STARS align with Aware360 to ensure critical care anywhere

About STARS  

Since the very first mission in 1985, providing critical care, anywhere has been STARS' mission – the guiding light in everything they do. The origins of STARS trace back to a tragic event when a pregnant woman from a rural community died from blood loss, leaving behind a grieving father and a newborn child. The founders of STARS saw this death as preventable and were determined that no one should go without the critical care needed to save their life, regardless of their location. This motivation led to the creation of STARS, a helicopter air ambulance service supported by the community. Over the years, STARS has evolved from a single helicopter into a network of highly skilled professionals providing critical care in the air, on the ground, and virtually.

Nicole Segstro, with nearly 15 years at STARS, currently serves as the Director of Business Development and Sales for STARS Vigilant, which provides comprehensive emergency response solutions for clients, including work-alone monitoring services.

This case study highlights the value of the partnership between Aware360 and STARS, emphasizing the seamless integration and impact of their collaborative efforts. 

The challenge  

Historically, emergency response and lone worker monitoring systems were fragmented and inefficient. Monitoring centres and clients alike often had to juggle multiple platforms, leading to delays and missed alarms. Communication methods were limited, with phone calls being the primary means of contact, which could fail in remote areas or during high-stress situations. These gaps in coverage meant that critical information could be lost or misinterpreted, leading to slower response times and potentially life-threatening situations. The repercussions of not having a cohesive system in place were severe, with lone workers being at greater risk and organizations struggling to ensure their safety protocols were adequately met. Without a unified approach, emergency responses lacked the precision and speed necessary to handle diverse and dynamic situations effectively.

While STARS has been providing expert care in this space for decades, their clients were no exception to these challenges. With rapidly advancing technology, however, STARS had an opportunity to enter a partnership that would propel them and their customers into a new realm of safety monitoring.     

The Aware360 partnership  

The partnership between STARS and Aware360 began over 12 years ago, driven by the increasing importance of lone worker safety. Upon meeting with Aware360's CEO and seeing a demo of the SafetyAware platform, both organizations recognized the potential for a strong collaboration.

Nicole highlights how this alliance has been integral to providing enhanced emergency safety plans and response through STARS' infrastructure...

Shared mission  

At the core of the partnership between STARS and Aware360 is a shared mission: to provide critical care and ensure remote and at-risk workers are safe, connected and accounted for, no matter where they are. It drives both organizations to innovate and deliver solutions that save lives, providing peace of mind for health and safety professionals. STARS' commitment to offering “critical care, anywhere" aligns perfectly with Aware360's dedication to enhancing worker safety through technology. Together, they ensure that every worker, regardless of their location, has access to the necessary support and emergency response when needed.  

Why Aware360  

STARS chose to partner with Aware360 for several reasons:  

Ease of use

The SafetyAware platform is user-friendly, ensuring that Emergency Communication Specialists and clients can quickly adapt to its functionalities without extensive learning curves.

Immediate action

In the platform, STARS can see which of their agents is responding to an alarm, meaning no alarm is missed. Additionally, with historical data stored in the platform, clients can conduct their own analysis of the actions taken to evaluate their safety procedures.

Customizable features

The platform offers a range of customizable features that can be tailored to meet the specific risks and needs of each client.  

• Immediate view of escalation plans, which expedite their ability to contact the individual who's triggered the alarm or somebody within their organization that can support them
• Ability to send text messages directly from the platform
• Broadcast messaging capabilities – without this feature, responders would have to reach out to entire teams one at a time until they find someone relevant and able to help
• Integration with satellite devices for continuous monitoring
• In-motion timers to minimize distractions during driving and reduce missed check-ins

Comprehensive monitoring

The integration with satellite devices ensures continuous monitoring, even in remote areas, providing an added layer of safety for lone workers.  

Feedback consideration

Aware360 values feedback from communication specialists and continually incorporates their insights into platform development, ensuring the tool evolves with user needs.  

Cost-effectiveness

By simplifying app and device integrations and making it more affordable, Aware360 ensures that critical safety measures are accessible to a broader range of clients.  

Seamless integration

The agnostic nature of the platform allows for seamless integration with existing systems, eliminating the need for monitors and clients to manage multiple alarm systems.

These features ensure that communication specialists can efficiently manage alarms and provide rapid responses, averaging 6.5-7 seconds from initiation to action. Clients benefit from a consolidated platform that enhances their safety audits and gives them peace of mind knowing their lone workers are professionally monitored.

Emergency Link Centre  

The Emergency Link Centre is the heart of the partnership's operations. Staffed by Emergency Communications Specialists trained through the International Academy for Emergency Dispatch, the centre applies 911 dispatch principles to all emergency alarms, ensuring swift and accurate responses. Handling over 100 alarms and 30-40 emergency calls daily, these specialists meticulously triage each incident, treating every situation with the urgency it deserves.

Partnership in action 

One notable success story involves a client who suffered a severe allergic reaction after stepping on a wasp nest. Due to the remoteness of the incident, the number of stings he endured, and his severe allergy, the single EpiPen he had wasn’t enough to ensure his wellbeing; he quickly started going into anaphylaxis.  
 
Using his SafetyAware device, he contacted a STARS Emergency Communication Specialist, who immediately activated his response plan. Using the SafetyAware platform, the agent was able to get his team, a medic, and users from a neighboring site with additional epinephrine to his location to provide preliminary assistance. Meanwhile, the STARS team initiated an ambulatory response and connected their retained transport physician* to the medic to help guide them through the treatment plan, ensuring all steps were followed meticulously. As a result of the emergency intervention, the individual received timely care and returned to work the same day. This incident underscores the effectiveness of the partnership in handling not just large-scale emergencies but also more common incidents that can pose significant risks.  

Transport physicians

The role of the transport physician truly resonates with customers. Operating from the Emergency Link Centre, these physicians provide virtual care guiding first responders through treatment plans and facilitating patient transport logistics when required. Health information entered by customers is visible to the Emergency Communications Specialist via SafetyAware and can be provided to the transport physician if necessary. This integrated approach guarantees that patients receive prompt and effective medical attention, regardless of their location.

The partnership between Aware360 and STARS exemplifies how collaboration and technology can enhance worker safety and emergency response. By providing a seamless, integrated platform, they ensure clients can effectively manage their safety protocols, knowing their lone and at-risk workers are in safe hands. Both organizations measure their success by their ability to innovate and adapt, remaining committed to their mission of helping people arrive home safely every day. Aware360 and STARS' mutual faith in each other ensures clients receive the best solutions tailored to their unique needs and circumstances.