{"id":4654,"date":"2022-12-21T16:58:40","date_gmt":"2022-12-21T16:58:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.alison.com\/?p=4654"},"modified":"2025-05-14T12:59:44","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T11:59:44","slug":"alison-publisher-spotlight-gerard-odriscoll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alison.com\/blog\/alison-publisher-spotlight-gerard-odriscoll","title":{"rendered":"Alison Publisher Spotlight: Gerard O’Driscoll"},"content":{"rendered":"

No one ever wants to think of the worst-case scenario. It\u2019s scary, unpleasant, and we don\u2019t want to live in a state of panic or fear. But the truth is, knowing what to do and who to call in an emergency is a matter of life and death. Your calm and measured response can add life-saving minutes on a call to emergency responders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And when you\u2019re at home, you want the security that your loved ones and belongings are safe and secure. This means having a smart home system that\u2019s equipped with vital information to safeguard your home contents. To learn more about smart homes and emergency responses, we spoke to Alison Publisher, Gerard O\u2019Driscoll.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please share with our learners a bit about your background.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over the past 30 years, I have served in a variety of management, ICT, and commercial <\/span>positions in both the public and private sectors. In addition to my enthusiasm for the smart <\/span>home space, I am an active investor in property and emerging Web 3.0 projects.<\/span><\/p>\n

You have a background as an ICT professional. What made you decide to create courses on Alison?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since the late nineties, I\u2019ve been creating online courses that several thousand students <\/span>from around the world have studied. Furthermore, I have authored a number of technology-<\/span>focused books. The Alison course platform provides an ideal platform to share this content globally.<\/span><\/p>\n

For those just learning about you, please tell us more about EmergencyMentors and Smart Homes School:<\/strong><\/p>\n

a) emergencymentors.com is a blog I created to help people correctly make an emergency call.<\/span><\/p>\n

b) smarthomesschool.com is my website which people visit to learn about setting up smart home devices to improve family safety and security levels.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ve been a Self-publisher with Alison for several years. What do you enjoy most about publishing on this platform?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The course creation tools, and technical support provided by Alison.com are excellent.<\/span><\/p>\n

Emergency Mentors\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n

Please share with us about your website emergencymentors.com and how that came to be.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For a number of years, I managed the day-to-day operations of a 999\/112 emergency call-<\/span>taking organisation and decided to release a blog that provided people with relevant information <\/span>related to this important industry sector.<\/span><\/p>\n

What should people know about emergencies?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Emergencies do not happen very often, but when they do, you want to be ready. Know what to <\/span>do ahead of time and try to stay in control.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the most common mistake people make in an emergency?<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you find yourself in the middle of a 911 emergency, you might be on the verge of panic. <\/span>No matter how dire the situation, you need to do your best to be calm and collected when <\/span>making 911 calls.<\/span><\/p>\n

How does one plan for an emergency call?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before you pick up the phone to make a 911, 112, or 999 call to the emergency services, it\u2019s <\/span>best to be prepared. Some tips include:<\/span><\/p>\n