At strenuous times, it can be hard to think clearly. It can be hard to know what steps to take if you find yourself dealing with a missing person situation. You may feel just as lost as your missing loved one. These are a few steps to take into consideration at these desperate times: ~FILE A MISSING PERSONS REPORT with the local authorities! The sooner the better! The first 72 hours are the most crucial! ~Reach out to friends, family and acquaintances! Talking to anyone who was last with your loved one will give you a better idea of their last whereabouts, what or where they planned on going next, and even their mindset. Were they in trouble? Were they stressed? Was there anything going on that would be unusual for the missing person? These are important questions to keep in mind. "WHEN A PERSON DISAPPEARS WITHOUT A TRACE, OFTEN THE MOST CRITICAL INFORMATION IS HIDDEN IN THEIR ACTIONS AND WORDS FROM THE DAYS BEFORE THEY VANISHED." ~SOCIAL MEDIA/CELL PHONE: Nowadays everyone has a cellphone with them at all times. Smartphones can be a very useful tool in finding clues to your loved ones disappearance. Smartphones mean internet access, and the internet means endless possibilities. First, check all their social media accounts. Has activity stopped? Is there still activity? Is there anything unusual on their social media? Second, GPS location/find my phone settings. If they have a smartphone, there will be a last location saved. Investigators should be able to track down their last movements, locations, and even others who were interacting with them. Third, cell phone records/social media records. If you are having trouble finding anyone with any knowledge, ask your local police department to get the phone records/social media records. They can get a warrant to look into your loved ones last phone calls, text messages, internet usage, social media access etc. This can be extremely helpful.....considering you then have an idea of the possible events before the disappearance! ~SEARCH: Gathering a search is a great way to leave no stone unturned. The police, the community, and search and rescue teams usually come together to help locate a missing or endangered person. This helps in covering more ground faster, since time is of the essence. Depending on where the searches take place, use proper precaution and safety measures to insure no one else gets hurt or lost. Leave dangerous areas to the professionals. There are many Search and Rescue groups across the United States and many will even travel to help in the search efforts. Search teams can provide tools you wouldn't normally have access to. Including K9 search dogs, divers, drones, helicopters, underwater cameras, and equipment and vehicles specifically for rough terrain. Check out the RESOURCES PAGE for links to Search Groups and other helpful groups and organizations! ~CHECK HOSPITALS, JAILS, MORGUES: This is an important step to help make sure that the missing person hasn't encountered a car accident, or any other incident. When these things happen, sometimes there is a delay in getting in contact with family. If in any case, it is important to contact these places and narrow down options and possibilities of what happened to your loved one. ~NAMUS: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. Having your loved one listed on NAMUS can be helpful in case the missing person has left the area. If they are found living in another state and their name is ran for any reason.... NAMUS will show they are a missing person. The area they went missing from will then be notified. This is also the case if someone is found deceased in another state. Once identified, the deceased have a higher chance at being returned home and to their loved ones if they are on NAMUS. Otherwise they can remain unidentified. NAMUS also works with DNA to help the identifying process go faster. ~SPREAD THE WORD: Getting the word out about your missing loved one can help you to track last known locations and make a timeline of events. Making a MISSING PERSONS FLYER will help get the person's face out into the public. Make sure to include all important information, physical features, recent picture and contact information for yourself and the police department. You can also get the word out by reaching out to THE MEDIA. News stations and local papers will usually assist in mentioning or writing an article on a missing person and the circumstances of their disappearance. They keep the public informed of any updates as the search continues. SOCIAL MEDIA is huge nowadays in reaching out to many people very quickly. Create pages for your missing loved one. Ask people to share the information. Before you know it, everyone will be on the lookout for the missing person! You can also find very helpful and supporting groups and organizations on social media that are willing to help spread awareness and help in the search efforts. Most likely you will come across others in your position who are also going through the same struggle. Sometimes seeing and understanding that others are going through the same ordeal can help you personally. It's important to know THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE!