The Purpose-Driven PSAP Pro: Prioritize What Matters Most
John Lennon once said that life is what happens when you’re making other plans, referring to the fact that, so often, what we think we want and what we actually have are two very different things. There’s nothing wrong with thinking about tomorrow, but if we don’t occasionally notice what’s going on around us today, we might be making sacrifices of which we’re not aware.
When we notice that the struggle for tomorrow has caused us to drift out of alignment with what we truly value, there’s an opportunity to do something about it. There’s an opportunity to reconnect with our “Why.”
Effective Mission Critical Teams Combat Fatigue with a "Stress Helps" Mindset
A “stress helps” mindset may sound counter-intuitive – especially when the stress you experience is affecting your sleep, your mood, and your relationships. For 911 dispatchers and other mission-critical operators, learning to tame the stress effect is critical for daily health and long-term stability.
PSAP teams can attest to the cyclical highs and lows associated with real-time monitoring. The dramatic swings in emotional engagement, coupled with the critical nature of the response, can make stress-management a challenge. If unchecked the ill-effects of stress can lead to disengagement, increased absenteeism, burnout and churn.
Top 3 Treadmills for Your Dispatch Console Workstation
In a previous blog, Treadmills at your dispatch console: the good, the bad, and the ugly, we shared experiences that 911 dispatchers have had with treadmills in their centers. We learned that it’s not always a great fit for everyone. For those centers that have decided to incorporate treadmills, here are the top picks for commercial applications AND three reasons why sourcing directly can benefit your team.
How public safety pros can stop overthinking and do more of what they want
When your life is defined by how much you do for the world-the difference you make to those around you-it feels counter-intuitive to hit the PAUSE button. But what if a simple pause held more happiness and an increased ability to care for the world? Yes, by slowing down it’s possible to do more! Read on to discover why hitting “pause” reduces stress and is especially beneficial if you have a high-stress role.
6 NEAT Activities to Reduce 911 Dispatcher Stress
If you are a 911 dispatcher or operator tethered to a dispatch console work station, the opportunity to incorporate healthy movement into your day may feel restricted. We recently shared that non exercise activity thermogenesis, NEAT, can be a valuable part of a plan for a healthier and more resilient you. The best thing about NEAT is that 1) you are already doing it and 2) it is EASY to increase NEAT activities and benefit from the results. Read on for additional information and a few tips for putting NEAT to work.
The Best Comm Center Leaders are Great at Prioritizing This One Thing
Martha and Jim each have a very different impact on their center. Martha inspires a high degree of trust. The team members offer solutions to organizational challenges without fear of making mistakes. On Jim’s shift, the feeling is different. Day-to-day, his subordinates don’t know what to expect. His employees generally keep their ideas for improving the center to themselves. Do either of these scenarios sound familiar? Read on and discover the attribute that is the biggest differentiator.
Did You Know that Chewing Gum Can Reduce 911 Dispatcher Stress?
The energy expended during physical activities, other than intentional sporting-like exercise, is called NEAT. NEAT movements can boost calorie burn, increase muscular-skeletal health, and reduce stress. And, yes, chewing gum is one qualifying NEAT activity. That said, learn about more effective NEAT strategies you can incorporate into your day.
5 Ways 911 Dispatchers Boost Energy Without Caffeine
When exhaustion hits, it is easy to reach for a caffeinated soda, energy drink, or an aroma-filled cup of joe. While caffeine has become the standard, there are more effective ways to boost your energy without the crash. Get ready to take your shift head-on with these five alternatives for energy without the caffeine.
4 Powerful Steps for Less Stress as a 911 Dispatcher
During her nearly three-decade career as a front line telecommunicator, Laura’s passion for the job waned. More recently, things had gotten worse. She was short with callers and impatient with coworkers. Her daily attitude, usually positive and upbeat, turned sourer each day.
6 Energy Boosters Help 911 Dispatchers Overcome Winter Blues
Winter is nearly upon us. Did you know that as many as 4 of 6 people experience the effects of “winter blues”? For 911 dispatchers dealing with high-stress calls, the added strain of dreary skies can take a toll. Here are some tips and resources for battling the darker days of winter.
Compassion Fatigue and 9-1-1 (infographic)
Compassion fatigue affects as many as eight out of ten 911 dispatchers. Repeated exposure to second hand trauma while fielding emergency calls can take a toll on mental, emotional, and physical health.
The Power of Resilience: How to Thrive as a 9-1-1 Dispatch Professional
Why do some people thrive in the midst of daily challenges while others get taken out? Why can some people tolerate a tremendous amount of stress and others get sick? Resilience.
NEAT Changes Get Big Results (Infographic)
Sitting for long periods stresses your joints, promotes back pain, reduces circulation, and increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes. If you are a PSAP dispatcher, or part of the 100 million+ Americans that work at a desk every day, you have a little extra work to do to keep your health on track. The good news is that increasing your NEAT can significantly improve your health. You might be wondering, “What is NEAT?”
How the Best Comm Centers Motivate Their Front-Line Employees
PSAPs all over the country are experiencing similar challenges. Low staffing. High turnover. Mandatory overtime. Low morale. And it’s not only because they don’t have money to spend. Some centers offer starting pay above $80,000 per year and still can’t solve these problems.
Bring the Outdoors in and Reduce Stress in Your PSAP
Communications team leaders experience some common pain points directly related to workspace impact on employee satisfaction. In a previously published blog, How the Best Comm Centers Motivate Their Front-Line Employees, Adam Timm discusses the negative impact of dissatisfaction on operations and suggests ways to change the tide. However, not all change has to happen at once. There are small adjustments that will positively affect how people feel about being at work and support a healthy office environment.
Germ Warfare: Do Antimicrobial Laminates Promote a Healthy PSAP?
Right now, PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points) along with the entire global population are concerned with COVID19 and the effects it has on their ability to work. Even team members who are diligent about washing hands and dosing Zinc and C, the invisible contaminates they are exposed to at shift changes can derail their well-tuned health practices.
Communications center managers know a healthy workplace helps keep the team in-tact and operations running smoothly. Now more than ever, furniture manufactures need to discuss the interest behind materials used to make dispatch furniture consoles, like anti-microbial laminates, and if they can actually help thwart the spread of sickness.
Is Recycling Right for Your 911 or Operations Center?
In the spirit of Earth Day (belated), the Watson Consoles team participated in the second Watson dumpster dive. We learned that simple improvements to our disposal habits will have high impact on both the bottom line and the health of the oceans, streams and forests we love. Our findings might inspire you to think about your trash differently, too.
The Dispatch Console Treadmill: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
As our collective pursuit of ever healthier work environments carries on, I wanted to take a moment and summarize Watson’s perspective and learnings on the controversial topic of treadmills at your dispatch console. Since the early 90’s, we have designed our products to encourage healthy lifestyles and adopted many of the best practices as part of our core culture and it came as a surprise to many that we took a skeptical (and practical) stance on the dispatch console treadmill concept.