Disaster Planning

In preparation for Hurricane Gustav, OnStar this week made available specially-trained crisis advisors to users in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama — making this resource available to people in that area simply by pressing the OnStar button in their GM vehicles. The company reported a 30 percent increase over typical call volume on Sunday.

 

OnStar’s specially trained crisis advisors are equipped to help callers with GPS positioning, emergency services notification, emergency calls and emergency directions, as outlined below.        

 

GPS positioning  — This feature contacts emergency responders if required and directs them to the subscriber’s location. It is made possible by OnStar’s embedded cellular calling system and Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite technology, which pinpoints a subscriber’s location when the person contacts an advisor.

 

Emergency services notification  — Reports to appropriate public safety officials when a subscriber contacts OnStar about someone in need of emergency assistance.

 

Emergency calls  —  Immediate connection of subscribers to loved ones, family and friends.

 

Emergency directions  — Provides real time crisis information and centralized assistance for food, water, shelter locations and hotel accommodations. OnStar also offers information on road closures, power outages, and weather updates.

 

Scott Kubicki, vice president, OnStar Subscriber Services said in a statement that when fires, hurricanes, floods, or tornadoes affect customers, the company opens its services to all affected subscribers.

 

OnStar encouraged Texas , Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama residents to press the OnStar button on their GM vehicle for information about the storm, shelter information and routing. The company has also opened services recently for subscribers affected by Tropical Storm Fay and the Southern California earthquake.

 

OnStar, a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors (News - Alert), is a provider of in-vehicle safety, security and communication services. The company was ranked at the top of the latest Consumer Telematics Vendor Matrix released by ABI Research (News - Alert).