Walking the show floor at any conference for public safety professionals is a great opportunity to check out the latest and greatest offerings from the industry’s top vendors. Never was this more true than at The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials’ (APCO) Annual Conference and Expo in New Orleans, which took place in early August.

Not surprisingly, my favorite part of these exhibitions is visiting other dispatch furniture manufacturers. There is nothing better than touching, feeling, and sometimes riding up and down on the furniture! I have 17 years of experience in this industry, and want to share with you what stood out to me.

So without further ado, here’s what you missed from the dispatch furniture vendors at APCO 2014 (in alphabetical order):

NEWLY UPDATED FOR 2021:

If you’re planning to invest in new furniture for your dispatch, communications or radiology center, there’s one major attribute that you might be looking for above any others: reliability. But how will you know if a furniture manufacturer offers products that are safe and long lasting? One simple way is by seeking out the BIFMA stamp of approval.

Here is a quick overview of this important standard and why it matters.

Recently, at 2014 NENA in Nashville, TN, I was asked by Ricardo Martinez from the Within the Trenches to participate in a podcast about Xybix, our 911 ergonomic workstations and the recently introduced treadmills and bikes. Naturally, I accepted his invitation and  answer quite a few of the questions we've been receiving about the treadmill workstations. Here is what Ricardo came up with. 

Episode topics –

• Xybix history
• Treadmill facts
• Xybix blogs
• Frequently Asked Questions

So you’re planning a new dispatch center! Where should you start? One of the first questions an architect or contractor may ask is how much square footage you’ll require for the space. This is a tricky question, and one that carries serious financial consequences. On one hand, you don’t want so much space that sections of the room are left empty. On the other, you don’t want to squeeze workstations into an area that is too small either. Take advantage of this pre-planning stage to build the perfect fit — with a space for your current staff (plus room to grow) that will meet the functional requirements of an up-to-date dispatch center. But how much square footage is that, exactly? That question may leave you scratching your head.

Are you protected against static interference in your 911 dispatch center? Imagine being on a call giving life-saving instructions to a frantic mother administering CPR to her child who has stopped breathing. Now, imagine if a static charge from unprotected flooring caused an equipment malfunction, and the call center experienced a shutdown, losing computer and phone service. Although this scenario is over-exaggerated, if your dispatch center doesn’t have static-free flooring, you could find yourself in a similar situation.

What is the one thing that public safety employees always seem to disagree about in a communications center? Well, there may be more than a few different things on your radar, such as lighting or even a code 7 — can we all agree on a place to eat? 

However, working as a 911 Dispatcher in California, the biggest argument I hear again and again in my center is over the thermostat! Can we turn the heat up? Can we turn it down? There never seems to be a perfect setting to suit all workers.

I recently ran into a registered nurse who now works a desk job and sells services nationwide. When I was explaining to him that I worked for a company called Xybix Systems, Inc. that makes height adjustable ergonomic furniture, his eyes lit up and he said, “No way! I just built a homemade, height-adjustable desk myself and even added a treadmill! Here, I have a picture…” Needless to say what I saw, while impressive in a DIY kind of way, it was wrong on multiple levels. As an RN working the ER floor, he gained 60 pounds and struggled with eating right in a nonstop, emotionally taxing environment. He managed to lose the weight and keep it off and has certainly benefited from integrating consistent activity into his new workspace.

When Should I start looking for new 911 Dispatch Console Furniture?

This is a loaded and tricky question for most people! And, with the ever-changing world of dispatch furniture products, starting your search for new 911 dispatch console furniture can often lead to “a kid in the candy shop” mentality, which can lead to wishful thinking and ultimately, frustration about your current situation. This blog will walk you through the initial purchasing steps, typical time lines and processes before, during and after you start your search for new 911 dispatch console furniture.

Buying new dispatch furniture or radiology furniture can be stressful. After making the big decision on which furniture manufacturer will work best for you, it might feel like you are only halfway done. That's because you are. Hopefully, you have picked a company with a strong and experienced team which can help make the delivery and installation go seamlessly. There is probably a lot of pressure to get the new furniture delivered, installed and functioning without disruption or costly mistakes. This blog will walk you through some order completion details that can help ensure a smooth arrival and delivery of your new furniture.

Light Reflectance
Have you ever wondered why Radiologists work in dark rooms? Studies have shown that the ability to interpret diagnostic images correctly on medical imaging monitors begins to decline as the ambient light conditions go from dark to light. Another common problem is light reflectance which can cause glare on the imaging monitors, impacting the clarity of the images. Too much glare is a frequent complaint among workstation users. Glare can be disabling, reducing the contrast of images and interfering with the ability to read the images correctly. Glare can be caused by reflections from interior light sources, light from windows and even light colored objects within the reading room-- including the color of the furniture.