How often have you thought “I’d really like to update my dispatch center” but in the same train of thought said, “My center is just way too small and way too weird”! We hear this constantly, things like “We’re peanuts compared to such-and-such county" or "we only have 2 stations and 150 square feet". The thought is, if your center is small, there is nothing you can do to improve your situation. Well, I'm here to tell you, You Can!

What intrigued you to read this blog? Maybe three words stood out to you: “communications center” and “K-9.” We all know that a dog is man’s best friend, and we all understand that animals are a part of our everyday lives. Who doesn't like to walk through the front door after a long day at work and have your best friend there to greet you? Animals provide us with unconditional love and happiness. They also allow you to forget about any problems or stress you might be experiencing in your life. So why not bring a K-9 to work with you?

Working as a 911 dispatch supervisor, I understand the stress we all deal with on a minute-by-minute basis. I also understand your department or organization might not be on board with a K-9 in your center. However, what about the K-9 you currently have working in your own organization? When our K-9’s visit, it's amazing to see how our 911 dispatchers relax and interact with them. Any stress they might have experienced during their current shift is all forgotten during that 10-minute visit. Some dispatchers enjoy the visits so much, they bring in dog treats and store them in their personnel pedestals.

As I am writing this blog, the Northeast is facing yet another blizzard warning. Yep, you read that right... ANOTHER!  I, like many of you in the North, choose to live in an area with four seasons. I love the snow… but after 78 inches of the fluffy stuff in the past 3 weeks, it is safe to say I am wishing for a warmer climate.

The IT team and contractors should always be considered part of the mission-critical team in the 911 center.

The 911 comm center, security monitoring rooms, and command and control rooms are all mission-critical rooms. Cable management within these rooms can affect the people that are counting on 911 centers in a time of critical need. It’s crucial to prevent the CAD screen from dropping or the phone line from going dead because callers could be in a life or death struggle or they’re getting help for someone else.

At Xybix headquarters, our team of engineers are continually improving upon our product with new ideas and options. End users are some of the most important people to use our product. If it weren’t for you, we might not understand the importance of individual heat and air control at a workstation, or even the need for individual lighting.

Over the years, our engineering department has listened to you, your ideas and your concerns. They have taken this feedback and come up with some great ideas to enhance your comfort at your workstation in a communication center. Antimicrobial worksurfaces and bias lighting are just a couple of items that Xybix has introduced over the past two years. This year, we are introducing acrylic shrouds. Now you’re asking, what are acrylic shrouds?

There’s an ancient proverb that reads: “For want of a connector the shelf was lost. For want of a shelf the cabinet was lost. For want of a cabinet the workstation was lost. And all for the want of a shelf connector.” Or something like that.

Our customers who have received new bookshelves, storage or CPU cabinets in the past month may have noticed something a little different about their adjustable shelves. Our venerable locking shelf connector has been discontinued by the manufacturer, so we needed to find a new solution. There are dozens of fasteners we could have used, but we wanted something simple, reliable — and better.

When you start thinking about your 911 Comm Center and those little things you'd really like, you might start to come up with a wish list. Let's face it, everyone has a wish list! The focus is usually on the basics: height adjustable workstations, monitor mounting, cable management, and CPU storage. You've been good all year, right? So ask yourself - what about those little extras on your wish list? What do you really 'want for Christmas?'

As I was browsing my news feed on Facebook one night, I came across a post from a friend of mine who made a statement about Text to 911 in his area. However, the local radio station had stated that all university campuses in his area were now Text to 911 capable. But the radio station went on to urge people NOT to use this service, rather dial 9-1-1 on their phones. This seemed contradictory to me, with this new service available, why would you not use it? So I decided to find out the facts of Text to 911.

One of the most common questions we get from prospective customers is, “What sets you apart from your competitors?” Aside from our dashing good looks and exceptional personalities, Xybix is the number one dispatch furniture manufacturer in ergonomics. Now, I know this is usually the part where your vision blurs and the voice in your head starts sounding like the teacher from Charlie Brown, but as our lovely Joanna Pease details in her blog, “What Is Ergonomics, and Why Is It Important to You?”, Ergonomics are important—not just to your health, but also to your work-life longevity and productivity.

While Joanna’s blog is a great example of how ergonomics applies to you, I wanted to delve even further into the “meat” of the topic and explore where this study comes from and who decides what works—and maybe use some Hollywood references to keep you interested!

Wait, was that George Clooney?!