Services to the Armed Forces and Veterans

Keeping Families in Touch

Today's American Red Cross is keeping pace with the changing military. Featuring the latest in computer and telecommunications technology, the American Red Cross Emergency Service Center delivers around-the-clock emergency communication services to active duty military personnel, and to their families.

The Lower Bucks County Red Cross Chapter provides reporting and communication services through a network linking members of the Armed Services anywhere in the world with their loved ones back home. Your local chapter is available 24 hours, seven days a week, 365 days a year for emergency communications reaching all military installations here and abroad, ships at sea, reserve units and Coast Guard, embassies and isolated military units. We are here to help families stay in touch with loved ones, relay emergency messages and assist families with the pain of separation. The chapter may be contacted at 215-946-4870 anytime day or night.

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.

The Red Cross is Able to Send Messages For:

• Active duty members (Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, & Coast Guard)
• Reservists or National Guard members
• Commissioned Corps of US Public Health Service
• Civilians employed by Department of Defense (stationed outside the U.S.
• Merchant Marines (when activated)
• Red Cross personnel
• Enrollees of the Job Corps
• National Civilian Community Corps members
• Immediate family members of the military, reservists, national guard (includes father/mother, sister/brother, spouse, son/daughter, grandparent or person standing in loco parentis)
• Fiancé of service member

Accessing Red Cross Services:

• All family members who do not reside in the service member's household, regardless of where the service member is assigned — at a local military installation or another geographical location — should contact their local American Red Cross chapter for assistance. Those family members living in Bristol Borough, Bristol Township, Bensalem Township, Falls Township, Hulmeville Borough, Ivyland Borough, Langhorne Borough, Lower Makefield Township, Lower Southampton Township, Morrisville Borough, Middletown Township, Newtown Borough, Newtown Township, Northhampton Township, Tullytown Borough, Upper Makefield Township, Upper Southampton Township, Warminster Township, and Yardley Borough.
• Active duty service members stationed in the United States and family members residing in the service member's household (example: service member's spouse) should contact Armed Forces Emergency Service Centers for information and assistance 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The toll-free telephone number may be obtained from military installation operators, from local on-base Red Cross offices and from the local Red Cross chapter.
• Members of the National Guard and Reserves and their families should contact their local Red Cross chapter, listed in local telephone directory under American Red Cross and Red Cross and at www.redcross.org, under "Find Your Local Red Cross."
• Active duty service members on overseas military installations may access Red Cross reporting and communication assistance by contacting base/installation operators for the listing of the on-base Red Cross office or information on how to access Red Cross assistance if there is not a representative on the local installation.
• Families living overseas may access assistance through the local on-base Red Cross office or through the base/installation operator for information if there is not a Red Cross representative on the local installation.
• In overseas deployment areas, service members should contact the American Red Cross office responsible for their jurisdiction/installation.

Needed Information When Calling For Emergency Assistance
In order to send the message quickly, please have the following information available.

• Service members name: (First, Last and middle initial)
• Branch of service
• Social Security Number
• Rank
• Date of birth
• Complete military address

Service to military families and veterans is one of two services mandated by The Red Cross’ 1905 Congressional Chapter. The American Red Cross staffs 213 domestic and overseas U.S. military installations and is linked to every Navy ship at sea. These Red Cross staff members and their Counterparts stand ready to help military personnel and their families at any time day or night.  The Red Cross serves as the primary emergency communications link between military families and service members around the world. If a Lower Bucks County area resident needs to reach a military family member concerning a birth, death, medical emergency, change in child care arrangements or other family-related crisis, Red Cross staff and volunteers verify and deliver the information to the service member. If emergency leave is granted by a commanding officer, the Red Cross in conjunction with the Military Aid Societies provides emergency financial assistance for travel and expenses when needed.  Serving one’s country through military service can present its own unique set of difficulties for services members and their families. The American Red Cross caseworkers serve as counselors to military personnel, helping them identify issue and resources to address personal, financial and family-related problems. If assistance is needed beyond the scope of the Red Cross, service members are provided with information and referrals to other agencies. Please give us a call if you have any questions about needing to send an emergency message, financial assistance or other program question at 215-946-4870.