Xybix's Blog

I must start off by saying that I am extremely proud to be a part of such an amazing community within the public safety industry. I was inspired to write this blog by those I feel who are making a difference within the 911 community. Specifically, those who are closest to me are my friends behind Operation 10-8, 911 Training Institute, Within the Trenches, and Kim Turner, LLC.

I talk with many public safety professionals at tradeshows, and after showing them how beautiful our new consoles are, they often joke that they don’t deserve nice stuff. I’m not sure why they’d think something like that. Do ugly consoles last longer than nice ones? Why do they feel they aren’t worth the quality option?

I’m just going to say it, employee morale and company culture have a huge effect on the workplace. Absenteeism, lost productivity and poor health have all been directly attributed to morale in a workplace. So in a 24/7 industry like 911 dispatch, how can you improve morale and company culture, while adhering to policies and guidelines.

You may have seen an episode of Extreme Makeover on one of the home improvement channels. The premise of the show is simple; a room in someone’s home is in desperate need of updating because it looks drab and dull. The makeover team comes to the rescue and converts the room into something much more appealing over one weekend.

5,4,3,2,1…. Happy New Year!

What an exciting time of year this is. A brand new year signifies 365 blank pages to fill with memories and growth. I don’t know about you, but the new year brings a new sense of hope for me. I want to grow and expand my horizons, and I also want to be better than I was the year before. I want to start this year off with a bang, go full speed ahead, and be ready to take on the world! As a professional in the 911 industry, you have very busy, stressful days and there’s no time like the present to make yourself a priority.

With the holidays coming right around the corner, many 911 Comm Centers are experiencing increased call volume, and because of this, you may not have any creative juices left over to boost morale in your center. So, to help you out, I conducted a phone interview with Tammy Price, Chief of Baltimore County 911 Center, to discuss some ideas on how to ramp up morale that actually work in the real world. She is no stranger to cool and fun ideas. In fact, she has given presentations on how to boost morale in Comm Centers three times at various APCO/NENA conferences.

Some of the best people I’ve ever worked with are those in the 911/Public Safety Industry. And while most of us are at home in our stretchy Thanksgiving pants enjoying the company of family and loved ones, someone needs to be someone on the other line of a 911 call in case of emergency. So, here is a shout out to all of you 911 Dispatchers &  Turkey foregoer’s. I've put together a list of how you might be able to have a bit of a good ol’ Thanksgiving celebration even while you are at work.

The end of the year means budget submittals are upon us! Oh, and the HOLIDAYS...yes, I said it! Maybe you don't need new dispatch consoles, but you want to revamp your Comm Center and give it a refresh. Adding some small things to your center is a great way to boost morale.  So, with the upcoming holidays and unavoidable chaos here are 4 ways you can spruce up your center without breaking the bank:

A 911 communications center is host to many dark calls. For 911 dispatchers who are responsible for answering these critical phone calls, death is on the phone daily. I spent 14 years as a paramedic in Denver, and I remember that one day my unit alone saw eight cases dead on arrival (DOA). Later on, we were able to make our way to one of the local parks to look at green grass, beautiful lakes, and pleasant foliage in order to soothe some of the pain we had witnessed.

Motivation and overall morale in the dispatch center are difficult to maintain and with the encroaching holidays, one thing is for certain, 911 dispatchers are called to be at the top of their game. Holidays can be a very busy time for 911; burnout, sickness and just genuine lack of motivation can be huge problems causing 911 centers everywhere to struggle. Nothing can replace giving up time with family or friends over the holidays. So, what can you do to help motivate and maybe inspire your dispatchers this holiday season?