You’re about to launch a project to upgrade your center that includes a dispatch furniture purchase. When you meet with your committee or supervisor, what is the most common thing you’ll hear?  “For the amount of money we’re spending, we need furniture that will LAST.”

I read on a 911 blog how a dispatcher felt that it was a great benefit that a company made their products in the USA. This got me thinking; does it really matter? I don't hear that as a major part of the decision-making process for most centers, so it got me wondering about a couple of things.  

According to Dr. James Levine, a leading endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic  and researcher on the health hazards of sitting, sitting for long periods of time is no good. Just take a look at the information below:

Swimsuit season is upon us! If you’re like me, I’m sure you’re checking your weekend calendar more frequently than you’re checking the mirror. If you haven’t been standing at your desk or using your treadmill desk, remember the age-old adage: abs are made in the kitchen. Processed carbs can be the root of all evil. Seemingly harmless, they break down into sugars and are full of refined grains; this means they’re lacking in key nutrients! To help you keep your meals healthy and delicious, here are some of my favorite swaps for my packed lunches:

Some of you may not know that there are a variety of methods to look into when purchasing dispatch furniture, and agencies have a couple of different options when it comes to paying for it. Traditionally, purchasing console furniture is done by making a large purchase upfront through a purchase order, or PO, but many smaller agencies can struggle to come up with the funds needed to go this route. If you are one of these agencies, it may be time to look for alternative purchasing options.

Many people I know use walking as a way to de-stress, burn energy and get moving. It’s a simple activity and you already know how to do it. Walking is easy on joints and requires little to no additional equipment. Recently, treadmills and bikes have been added to many 911 dispatch centers and the question arises, how much walking do you need to do to lose weight?

Your eyes are precious and extremely valuable, so it makes sense to take safety precautions when you engage in activities that could potentially damage them. For example, when you play racket ball, use a weed wacker, or operate a grinder, you most likely use eye protection.

That being said, what do you do to protect your eyes in the reading room? I know that there isn’t any flying debris or any balls that could assault or damage your eyes in the confines of your dark reading room. However, at the end of the day, are your eyes tired and watering, and/or do you have a headache?  

If your answer is yes, please read on.  

WARNING: This is a baby-free article. ☺

Buying new dispatch furniture for your communications center can be a daunting task. It comes with a lot of recommendations, shared experiences and horror stories, and it's kind of like a blind date. You've heard from your friend at Comm Center A that Vendor X is a great catch! They’re attractive, timely, well-behaved, plus they come with great references; everything fits! However, when you get down to the nitty gritty, everything falls apart and nothing works out like you thought it would. As a recipient of several, horrible, no good, very bad dates, it really makes you question what you ever did to your friend at Comm Center A. I mean, this is what they REALLY think of you? But I digress…

Why are health experts saying that sitting is the new smoking? Well, everyone knows the health effects of smoking, and the sooner everyone realizes that sitting can also be immensely harmful the better. Hopefully, you will jump out of your chair when you find out that:

Maybe you’re reading this and you’ve just started researching for an upcoming dispatch furniture project? Maybe you’re already a die hard Xybix fan? Maybe you’re just plain curious? That was definitely me just a few months ago--curious. I had quite a few questions about the new company I started working for. What does Xybix do? What makes them special? How do they operate? What does “Xybix” even mean?  If you’re wondering the same things, check out these 5 things I learned when I joined the Xybix team: