Are you headed to Las Vegas for the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch IAED Navigator conference?

This is THE PREMIER CONFERENCE FOR POLICE, FIRE, AND MEDICAL DISPATCH. This NAVIGATOR is set to be our best ever. This year they will have the latest and best presentation topics and presenters, events and networking opportunities, as well as keynote speakers that will knock your socks off! You won’t want to miss this truly memorable educational, networking conference.


And best of all...Xybix Systems, Inc. will be there!

At booth #309 and we are super excited to have our new Eagle dispatch consoles on display at our booth!

I’m just going to say it, employee morale and company culture have a huge effect on the workplace. Absenteeism, lost productivity and poor health have all been directly attributed to morale in a workplace. So in a 24/7 industry like 911 dispatch, how can you improve morale and company culture, while adhering to policies and guidelines.

While I can’t predict the future, I have seen a few trends develop in the dispatch console and furniture arena over the last 7+ years in the industry. I can’t tout that I know everything, but I have picked up on a few things just by listening and paying attention.

A new year is a great time to make note of any recent changes in the industry, as it’s a time when everyone is focused on advancement and improvement. Based on what I’ve personally noticed, here are four dispatch console trends I've seen:

Some of the best people I’ve ever worked with are those in the 911/Public Safety Industry. And while most of us are at home in our stretchy Thanksgiving pants enjoying the company of family and loved ones, someone needs to be someone on the other line of a 911 call in case of emergency. So, here is a shout out to all of you 911 Dispatchers &  Turkey foregoer’s. I've put together a list of how you might be able to have a bit of a good ol’ Thanksgiving celebration even while you are at work.

Cable management (or the lack thereof) is a HOT topic for public safety professionals, especially 911 dispatchers.

“Ugh, our cables just hang down.”

“ We end up unplugging things, and we can’t use our height-adjustable tables.”

These are sentiments I’ve heard time and time again. Poorly managed cables can be a recipe for disaster, even for the cleanest of Comm Centers. This can lead to stress in an already stressful environment. In recent years, several dispatch console manufacturers have made improvements to their cable management. While this is a step in the right direction, you’re probably wondering what you can do NOW instead of having to resort to purchasing new furniture.

As a proud Colorado native, I thought about all of my friends, co-workers and customers who will be coming to APCO 2017 in August. As a ski patroller (during the winter months), I thought that I should make sure they’re prepared. With that being said, if you’re a public safety professional headed to the Mile High City of Denver for the APCO 2017 Conference, this blog has everything you must do!

If you have ever bought a new house, you know that the house comes basically as a shell. Without knowing it, this probably means that you'll be getting carpet in your kitchen and laminate flooring throughout. As for the carpet, you'll get the choice a hideous shade of gray or an even worse shade of what they call "beige" and a lackluster carpet pad that might as well be non-existent. Anything that would be included and installed as “standard” is often the cheapest of the cheap. You'll have to expand your budget or subtract some common features if you’re even going to start thinking about doing things like changing the paint color or adding hardwood floors. All the sudden that dream home you'd visioned is looking a bit more cloudy.

We all know by now that stress can be a huge issue for those in 911 dispatch. But, what if you could eliminate some stress with a few helpful suggestions, would you? Well, what about something as simple as improving your work area? Yes, the place where you spend a significant amount of time at during your work day. Think it’s worth a try to reduce stress and dissatisfaction? I do. So here are my tips for improving your work area:

Holidays mean stress for most of us. The kids are out of school; family is knocking at the door. You’re responsible for cooking a 20-pound turkey flawlessly and on-time. Not to mention the decorating, shuffling between family traditions and taking care of grandma. Whoa…deep breath. You’re a 911 dispatcher, you’re used to stress right? No doubt, all of us feel the pressures of the holiday season, so here are three things you can try to help fight stress, stay healthy and stay happy during the holidays.

Fall is upon us, and while pumpkin spice is everywhere (literally everywhere), we are also starting to hunker down for the winter. Yes, I am a total “nester” as winter looms closer. Tis’ the season for indulging, sneaking all the good candies from your kids Halloween stash and the inevitable office pot luck. So, you’ve been good all summer, staying away from this or that, eating more veggies, and probably getting outside to watch a few sporting events, walk the dog, or even run in that charity 5K. WOW!

Enter the fall/pumpkin spice/pot luck season. No need to fret, you can still indulge in healthy delights that are both fun and creative.