Building or remodeling a center for 911 dispatch, utilities, transportation, or security is not something you do every day. Control room projects are critical but not common. In fact, given that technical furniture consoles generally are made to last 10 to 20 years, you may be involved in only 1 or 2 console purchases in your entire career. As a result, we know you have questions. To help, I’ve rounded up the most common questions we encounter and provided quick answers along with sources for more information. As always, feel free to reach out to Xybix with any questions.

Acoustic divider panels in a 911 dispatch or operations center can you help walk that fine line between a cubicle farm and an open office. Most employees hate both options—and yet they crave the privacy and relative quiet of a cubicle along with the easy access to their neighbors in an open space. You can get the best of both worlds with a panel system designed specifically for your consoles, your floor layout, and your PSAP’s specific communications style. Here’s an example of panels with glass tiles.

Imaging desks used in radiology labs are real powerhouses with sit-to-stand flexibility, expert monitor mounts, cable management, and plenty of creature comforts. A look at the installation process reveals key setup techniques and features that ensure a strong, stable, long-lasting desk that enhances health and productivity—and looks good doing it.

Nothing induces a yawn like the word “ergonomics.” You may know it’s important for health and productivity, but the second you hear all the numbers and jargon involved—like 20” focal depth, 15° viewing angle, and neutral wrist—all you can think is “I just…can’t.”

I get it, and I’m here to help with a clear link between preventing pain and ergonomics. (By which I mean, if something hurts, you can likely tweak your workspace to fix it.) First, let’s take a quick look at how ergonomics can help you.

Most dispatch console manufacturers—including Xybix—are expert with the shoehorn. We help PSAPs and operation centers add or replace consoles as needed, and our designers work with the center to make it all fit. We love the creativity that goes into this process, and we’re happy to be involved in any upgrade or remodeling project.

That said, when console manufacturers get the chance to be involved from the inception of a project, we jump! For a new center—not hampered by tight spaces or weird columns—we can employ all our innovative technologies and years of experience in creating functional and inviting floor layouts. Plus, we bring the expertise in the unique needs of dispatch centers to the architects and interior designers involved in the project. Read on for details.

Summertime creates the perfect storm for dry eyes. You’re either outside in the heat and sun or inside being blasted by air conditioning. Your eyes fall victim to heat, sunshine, dust, allergies, chlorine, dry air, wind, and more. And this is in addition to a primary ongoing cause of dry eyes: screen use.

Well-designed dispatch consoles are so sleek that it’s easy to wonder where the computers go. For most people, it doesn’t really matter until the computer breaks or needs an upgrade. Then you care how fast IT can take care of it, and IT certainly cares about having to crawl around the floor or squeeze behind a heavy desk.

Backup 911 call centers used to be bare bones—just enough to get the dispatchers up and running at a moment’s notice. These days, PSAPs are starting to build more robust backup centers, likely due to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. Whatever the cause of this trend, creating a space with a similar setup helps PSAPs remain mission ready and maintain response times, no matter where they are located.

In the 15 years that I’ve been sharing my thoughts and knowledge through our Xybix blog, our most popular blogs are consistently on boosting morale in dispatch. People are thirsty for information on this topic—likely because high morale at a 911 comms center is proven to improve the quality and efficiency of work, job satisfaction, and employee retention while decreasing absenteeism and burnout. (And, I like to think, because making people happy in their jobs is the right thing to do.)

Monitors and computers are critical to the work of radiologists, which means that imaging desks need to carefully handle that equipment. This includes providing easy access for IT, so they can quickly swap out a computer or monitor as needed.