WASHINGTON, July 29 /EMWNews/ -- Residents in California

affected by today's earthquake are urged to register themselves and their

loved ones on the Safe and Well website, to let family and friends around

the country know of their status. Safe and Well is an easy way to assist

people seeking to locate those who've registered their status during this

emergency. Letting your family know that you are safe during an emergency

can bring great peace of mind.



    "At the American Red Cross we want to make difficult situations like

this a little bit easier by giving families and friends a resource to get

this important information," said Joe Becker, Senior Vice President,

Disaster Services. "Knowing that those we care about are safe is a relief

that allows people to focus on what to do next."



    The Safe and Well website is easy to use:



    1. Visit RedCross.org, and click on the Safe and Well link



    2. If you are currently affected by the earthquakes, click: "List

Myself as Safe and Well," enter your pre-disaster address and phone number,

and select any of the standard message options



    3. If you are concerned about a loved one, click "Search" and enter the

person's name and pre-disaster phone number OR address. If they have

registered, you will be able to view the messages that they posted.



    4. If you don't have internet access, you can call 1-800-RED-CROSS

(1-800-733-2767) to register yourself and your family. Follow the prompts

for disaster information.



    Please note that the Safe and Well site safeguards the privacy of the

disaster victim. Although these messages will be viewable by friends or

family members who conduct a successful search, the site does not reveal a

specific location or contact information. Personal information entered into

the Safe and Well Web site will not be sold or shared with other

organizations. The Red Cross is a charitable organization - not a

government agency - and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the

American public to perform its humanitarian mission.



    More information on what to do after an earthquake is available on

http://www.redcross.org.



    All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by

voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can

help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year,

disasters like earthquakes, by making a financial gift to the American Red

Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter,

food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American

Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a

specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call

1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster

Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the

American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users

can make a secure online contribution by visiting http://www.redcross.org.