December 7, 2011 by onstarconnects
In a Weather Crisis, OnStar Advisors Make a Difference
The tornadoes that struck several Southern and Midwestern states left a path of destruction in their wake. Many people lost their homes or were left without electricity, telephone or cellular service.
When frightened subscribers called, OnStar Advisors provided weather updates, helped find shelter and guided subscribers around trouble spots and connected them to loved ones regardless of their OnStar service plan.
More than 2,000 OnStar Advisors are equipped to handle subscriber calls, and a group of OnStar Emergency Advisors also receive extensive training in providing emergency medical advice until first responders arrive. These Advisors are certified by the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch and are trained to ask the right questions to help prepare first responders for arrival.
Advisor Karen Nolan Helps Couple Contact Daughter
Jim and Carol Barrile of Toney, Ala., lived less than five miles from Harvest, Ala., where an EF4 tornado destroyed much of the town. The Barriles were left without power for days and Carol was frantic to let her children — who live out of state — know she and Jim were safe. She pressed the red OnStar emergency button on the rearview mirror of her 2011 Chevrolet Impala for help.
OnStar Emergency Advisor Karen Nolan answered the call and, within seconds, was able to set up a conference call with Carol’s daughter, Suzanne.
“Her daughter was obviously upset when I first contacted her,” Karen says. “She seemed a little fearful about her parents’ whereabouts since she hadn’t heard from them. But the moment she heard her mom’s voice she was relieved.”
Karen says moments like that really define OnStar for her. “I help people every day at work,” she says. “It’s part of my job, but this situation shows we (OnStar) can be there when you need us most.”
LaTonya Jones
Advisor LaTonya Jones Assists Worried Mom Looking for Son
That same day, OnStar Emergency Advisor LaTonya Jones answered a call from another mother in Albertville, Ala., who was desperate to get in touch with her child.
“When I answered the call, the subscriber was crying. She couldn’t find her teenage son and was very worried,” says LaTonya. “She kept saying she couldn’t find ‘her baby.’ He had gone to work and couldn’t be reached after the storm hit. I had to do everything I could to help her find him.”
As the subscriber’s only connection, LaTonya made courtesy calls to the missing teen’s workplace, local police and fire departments and friends in hopes of locating him.
“Even the local public safety answering points were unreachable. Just when I was going to dial the police station in the next town over, her son walked through the door. She was overjoyed and thankful.”
When a crisis or severe weather event occurs, OnStar offers its full range of services for impacted subscribers at no extra cost, regardless of their subscription plan. OnStar Emergency Advisors can contact emergency responders and direct them to the subscriber’s exact vehicle location using the OnStar embedded cellular system and Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite technology. OnStar Advisors help with evacuation assistance, locate available hotel accommodations or open shelters, attempt to find fuel and, oftentimes, help connect customers with their loved ones when no other means of communication is available. During such conditions, subscribers have repeatedly indicated that their OnStar’s Hands-Free Calling worked when their cell phones did not.
For more information on how to prepare for the types of disasters most frequently occurring in your area, visit ready.gov. And remember OnStar as a part of your emergency response plan.
Do you live in an area at risk of tornadoes? What’s your emergency plan? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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Tags: Advisor, Crisis Assist, Hands-Free Calling