With so many cleaning products available for cleaning your dispatch workstation and consoles, a question we are commonly asked is "what cleaning product(s) will kill the most germs and help to prevent sickness in our 911 Comm Center?"

This can be a rather loaded question and can answer it in a few different ways. Assuming that most, if not all of you, want to clean your shared workstation to prevent against the common cold, flu, and various other bacteria and viruses that can make you sick. I’ll be discussing cleaners that are disinfectants/sanitizers. I find it best to mention the United States Environmental Protection Agency or EPA’s website as a good reference. Here you can find many products that have been evaluated for efficacy to make sure the public health label claims are accurate. (As with all cleaning products, be sure to read the label for proper usage and safety instructions.) I in no way promote these products and the purpose of this blog post was to explore what options are available for use in cleaning a your workstation and the pro’s and con’s of each.

As we know, a 911 dispatch center can have many distractions for dispatchers. Noise often carries and reflects throughout a room and is audible in even the furthest reaching corner of the room. It can start with a casual disruption like “hey, what are we getting for lunch?”, to a full blown “calm down sir, help is on the way!” Often times, dispatchers raise their voice so that they can be heard with clarity by the caller and sometimes side conversations tend carry when they are even whispered.

The technology involved with public safety has changed dramatically in recent years. So has our understanding of how workplace design and practices can influence the performance of our dispatchers.

If you're reading this blog, chances are you're considering consolidating your call center into a modern, high-functioning PSAP. And it's also likely that you're finding the task somewhat daunting. Don't worry - you're not alone. There are many factors to be considered, from broad questions about your particular needs to the minute details involved in furniture choice and placement, but there's no need for you to plan your PSAP consolidation alone. 

1. Your Investment

Before you invest in all new dispatch center furniture, there are a few things you should know about the company you consider purchasing from. The furniture in your operations center most definitely deserves a lot of attention. After all, it is where your staff spends about a third of their lives while fulfilling a stressful role. 

With each new bundle of research released about ergonomics at the workplace, we all get a little closer to the ideal physical and mental experience. The tasks of work might not change—let’s face it, the 911 calls keep coming in and you aren’t going anywhere—but NOW your work no longer has to feel so much like…work.

Working as a public safety personnel is stressful due to the nature of the job. When the stress interferes with your health, daily performance, or your ability to manage and delegate tasks, then it is time to take action. Be introspective when dealing with stress. Stress management is the hallmark of a competent and reliable worker. Incorporating these four health tips can help reduce stress and boost your morale, allowing you to prosper as a public safety professional.

It's time to get healthy at work!

Almost a year ago, the Xybix team was strategizing about the future of work in a 24/7 environment. We have been talking with people from Call Takers up to Communication Directors to learn what they would change in their furniture to help them be more comfortable and productive. When reviewing the data, we found a new issue that had become a "hot topic" - meeting departmental health goals. 

What to expect from your treadmill desk: Q and A

Imagine you’ve taken the plunge. You’ve set up your dispatch center staff with treadmill or bike desks. They’ve all kicked the tires, so to speak, and texted the obligatory photos of their new equipment to family and friends. Everyone is genuinely excited.

But what’s the experience really going to be like?

The most obvious impact of a treadmill or bike desk is on the worker: increased caloric burn, energy, and mitigation of the worst effects of sitting still all day long. (See Xybix's previous blog post).

But let’s get down to brass tacks:
What about a 911 dispatch operation itself?

How would you like to share in a piece of that flu your co-worker had last week?  It sounds disgusting, but did you know that bacteria such as staph, or MRSA can survive on fabrics and surfaces for days and often even weeks?  That's right, weeks!  According to the Centers for Disease Control, the build-up of such bacteria on work surfaces leads to things such as illness and allergic reactions that can be difficult to treat.  Furthermore, bacteria if left unchecked can cause some other pretty serious problems in the workplace including odors, stains, and degradation of work surfaces.  Below are some key reasons why choosing antimicrobial work surfaces makes good business sense.