#Middlebury #Veterans
We’ve all seen the ads for OnStar gadgets in vehicles that provide instant help for people who are in wrecks. Press the button and an emergency certified adviser is right there, ready to help. The Department of Veterans Affairs has hooked up with OnStar to provide suicide prevention help to veterans.
Quick access to suicide prevention help while in a car? I had to think about that for a minute before I got it. Think about it, and you’ll get it, too.
OnStar has a number of features. If your vehicle has been stolen, it can pinpoint its location for police. If there’s been a bad wreck in a rural area, they can give GPS coordinates to rescue personnel. If it’s something as simple as running out of gas or having a flat tire, make a quick call to OnStar and help is on the way. Now, with this added feature through the VA, veterans in crisis have another way to get help.
If your vehicle is OnStar capable and you’ve never signed up, consider doing it now. Check the website onstar.com to verify your vehicle is eligible. Get the app (OnStar Guardian) and put it on your phone. It works while you’re in any vehicle.
For veterans with suicidal thoughts, the ability to instantly and easily reach out to someone could be a life changer. OnStar personnel have been trained to ask a few fast questions and provide immediate access to the Veterans Crisis Line. These few seconds matter: There’s no fumbling through the phone and looking for the crisis line number. Just press the OnStar button and help is there.
I like this. I mean, I really like it. It seems that lately the VA has come up with some good ideas to help our vulnerable brothers and sisters, and this is one of them.
© 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.
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