The National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System (NEFRLS) helps reunite families separated by a disaster. It allows displaced individuals to register and provide information about their current location and situation, and then allows them to designate individuals (called designees) who may view their information. Affected individuals, or those seeking information about friends or family, can visit the NEFRLS website or call their hotline to register themselves or inquire about another person. The system is only activated to support presidentially-declared disasters and mass evacuations.

Registrants can submit their location and family members traveling with them, as well as who can search for them. A person can use NEFRLS as a search tool after they register to search for missing family members. Guardians or friends can be listed by the disaster survivor as well as family members. If a registrant has designated an individual to allow review of their personal information, then a friend or loved one can search NEFRLS if they know personal information about the registrant to identify who they are.