9-1-1 Dispatch Furniture Trends
In just a matter of weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic completely changed our society's way of life. PSAPs and 9-1-1 dispatch centers are no exception, with many them also having to adapt to the new reality. All of a sudden, space and hygiene became important considerations. Even more so for organisations in the process of acquiring new consoles or furniture equipment for their control centers, as it was uncertain if this was a temporary situation or not. Other considerations for dispatch consoles include technology integrations and ergonomic design. In this article, we'll go over the latest trends for 9-1-1 dispatch consoles and PSAP furniture in 2021.
1) Plexiglass Protective Barriers
In response to the recent COVID-19 outbreak, Sustema developed the all-new ConsoleShield in an effort to promote social distancing and reduce the risk of airborne threats in control room environments. ConsoleShield is a high quality and easy to clean partition system designed to serve as a barrier against particles released when coughing to provide additional protection for operators. Partitions are tailored made to fit your consoles and room layout for optimal results.
2) Personal Environmental System
PES 360 is a personal environmental system providing customized comfort at your fingertips. The user-friendly touch screen allows individuals to control the temperature, airflow, lighting, and surface height with one controller leaving the work-space uncluttered. PES 360 addresses the needs of operator comfort working long shifts by enabling them to adapt their console workstation environment to their preferences. PES 360 serves as a single control unit for all the workstation functionalities including fans speed, heater temperature, light intensity, and surface height preferences.
3) Anti-microbial Surfaces
Now more than ever, organizations around the globe are looking into ways to promote better hygiene in the workplace to minimize risk of exposure to viruses. Mission-critical work environments have their own set of challenges as multiple people share the same workspace and equipment 24/7. With the health and safety of operators in mind, Sustema developed a line of consoles equipped with antimicrobial surfaces that can help reduce the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi killing up to 99.5% of microbes found on high touch areas. The result is a cleaner and safer work environment.
4) CPU Monitors
With continuous development on electronic equipment, it is no surprise that CPUs are getting smaller and while CPU monitors are getting larger at more affordable price points. Here are a few trends we are seing with monitor displays used in PSAPs and emergency call centers. At Sustema, we'll work with you to identify the best monitor arm solution to fit and support your monitors.
Size: The standard monitor size for dispatch consoles use to be 19" displays, but now, it is more common to see 24" which better works with CAD and radio systems. However, we've also seen a trend on using even larger displays all the way up to 50" monitors. One of the main reasons for this being easier for 911 operators to see information on maps.
Portrait vs. Landscape: Another trend we've seen recently is on the positioning of the monitors with many centers placing them on "portrait" mode. A reason for this is to save space on the monitor work surface and making it easier for 911 dispatchers to read lists.
Curved: While curved monitors are becoming more popular for standard office furniture, they are mostly used as a stand alone monitor. However, this trend has not yet met the needs for emergency call centers where operators require multiple monitors to view all the CAD information. The arc positioning using standard monitors remains the favorite option.
5) Urethane Edges
Known for their unparalleled durability, urethane edges are one of the most popular products used in high-traffic areas such as 9-1-1 dispatch centers. Why you may ask? It is because the manufacturing sealing process eliminates the risk for microbial or moisture growth caused by water, coffee, and even cleaning agents to accumulate. It is also a softer texture than standard edges which is more comfortable to rest your wrist on for long periods of time which also works protects it better from scratches, bumps, and peeling. This is all due to the manufacturing process where the urethane is clamped to the work surface for the urethane to get inside the fibres of the surface and create a highly tight seal between the two elements.
6) Alerting System
ConsoleAlert® provides instant insights on the status, activities, and performance of teams. Specifically developed for 911 emergency call centers (PSAP) applications, ConsoleALERT® lets operators request assistance from their supervisors directly from their console. ConsoleAlert® enables 911 dispatch centers and PSAPs to streamline communication between operators and supervisors 24/7. Control room and PSAP supervisors can rest assured their team is taken care of with ConsoleAlert® instant notifications to help them quickly identify the location of the operator requesting assistance.
How does it work?
Request Help: Operators simply press on the button from their workstation to send a help request to the PSAP supervisor.
Alerting System: PSAP supervisors are instantly notified via the ConsoleAlert® application or through the status light.
Take Over the Call: Once connected, the supervisor can take over the call and provide further assistance to the caller.
Sustema Consoles
Sustema has over 25 years helping organisations design and implement their control centers, 9-1-1 dispatch centers and IT-intensive work environments. We help organisations from the beginning consulting and design stages up to the final console installation in their facilities. Our manufacturing facility enables us to provide custom solutions to meet our client requirements in terms of design, technology, and ergonomics. Let us know how we can help by booking a virtual showroom tour or contacting us directly.