Xybix's Blog

There is no doubt that the duties of being
a 911 dispatcher in the United States are demanding and intense. There are over 240 million calls made to 911 each year, and each one of those callers needs the person on the other end of the line to be calm, collected, and efficient.

Whether you are looking at upgrading your dispatch consoles, remodeling your existing space, or building a new 911 Comm Center, it is a huge undertaking, and can be a lengthy process with lots of pressure to do it right!  What some folks don’t know is who can help you achieve this – a great design team. 

“I’m on the phone!”

Never has that phrase been more important than when you’re taking a 911 call where your every bit of attention needs to be to the caller on the other end of the phone. You’re responsible for asking questions, gathering information on the emergency as well as dispatching fire, police or an ambulance. Heck, that’s a lot of pressure! Not to mention, you’re also being recorded on the line.

Poor ergonomics can have serious health consequences. But what constitute poor ergonomics? Most of us are probably doing something right this moment that could be causing harm to our bodies. Let's take a look at some common ergonomic issues, how they might be impacting our health and some best practices you can start implementing right now:

Being a decision maker for a dispatch furniture project that ultimately will be a huge investment for your city, township or municipality, you'll probably feel the pressure to put those budget dollars to good use. As you begin the search for vendors, it is important to note what services the company offers at no charge or commitment to you, the customer.

When it is time to purchase your new furniture for your 911 center, often a City or County has a purchasing department with rules to determine if such a purchase needs to go out to bid or can be bought directly. So, what exactly is a "bid"?   

The word "bid" seems to be used as a generic term for a competitive purchasing process.  We hear the word "bid" used in Request for Proposal or RFP or an Invitation to Bid IFB. These are two very different ways to create a competitive purchasing process.   

While driving through the frigid, negative degree temperatures in Canada two weeks ago (and yes, I’m talking Fahrenheit!), the first thought that came to mind is, “How in the WORLD do these dispatchers regulate the temperatures in their centers with these out-of-this-world temperatures?” Then,
I thought of all of the southern parts of the US that get into triple digit heat during the summer months, wondered how they prevent having their center too cold.

With winter winding down, we tend to go through our closets and get rid of the clutter. What better place to start dusting than your own 911 backup center. You know, that room that hardly ever gets some love!

As much as technology has advanced, there is still a small chance of failure and the need to work out of your backup site. Alternatively, there could be inclement weather that might force you to go to a different location. Many PSAPs are revamping their backup center to mirror their primary location in the event of an emergency. Some are also utilizing the space as a training facility. Given the increased use, more Comm Centers are asking about solutions for their backup site. Here are a few recommendations to revamp your backup site and have it prepped for any emergency:

A question we often hear is, "do we have enough power for the new workstations?".  This question can actually be split into two categories:  Live cut over and new building.

New buildings are pretty easy as the architect and the electrical engineer should have already specified enough power after consulting with the radio vendor, phone, and used best practices.   

A Live Cut Over is usually pretty simple but some knowledge base of what works will make the installation of your new furniture workstations go better. Here is some simple electrical information that you'll find helpful.

If you are in the beginning of shopping for new dispatch console furniture in your 911 center a great first question is, how much do they cost?  After all, you will need to plan a budget about a year in advance and get the most accurate pricing. If you don't budget enough, you may not be able to get all of the features and options you want. If you ask for too much you may not get the project approved.