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NOKR has appeared in many media
sources, this is a short list |
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Broadcast |
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ABC News |
CBS News |
NBC News |
MSNBC |
Fox News |
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CNN |
CBC |
MTV |
BET |
News4Jax.com, FL |
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Print |
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USA Today |
Washington Post |
New York Times |
LA Times |
STAR |
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San Diego Union |
Associated Press |
Press-Enterprise |
Times-News |
Daily Ardmoreite |
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Houston Chronicle |
Press of Atlantic
City |
Richmond Times |
Kansas City Star |
Journal Gazette |
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Intelligencer |
News-Star |
Southern
Illinoisan |
Cape Cod Times |
Tennessean |
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Earthtimes, UK |
PC World |
FORBES |
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Bellingham Herald |
Bangor Daily News |
Californian |
Virginian-Pilot |
Atlanta
Journal-Constitution |
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American Forces News- Department of Defense
Pentagon |
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For Immediate Release:
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Southern California USA
California County Wildfires
"Reconnecting Families and Individuals"
NOKR is asking the public and the media to
visit the following websites, the American Red
Cross www.Redcross.org and if you’re a
disaster victim (Safe and Well), you can also
search to see if your family is safe at this
site.
If your family member is not listed and
missing please register at the Next of Kin
Registry (NOKR) www.NOKR.org please also
register the rest of your family for daily
emergencies or national disasters such as this
Firestorm. We do know that these events will
happen daily; you'lll be better prepared by
registering with NOKR today as a proactive
measure today.
NOKR contact information will be passed on to
area emergency officials responding to this
disaster.
Mark Cerney NOKR’s President and founder said,
”this is California’s Katrina and we need to
collaborate our synergy in all areas. My family,
friends and volunteers have been personally
affected by this disaster in San Diego and
displaced, we are proud to be partnering with
the American Red Cross for Family
reunification.”
The NOKR organization has initiated contact with
the San Diego County Office of Emergency Service
and FEMA Region 9 to offer any assistance
possible to help reunify individuals and
families displaced by these tragic fires.
State of California Listed on the States Home
Page
Information About (Living in California)
Next of Kin
https://ca.gov
National Next of Kin Registry
https://www.ca.gov/HomeFamily/Safety/Emergencies.html
US Governments Portal USA.gov (Under Family
Services)
https://www.usa.gov/Government/State_Local/Health.shtml
Next of Kin National Registry
About NOKR:
The Next Of Kin Registry (NOKR) was established
as a FREE tool for daily emergencies and
national disasters. NOKR is an emergency contact
system to help if you or your family member is
missing, injured or deceased. NOKR provides the
public a free proactive service to store
emergency contacts, next of kin and vital
medical information that would be critical to
emergency response agencies. Stored information
is only accessible via a secure area that is
only accessible by emergency public trust
agencies that have registered with NOKR.
NOKR encourages every township, county,
municipality, city, state and nation to take
ownership of the NOKR. This resource belongs to
you, your citizens and to your emergency
agencies. Take the NOKR registration forms and
add your own identifying symbols.
NOKR is a humanitarian organization. As part of
our mission to society NOKR has created a
trusted safeguarding system for all personal
emergency contacts worldwide. NOKR does not own
the information we store, this information
belongs to the registrants and is made available
securely to registered emergency agencies during
times of urgent need.
NOKR is a non-partisan; non-profit 501(c)(3)
dedicated to bridging rapid emergency contact
information. NOKR was established in January
2004, for daily emergency situations.
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Emergency registry reconnects
families after disaster
by
Tiffany Teasley
Oct 21, 2007
WASHINGTON -- When disaster
strikes, people are desperate to
find loved-ones and account for
their safety, but the chaos and
confusion can create feelings of
helplessness. That’s how
Randolph Fazande, 59, felt two
years ago after losing his
parents in Hurricane Katrina.
“I
think there’s something like 200
remains still unclaimed. I
didn’t want my parents to be in
none of that,” Fazande said.
Fazande knew his 78-year-old
parents had died in the attic of
their home, but he couldn’t
recover their remains until he
called the Next of Kin Registry,
a non-profit organization and
free emergency contact system
that helps families reconnect
during disasters.
After registering his parents in
September 2005, Fazande was able
to recover their remains by
December. He says the registry
put him in contact with local
officials and kept him updated
on search and rescue efforts.
“The Next of Kin Registry helped
me to find my parent remains,”
Fazande said. “They really were
concerned and they still are.”
Founder of NOKR, Mark Cerney
says nearly 1500 people register
per month, but urges people to
register before emergency
situations occur. To register
yourself or a loved-one for NOKR
you can visit,
pleasenotifyme.org.
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Bridge Collapse Resources
and Links
Published Friday,
August 03, 2007
People who have a family
member or friend missing in the Interstate 35
bridge collapse have a couple of options for
learning about their loved ones.
They can call
the family assistance center established near
the disaster site at (612) 333-4646.
They can
register with the Next of Kin Registry at
nokr.org or by phone at (800) 915-5413.
People who want
to register themselves as safe and well can go
to the American Red Cross Safe and Well Web
site at disastersafe.redcross.org. Concerned
family and friends can search the list of
those who have registered themselves as safe. |
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Project HOPE to
Increase Hurricane Preparedness for Millions
NOKR’s Campaign Vital for Safeguarding Families
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Washington D.C., (June 1, 2007) – The Next of Kin
Registry (NOKR), the nation’s only central system
serving local and state agencies to access
victims’ emergency contacts in the event of a
disaster, is issuing a Hurricane Tip Sheet as part
of its Hurricane campaign, Hurricane Operation
Preparedness for Everyone (HOPE), with the goal of
registering a minimum 10% of the population in
vulnerable states.
NOKR’s volunteers will be doubling efforts to have
the general public register their emergency
contacts on NOKR’s federally recognized system.
That information serves as a much needed
communication point for public safety agencies who
often struggle to track people and assist
displaced individuals in the aftermath of
disasters when traditional forms of communication
and documentation often experience a breakdown.
NOKR’s Project HOPE also includes distributing a
Hurricane Tip Sheet to serve as a quick reference
guide for the general public to make hurricane
preparedness part of their lives during hurricane
season.
“We are taking the invaluable lessons learned from
recent natural disasters and are working to help
Americans better prepare for the future,” says
Mark Cerney, NOKR President and Founder. “Take
the few minutes to prepare today. They will prove
to be the best spent minutes of your day in making
your family safer.”
Hurricane Preparedness: 10 Quick Tips
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Register today at NOKR and print the optional
registration card, laminate it and keep this
card with your driver’s license, identification
card or passport. For children place a card on
file at school or attach the card to a backpack.
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List an instate and out of state point of
contact for you or your family, example
(Brother, Sister, Mother, Father, Best Friend,
Neighbor, Attorney, ect.) Make sure this
information is updated.
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Write out any medical concerns or allergies to
medications and establish, in writing your
medical next of kin: the person who can make
decisions for you when you cannot.
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Always keep an update photograph of your
children in your purse or wallet; this can be
used if your child is missing.
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Store at least a three-day supply of
non-perishable food and at least a three-day
supply of water per person, (two quarts for
drinking, two quarts for each person in your
household for food preparation/sanitation)
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Assemble a first aid kit with bandages and
antiseptic wipes.
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Keep non-prescription drugs easily accessible
and properly labeled.
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Stock up on flashlights, a battery operated
radio, extra batteries and other essential tools
such as a pocketknife can opener, etc.
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Keep accessible important contact information
such as phone numbers and addresses to local
shelters, police stations, hospitals and your
Red Cross local chapter.
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Learn the safest route from your home or place
of business to areas that are safe from high
winds or flooding.
About NOKR
The National Next Of Kin Registry (NOKR) is a
humanitarian non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to
bridging rapid emergency contact information. NOKR
was established in January 2004, for daily
emergency situations. NOKR is now listed on more
than 90% of all State websites, the American Red
Cross, Homeland Security Disasterhelp.gov, USA.gov
and other federal agencies, as a critical resource
for daily emergencies. For more information
please contact Harrison Heublein at (951) 809-3031
or visit NOKR’s website at www.nokr.org. |
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Web sites help
people in times of disaster
Web sites work to help people
in times of disaster
By Taylor Atkins
The Topeka Capital-Journal
Published Thursday, May 10, 2007
Melody Duncan expected
a few phone calls from family members
on Monday for her 24th wedding
anniversary.
She didn't expect to be calling family
herself from a borrowed cell phone in
an emergency shelter for victims of
flooding.
"It could be worse,"
Duncan said, optimistic despite being
forced to evacuate her Shunga Park
home early Monday morning because of
rising floodwaters. "Nobody lost their
life."
Word of
the floods reached Duncan's family
members as Kansas made national
headlines this week because of the
powerful storm system that moved
through the region. The fact that
Duncan and her husband, Jim, were safe
wasn't as easily communicated.
It's a common
problem during times of crisis — the
only communication members of the
public receive is through the media.
With phone lines down and cell phone
service interrupted, peace of mind is
more difficult to come by.
But in light of
recent natural disasters and national
tragedies, Web sites are stepping up
to become the bearers of bad or good
news.
Next of kin
The Next of Kin
Registry is one such site. The
nonprofit organization serves as a
tool for law enforcement and emergency
management officials. Its purpose is
to be a database for emergency
contacts.
"In the event of a
disaster, law enforcement can log into
the database and be able to contact
the family members of victims," said
Johnny Keene, executive vice president
of the Next of Kin Registry. "We're
here for peace of mind."
Keene said the
registry, which started three years
ago, also plays a key role in
situations when houses are completely
destroyed, such as the Greensburg
tornado Friday. Survivors often
abandon the wreckage and stay with
family members. Officials can use the
registry to know who lived at a
certain address, what family they may
be staying with or if they are still
unaccounted for.
Forty states use the
registry as part of their emergency
management protocols, but Keene said
the public needs to take the
initiative to register. About 14
million people are in the site's
database, which sees an increase in
registration after large-scale
disasters.
"The problem is we, as Americans,
become complacent," Keene said. "When
the sky is clear and the birds are
chirping, we think everything is fine.
It's only after something happens like
a disaster or a terrorist attack that
we emphasize being prepared."
American Red Cross
The American Red
Cross features a Web site similar to
the Next of Kin registry. Instead of
signing up in times of peace, victims
of tragedy can list their condition
and new contact information after the
fact on the Red Cross' Safe and Well
database.
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NOKR Registration Page
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Jeff Cooper / The
Associated Press
Water surrounds a
farm near New Cambria on Monday. |
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CHARLIE RIEDEL /
The Associated Press
Lee Dawson's doughnut shop in
Greensburg was destroyed Friday. |
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"It's for reuniting people,"
said Dana Wethington, chief executive officer
of the Kansas Capital Area Chapter of the
American Red Cross. "People can tell loved
ones that they are OK."
Wethington said she didn't know if any Shawnee
County residents registered on Safe and Well
after Monday's flooding, but it was available
to them. On Monday, 28 people across the
country listed themselves on the database as
safe. Since March 12, more than 1,000 people
have logged in to list their status.
As with the Next of Kin Registry, Wethington
said she hopes more people will learn about
the Red Cross site. The registry and the
database can be accessed for free via the
Internet and by phone. And following
large-scale events, such as Hurricane Katrina,
employees of the two organizations go to
shelters to register survivors.
Duncan said that after
evacuating her flooded home, registering would
have been an ideal form of communication.
Instead, the Topeka native called her sister
in St. Louis and relied on her to pass on the
information.
"I didn't know there was
something like a database," Duncan said. "It
seems like that would be a lot easier. I know
my family wouldn't worry."
Taylor Atkins can be
reached at (785)295-1187 or
taylor.atkins@cjonline.com.
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Next of Kin Registry Offers Vital
Resource in Wake of Tornado Disaster
NOKR Working
to Assist Displaced Residents Contact Friends and
Family
Washington D.C., May 7, 2007
– The Next of Kin Registry (NOKR)
is urging the general public to be proactive in
registering themselves and their loved ones in
expectation of continued tornadoes across the
Central Plains. The national database,
www.nokr.org, serves as the nation’s only central
communications system and is designed to assist
local and state agencies to access victims’
emergency contacts in the wake of natural
disasters such as the tornadoes that ripped
through the Central Plains this past weekend,
leaving 10 people dead and destroying 95 percent
of Greensburg, Kansas.
Displaced Greensburg residents have been taken to
shelters in schools and other facilities in nearby
towns – with concerned family members nationwide
lacking the means with which to track them. NOKR
exists for the express purpose of facilitating
communications by making its securely archived
registrants available to authorized public service
agencies such as law enforcement or emergency
personnel. The registry is free to the general
public.
“We
are doing everything we can to assist
communication efforts, ” says Mark Cerney, NOKR
President and Founder. “We cannot emphasize
enough to Americans nationwide the importance of
registering themselves and their loved ones via
our free service to enable an efficient location
and contact of family and friends. The goal is to
regain contact with loved ones for medical
purposes and to minimize emotional trauma.”
In
addition to urging all Central Plains residents to
register themselves and their families, NOKR is
asking anyone that may have a missing or
potentially injured family member due to the rash
of tornadoes in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska,
Illinois or South Dakota to register this person
with the Next of Kin Registry: www.nokr.org.
About NOKR
The National Next Of Kin Registry
(NOKR) is a humanitarian non-profit 501(c)(3)
dedicated to bridging rapid emergency contact
information. NOKR was established in January 2004,
for daily emergency situations. NOKR is now
listed on more than 90% of all State websites as a
resource for the public and emergency agencies,
including tips for flu pandemic preparedness.
For
more information please contact Harrison Heublein
at (800) 915-5413 or visit NOKR’s website at
www.nokr.org.
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Website allows you to
contact relatives in an emergency
April 24, 2007
VIRGINIA TECH SHOOTING
Reporting from Roanoke, Virginia
WorldNow and WDBJ7
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When
tragedy strikes, many are left wondering if
their loved ones are okay.
After a tragic event, it can take hours
before anyone is notified. But one website
hopes to end that lengthy wait. Next
of Kin Registry is a free website that
allows you to register who you would like
contacted in the event of an emergency.
It proved useful during Hurricane Katrina.
Close to 500 people were located in seven to
ten days though the website. It is also
useful for agencies like the Red Cross. The
website's data was opened up to Virginia Tech
police.
The organization is now working with states
to soon have stickers on every drivers license
across the country. It would identify those
who are registered in the NOKR database. |
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NOKR Urges
Registration on Registry in Wake of National
Tragedy
NOKR Communications Resource is Vital in
Assisting the Injured, Connecting Loved Ones
Washington D.C., April 17, 2007
– The Next of Kin
Registry (NOKR), a national system designed to
assist local and state agencies to access victims’
emergency contacts in devastating tragedies, is
working diligently with the Virginia Tech Police
Department to provide emergency personnel with
access to registrants’ emergency contact
information during the aftermath of this tragic
massacre. NOKR is also urgently reminding the
general public to register themselves and their
loved ones on the free site.
Giving officials and
medical personnel a resource with which to contact
family, friends and relatives in the aftermath of
a emergency such as the massacre is vital to
assisting both the injured and those in search of
their loved ones’ whereabouts. By giving
emergency personnel fast and efficient access to
an individual’s emergency contacts, rescue
personnel can rapidly obtain medical histories
critical to saving lives. Registration can also
aid families whose loved ones were tragically
harmed, as not knowing their fate only compounds
the catastrophe.
“Our nation is
devastated, our families are devastated. We send
our prayers out to the families struck by this
horrible and violent act and hope that our
resources can assist the Virginia Tech Police
Department in their communication efforts, ” says
Mark Cerney, NOKR President and Founder. “We urge
Americans nationwide to register themselves and
their loved ones.”
The Next of Kin
Registry, the only registry of its kind worldwide
and has served as a critical resource during
hurricane, tornado and tsunami recovery efforts.
NOKR continues its mission to better safeguard
Americans via its secure database. With more than
seven million registrants, NOKR secures its
information via secure socket layer (SSL) to the
NOKR registry at a separate secure location within
the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC). This
secured location is user name and password
protected, made accessible only to approved law
enforcement and emergency personnel.
To register, or for
more information, please visit www.nokr.org.
About NOKR
The National Next Of Kin Registry (NOKR) is a
non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to bridging rapid
emergency contact information. NOKR was
established in January 2004, for daily emergency
situations. NOKR is now listed on more than 88%
of all State websites as a resource for the public
and emergency agencies, including tips for flu
pandemic preparedness.
For
more information please contact Harrison Heublein,
Chief Operations Officer, at 1-800-915-5413. |
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2007 National Hurricane Conference
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEMA CONSULTS WITH THE NEXT OF KIN
REGISTRY (NOKR)
ON HOW TO DEVELOP A NATIONAL EMERGENCY LOCATOR
SYSTEM
(HR5441, SEC. 689c.)
New Locator
System Vital for Improving Communication in
Disasters
April 3, 2007
New Orleans, LA
Following the Hurricane Katrina Disaster of 2005,
Congress mandated that a national emergency family
registry and locator system should be created
under the Department of Homeland Security to allow
people displaced by an emergency or major disaster
to reach out to family members. The system would
have to be established by April 4, 2007 in
accordance with the law.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has
consulted with the Next of Kin Registry (NOKR)
regarding lessons learned post Hurricane Katrina
and NOKR’s answer to
HR5441, SEC.
689c.
NOKR’s system offers a mechanism for voluntary
registration of displaced people over the Internet
or by phone, and complies with all laws in place
to protect individual privacy.
NOKR’s disaster response service will be available
to the general public and is called the National
Emergency Locator System (NELS).
As of April 1, 2007 NOKR has established NELS.
Here’s how NELS will work:
In a time of disaster, the general public will be
able to dial into a toll free check-in number to
check for updates on a family member’s
whereabouts. The service is currently established
online and NOKR will be developing enhancements
over the next few months to better serve the
public and register emergency agencies.
The NELS
is and opt in only service that could be used by
both victims that have registered with the “Safe
and Well Website”
site at the American Red Cross and that have left
the shelters areas and to those self-evacuating.
The NELS would also be available to families and
friends inquiring about the safety of their loved
ones.
During non-disaster times the NOKR’s existing
national registry would continue to store daily
emergency contact information registered by the
public and searchable by registered emergency
agencies.
NOKR’s NELS service options include:
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The ability for a disaster victim to
register a message via NOKR’s toll free number
and select up to 6 people to receive a recorded
or an online viewable message.
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The system would also provide the option for the
registered victim to add a phone number for each
contact along with an email, as the system will
attempt to establish contact with those members
selected by the victim until contact is made.
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The system will provide a user name and password
for each victim so that they can continually
update their status to family and friends.
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The system will allow family and friends to also
make inquiries to the system about the status of
a potential victim, each inquiry would be
subject to a secure validation process. This
means if you were not a listed contact by the
victim you would not be able to receive
information regarding this person.
NOKR will also provide 3 NELS
Internet bulletin boards:
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NELS Public bulletin board
A real time update and bulletin board of
progress regarding the disaster response, which
will be viewable by the public. This board will
also allow volunteers to join and allow the
public or corporations to offer assistance and
support to NOKR’s response along with our
partners.
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NELS Secured bulletin board system for agencies
communication
NOKR has establish a secured disaster bulletin
board featuring an agency input section where
registered nonprofits and government identities
supporting the disaster can add public
information viewable on the open public board,
downloadable forms and/or request public support
for volunteer services, and goods or funding
needs in response to the disaster. The system
will also add a public sign up area so that the
communities can receive alerts via e-mail and
over their cellular or home phones. This board
would share updates, communication system issues
and any other critical issues in real time. The
agencies secured bulletin board would be
available also in non-disaster times as an
additional communication and training tool.
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NELS Secured bulletin board system for volunteer
communication
NOKR has established a secured volunteer access
only bulletin board used for training and
updates including critical issues in real time.
NOKR’s
NELS would be activated before and following a
major disaster or a catastrophic event. The system
will be accessible through NOKR's website and
through a toll-free number.
About NOKR:
The Next Of Kin Registry (NOKR) was established as
a FREE tool for daily emergencies and national
disasters. NOKR is an emergency contact system to
help if you or your family member is missing,
injured or deceased. NOKR provides the public a
free proactive service to store emergency
contacts, next of kin and vital medical
information that would be critical to emergency
response agencies. Stored information is only
accessible via a secure area that is only
accessible by emergency public trust agencies that
have registered with NOKR.
The Next Of Kin Registry (NOKR) is a non-partisan,
non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, dedicated to
bridging rapid emergency contact information. NOKR
was established in January 2004 as a public
service for daily emergency situations. |
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NOKR Urges Registration on National Registry in Wake of
Tornado Recovery
Next of Kin Registry Offers Resources to Improve Communication with Loved Ones
Washington D.C., February 5, 2007 – The Next of Kin Registry (NOKR) would like to remind the general public of its vital resource, a national database that serves as the nation’s only central system and is designed to assist local and state agencies to access victims’ emergency contacts in devastating natural disasters such as the Florida tornadoes. The aftermath and confusion following the tornados that struck central Florida communities in the middle of the night have left thousands without knowledge of their loved ones’ whereabouts. While we cannot control – and many times cannot predict – natural disasters, it is imperative that Americans use the very critical resources built to assist them in times of tragedy, such as is NOKR.
NOKR is urging the general public to register themselves and their loved ones on NOKR. Many tornado victims are reporting complete devastation with even their personal identification being lost; making communication with loved ones impossible. This is especially critical of an area that is home to thousands of retirees. NOKR volunteers in Florida are working to assist the displaced through the national registry. The registry is free to the general public and allows individuals to securely archive emergency contacts in a simple, and speedy format that takes less than two minutes. Public service agencies such as law enforcement or emergency personnel can be authorized to access the NOKR in an event such as the Florida tornadoes.
“We send our prayers out to the families struck by these ferocious tornadoes and will do everything we can to assist communication efforts, ” says Mark Cerney, NOKR President and Founder. “We urge Americans nationwide to register themselves and their loved ones via our free service to enable an efficient location and contact of family and friends. The goal is to avoid a devastating aftermath and to resume normalcy as quickly as possible.”
NOKR also is encouraging victims of the current Florida disaster to register that you are safe with NOKR’s service partner the American Red Cross Disaster Safe Site at: https://disastersafe.redcross.org.
About NOKR
The National Next Of Kin Registry (NOKR) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to bridging rapid emergency contact information. NOKR was established in January 2004, for daily emergency situations. NOKR is now listed on more than 82% of all State websites as a resource for the public and emergency agencies, including tips for flu pandemic preparedness.
For more information please contact Roger Castro at (800) 915-5413 or visit NOKR’s website at www.nokr.org. |
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NOKR Media
2008 Archives 2007
2006
2005
2004
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At The
End Of The Day,
It's All About Your Family.
