As Chief, Supervisor or Head Operator of a Command Center, you want your people to bring their "A Game" everyday. So, what can you do on a daily basis to make a difference for your people and improve their performance? The April edition of SUCCESS magazine, in an article titled, “The ROI of Compassion,” leadership guru John C. Maxwell sums it up:

There are four types of lighting in a 911 dispatch center. There isn’t a right or wrong way to go about it, and each center utilizes a different approach when it comes to illumination. Similarly, each shift will use lighting differently based on the preferences of dispatchers and the time of day. Heck, even each dispatcher will have a different opinion on which lighting option is best for them.

This is something that we get asked quite a bit. Understandably, many of you want to get the best value out of your purchase for dispatch furniture. This consists of the initial cost of the dispatch station as well as the expectant lifetime of the product and the warranty. Getting the most for your money is important no matter where you work.

Let's be honest, if you are in the Command and Control industry, you pride yourself in organization, optimization, effectiveness and efficiencies. Like the grease to the wheel, you like organization and to keep things working at their best. The placement of command center workstations in a control room should be just as important for the optimal performance of your operators. Having miss-used space or disorganization can cause the efficiency and effectiveness of the team to dwindle.

My oldest son’s 17th birthday was on March 2nd. As many of you know, it’s incredible how kids change and grow by that age. As all parents feel about their children, I am so proud of him and what he has done so far in his life that I cannot say enough good things.

This brings me around to a Xybix installation job that I visited which installed in 1999. This means it was shortly before my son was even born. Just like my son has changed, how we build our dispatch consoles and even how we run the business at Xybix has transformed as well.

A 911 communications center is host to many dark calls. For 911 dispatchers who are responsible for answering these critical phone calls, death is on the phone daily. I spent 14 years as a paramedic in Denver, and I remember that one day my unit alone saw eight cases dead on arrival (DOA). Later on, we were able to make our way to one of the local parks to look at green grass, beautiful lakes, and pleasant foliage in order to soothe some of the pain we had witnessed.

Smart Grid is on everyone’s mind in the utilities industry. How do we make the grid more reliable, safe, and efficient? It may seem like a new term yet it has been in the making for over 10 years. In 2007 Congress passed and the President approved the EISA (Title XIII of the Energy Independence and Security Act). This gave leadership to the Department of Energy to drive grid modernization. So, what is a smart grid? Some definitions are:

It’s obvious that radiology is a very prestigious and rewarding industry to get into. However, you have to admit that it is also, in many cases, a sedentary profession. During the analog imaging days, radiologists would spend much of their time standing at alternators, hanging film, and moving around their offices. Now with the advent of digital imaging, everything is at their fingertips, and the only time they need to leave their desks is to get something to eat, go to the bathroom, attend their meetings, etc.

You are basically a superhero. After all, as a 911 dispatcher, you save lives all day every day. Thanks to you and your ability to remain calm during the most trying times, lives are saved on a daily basis.

There are several different avenues available for researching new dispatch furniture, and sorting through them all can often feel overwhelming. Depending on how your center makes this kind of purchase, you might have to collect three or more quotes, purchase off of a specific contract, or even go through a bid process. It’s also likely that a salesperson will visit your center with some literature and provide a proposal configuration.

Doing your own research during this time is critical, as it gives you as a buyer or an end user a good foundation to pinpoint your specific needs. One of the best ways to achieve this is by going on a field trip or Comm Center tour! Visiting neighboring centers or taking a tour at a national trade show are a couple of the most educational ways to explore furniture options, as you’ll get to see the furniture in person and ask the staff and representatives questions about their experience with it.