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.

Public safety professionals work in very unique settings, and they experience an intense job flow that most working people are not used to. 911 Dispatchers are always ready and on high-alert for that next phone call. Unlike a typical office job, a 911 Dispatcher cannot always leave their desk to take a walk outside, go down to the lobby for coffee, or check out of work an hour early.

First and foremost, for anyone out there working the night shift, I want to extend a huge THANK YOU for staying awake and keeping us safe. Whether you are a dispatcher, supervisor, firefighter, police officer, nurse, etc., we all know how difficult of an adjustment working odd hours is to overcome. If you find yourself losing focus, counting down the minutes until you can go home, and/or becoming delirious, you may need to adjust your approach. Sleep, nutrition, and planning are essential for keeping your mind and body alert and focused for the workplace. Here are some energy and survival tips for those of you working the night shift:

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 Whether you are managing the buses 

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I usually like to do a review on all of the competitors and highlight what was new at APCO 2017. I was busy this year (busy is a good thing), so I didn’t really get to check everything out this year.  

That being said, I still took notice of overall trends that will affect what your dispatch console furniture will look like in the next few years. Here’s my two cents on what to expect in the near future:

We at the Johnson County KS Emergency Communications Center pride ourselves on our operations and the technology we have available to use to do our jobs every day. We provide Fire and EMS services, and are a secondary PSAP, providing 911 call taking and dispatching for fire and medical calls, with certified EMD call takers for medical events. We service 10 fire agencies and 2 ambulance agencies, dispatching and managing resources before, during, and after events.

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!

Technology is pushing the 911 industry forward. Technological advancement is an important element of helping emergency responders and dispatchers be efficient at their jobs, and because of this, it is always a challenge to keep up with new emerging technologies. Of course the private sector gets the latest in new developments first, and then they work their way into public safety market. What similarly seems to happen is that the digital side of the product pushes the envelope, and afterwards, the hardware side is left to catch up.

Perhaps you’ve been noticing that your current work space just isn’t what is used to be. Maybe the furniture is beginning to show some breakdown, or perhaps the style is simply outdated and unpleasant to look at. Even worse, maybe your colleagues are hunched over the desks and operating their jobs in uncomfortable positions. And they’re telling you about it. (Image via GIPHY)