As I write this—on May 19, 2022—forecasters are predicting that it will snow tomorrow in Denver. But I know that other parts of the country are already enjoying relative humidity in the range of 70, 80 and even 90 percent. Which brings me to an old myth that seems to circle back on us: That you shouldn’t buy desks with laminate tops if you live in a humid client. I’m always happy to debunk this myth because I hate for people to miss out on all the benefits of 3D laminate. Let’s take a deeper look.

"I cannot stress enough that these specifically designed UVC light sources are not safe for humans or pets.”

Ultraviolet light (UVC) sanitizing wands are flooding the COVID-cleaning market, and I’m more than a little concerned. Touted as a means of cleaning COVID19 germs out of… everything (your workstation, office, skin), here's what's even more unsettling. Sellers of these "magic wands" are advertising relentlessly to mission-critical facilities, including dispatch and command and control centers.

Before you even touch a UVC sanitizing wand, read this.

"The average office desk has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat."

If you have old-school “edge-banded” desktops in your 24/7 work environment, they’re hiding a dirty secret: The average office desk has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat.

Why? Because germs can easily hide in the seams of traditional edge-banded desks. Gross, right? Even worse is how quickly your team of mission-critical operators can get sick when exposed to harmful bacteria. This can increase illness and absenteeism among those who serve the public 24/7: dispatchers, command center operators, and radiologists.

There’s been plenty of talk about what the world will look like post-pandemic. This includes non-essential folks returning to work—and a new reality for mission-critical operations who never stopped working. I see several specific and tangible solutions, some involving cloud technologies, that will likely serve mission-critical infrastructure in the immediate future and beyond.

Here are my top seven predictions, working from the small-scale ideas to the large.

Use the right cleaning products and techniques to protect your workstations and consoles from germs that cause COVID-19.

Our family at Xybix Systems, Inc. values the health and safety of our loyal customers. We are working diligently to answer accurately and thoroughly your many questions about COVID-19 as it relates to your Xybix products.

Buying a new workstation for your mission-critical operations center can feel more complicated than buying a new car. With so many features and options available, each with its claims as the “best choice,” it’s easy to get “analysis paralysis.”

Should you choose straight desks or curved? Monitor arms or arrays? And what about the surface materials for your console desktop? Which material is going to provide the most durable, comfortable and attractive desktop?

Each flu season, we share tips with our customers on how to keep their workstations clean. Shared workspaces—common in settings like control and command centers, dispatch and healthcare—are especially vulnerable; with frequent shift changes, operators are likely to be occupying the same workstations as their colleagues. While Coronavirus and the flu—both making headlines as the number of cases rise—are not the same virus, the preventive measures are largely the same.

You know that feeling when you get a new car? At first, it’s all shiny and new. You take extra care with the buttons, and you do everything possible to avoid spills and stains. The experience of getting new dispatch furniture brings up all of the same feels! After some time, however, your furniture will naturally experience some wear and tear, and you’ll need to do a little spring cleaning.

Growing up in the ‘70s, “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas became one of my favorite songs of all time. Now that I have a house and teenagers, I don’t like actual dust at all. It seems to come from everywhere, and I know this is even more true in your 911 Comm Center. With 24/7 staffing and the constant action in the room, there is a ton of dust. So, how do you get rid of it?

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.