OnStar emphasizes its services, benefits in new online course
OnStar plays an important role in supporting a wide range of emergency services, so learning as much as possible about its capabilities is highly beneficial to Public Safety.
With that in mind, OnStar has introduced a new updated version of their Public Safety Training course accessible on the OnStar Virtual Platform at www.onstarvirtualevents.com. The self-paced course, which takes about an hour to complete, appeals to the First Responder community, including 911 telecommunicators, law enforcement, and fire and EMS personnel.
“First Responders should be familiar with what to expect when OnStar calls, and how we can help them on the job,” says Sherry LeVeque, Emergency Services Outreach Leader for OnStar. “This interactive course is a comprehensive overview of our services, and represents a proactive effort on our part to keep our Public Safety colleagues aware and informed.”
A Look at How OnStar Helps
The course is broken up into sections and features narration, testimonial videos and review questions, leading up to a short quiz. It begins with a look at how OnStar works and the responsibilities of its Emergency-Certified Advisors,1 and moves into sections on various safety and security services and features that can aid customers and First Responders.
For example, there’s a look at Automatic Crash Response2 and how the data it provides can directly impact how resources are dispatched as well as overall patient care. Another section examines Emergency red button protocol, and how Advisors triage calls so Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs) are contacted for only verified emergencies. Stolen Vehicle Assistance3 process and technologies explain how OnStar can assist with stolen vehicles and even missing persons once law enforcement involvement is confirmed.
“We also highlight our new mobile OnStar Guardian™ App,4 which offers emergency services and Mobile Crash Response via a smartphone in any vehicle, anywhere and anytime,” LeVeque says. “It underscores how OnStar is moving beyond the vehicle to keep customers safer with innovative safety and security technologies.
Participants who take the training course will also receive a completion certificate and it is approved for one hour of continuing education credit with the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.
To complete the course and learn more about how OnStar assists First Responders, visit www.onstarvirtualevents.com.
- OnStar Advisors are certified by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.
- Visit onstar.com for coverage map, details and system limitations. OnStar acts as a link to existing emergency service providers. Not all vehicles may transmit all crash data.
- Requires paid plan, working electrical system, cell reception, GPS signal, armed GM factor-installed theft-deterrent system, contact method on file and enrollment to receive alerts. Additional messaging and data rates may apply. Services are intended to assist with vehicle recovery and do not prevent theft or protect against damage or loss. See OnStar.com/BusinessSolutions for details and limitations.
- OnStar Guardian App is available in the U.S. and Canada only on select Apple and Android devices. Service coverage varies with conditions and location. Service availability, features and functionality vary by device and software version. Device permissions are required for app to operate properly. OnStar links to emergency services. Device and app may not transmit all crash data.
