Need help right now?
If someone needs immediate help with separated in disaster, use emergency mode.
Do this nowDraft guidance — professional review pending.
AidNow content is under active review. Always contact emergency services for serious emergencies.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Earthquake, flood, fire, or crowd crush separated family members and you need to find each other safely.
The essentials if you need to act right now.
Get safe first. Go to meeting point or evacuation centre. Register names. Call helpline.
What might I see? Observable signs — no diagnosis required.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Member not at rally point, phone dead, area evacuated.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Children, elderly, or disabled members unaccounted for.
Optional deeper explanation — not required to act.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Disasters knock out phones and destroy familiar landmarks.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Official centres track separated families when you register both sides.
Check the scene before you approach.
Civilian-safe actions you can take.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Confirm your own safety — move out of immediate hazard zone.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Ask nearest official where family registration desk is.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Write missing names, ages, clothing on paper for staff.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Check social media safety check-ins only if official channels confirm them.
When and how to get professional help.
Missing child or injured separated member needs immediate official report.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Use official reunification systems. Ad hoc searching duplicates effort and risks.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — 112 and state disaster control room numbers.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Red Cross Restoring Family Links where available.
Dangerous actions, when not to attempt rescue, and common myths.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT re-enter damaged building or flood water to search.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT children search alone — assign adult to registration desk.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Everyone should split up to cover more ground searching
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Official registries match people when both sides check in. Random searching loses coordination.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — More members lost or injured in unstable area.
Other scenarios in the same family.
Trapped in cave
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person or group is stuck in a cave because of flooding, rockfall, lost passages, or equipment failure.
Confined space
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person is stuck inside a tank, silo, pit, manhole, or storage container with limited air and exit.
Mud or quicksand
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person is sinking or stuck in deep mud, quicksand, tidal flat, or liquefied soil and cannot free themselves.
Elderly missing
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — An older adult with dementia, confusion, or cognitive impairment has wandered away and cannot be located.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Missing child or vulnerable adult — police report from centre immediately.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Injured found person needs first aid then hospital triage.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Home is always the meeting point after disaster
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Fire, flood, or collapse may make home unreachable. Pre-agreed outside landmark or school is safer.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Family members enter dangerous structure waiting for each other.