When longtime Xybix customer Air Methods sought to transform its aeromedical communications center, the project managers shopped around. They shared their unique vision with various dispatch furniture vendors only to find that “Xybix was the only one who took on the challenge.”
The 30,000 sq.ft. communications center in Omaha NE, houses 35 to 40 communicators at a time, manages 350 assets (helicopters and fixed-wing airplanes), and handles 200,000 emergency medical flight requests per year. The challenge presented by Tim Seidel, Director of Operations for Air Methods, involved dividing the communications center into regions—West Coast, Central, Southeast, and Northeast—so communicators could easily interact with members of their team. The key was to fit the regions (pods of dispatch consoles) in the center, allow space for communicators to move around, and provide easy access for IT and cleaning crews.
According to Tim, “The design process was really easy. I used a crayon and a piece of paper, and drew what I thought would be a fun idea. [Xybix designer] Megan then translated that into reality within the space provided.” When it came to consoles, Air Methods prioritized cost-effectiveness, IT infrastructure and redundancy, comfort, and usability—including ensuring that communicators feel more at home and more professional at the highly adjustable and impressive consoles.
Aside from improved communications thanks to the regional layout, communicators appreciate the Axys app that remembers their settings and allows them to quickly set up and change their workspace. Learn more about Air Methods communications center here: