Building or remodeling a center for 911 dispatch, utilities, transportation, or security is not something you do every day. Control room projects are critical but not common. In fact, given that technical furniture consoles generally are made to last 10 to 20 years, you may be involved in only 1 or 2 console purchases in your entire career. As a result, we know you have questions. To help, I’ve rounded up the most common questions we encounter and provided quick answers along with sources for more information. As always, feel free to reach out to Xybix with any questions.

Acoustic divider panels in a 911 dispatch or operations center can you help walk that fine line between a cubicle farm and an open office. Most employees hate both options—and yet they crave the privacy and relative quiet of a cubicle along with the easy access to their neighbors in an open space. You can get the best of both worlds with a panel system designed specifically for your consoles, your floor layout, and your PSAP’s specific communications style. Here’s an example of panels with glass tiles.

Most dispatch console manufacturers—including Xybix—are expert with the shoehorn. We help PSAPs and operation centers add or replace consoles as needed, and our designers work with the center to make it all fit. We love the creativity that goes into this process, and we’re happy to be involved in any upgrade or remodeling project.

That said, when console manufacturers get the chance to be involved from the inception of a project, we jump! For a new center—not hampered by tight spaces or weird columns—we can employ all our innovative technologies and years of experience in creating functional and inviting floor layouts. Plus, we bring the expertise in the unique needs of dispatch centers to the architects and interior designers involved in the project. Read on for details.

Well-designed dispatch consoles are so sleek that it’s easy to wonder where the computers go. For most people, it doesn’t really matter until the computer breaks or needs an upgrade. Then you care how fast IT can take care of it, and IT certainly cares about having to crawl around the floor or squeeze behind a heavy desk.

Backup 911 call centers used to be bare bones—just enough to get the dispatchers up and running at a moment’s notice. These days, PSAPs are starting to build more robust backup centers, likely due to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. Whatever the cause of this trend, creating a space with a similar setup helps PSAPs remain mission ready and maintain response times, no matter where they are located.

Monitors and computers are critical to the work of radiologists, which means that imaging desks need to carefully handle that equipment. This includes providing easy access for IT, so they can quickly swap out a computer or monitor as needed. 

A core value at Xybix is innovation, and boy have we been busy this year. Our owners, salespeople, designers, and engineers are constantly talking to people in the industries we serve to learn about challenges, trends, and current and future needs. (That’s why we hit all the premier trade shows.) Then we go back to our manufacturing facility, brainstorm, experiment, and come up with myriad ways to surprise you, delight you, and serve your needs.

Xybix recently helped Brown County Public Safety Communications team replace its decades-old furniture with modern ergonomic consoles sporting innovative features such as app-controlled personalized lighting and climate controls along with under-desk exercise equipment.

At Xybix, we’re happy to share with you all the cool features of our ergonomic sit-to-stand dispatch consoles. Our consoles are packed with tried-and-true basics plus innovative new options designed specifically for the long hours and stressful shifts that dispatchers typically experience. But we know it’s better for you to hear it straight from other dispatchers, so we talked to a few employees at Aurora 911 after a significant remodel that included new Xybix consoles, a new layout from a Xybix designer, and new paint and carpeting.

(NOTE: This article was originally written for 911training.net)

We all understand that 9-1-1 dispatch centers serve as the vital bridge connecting individuals in distress with the timely aid of first responders. However, the often-overlooked factor of the culture within these centers can profoundly influence the morale and job satisfaction of staff, ultimately impacting the ability to provide effective emergency services.