,
disasters and assistance for widows, mothers and children.
The American
Red Cross can also help in times of emergency. Quick communication
with home about family emergencies is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
including verification of death or serious illness or immediate family, birth
announcements to fathers deployed overseas, and health and welfare reports
resulting from a lack of communication over a long period of time.