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Next Generation Consoles: Designing with You in Mind

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you thought, “Wow, this is incredibly well thought-out”? And have you also experienced those moments when you come across a product that feels tailor-made for you? A product that intuitively aligns with your needs and brings an immediate sense of familiarity? It’s like a light bulb […]

The History of 911

Before the establishment of 911, attempting to reach emergency services in the US was a challenge. There was no standardized emergency number in the United States; people had to call their local police or fire department directly, which could be challenging to remember and time-consuming in an emergency. The United Kingdom was the first to […]

Gratitude: A 911 Telecommunicator's Mental Health Superpower

Cultivating gratitude isn’t just a nice idea; it’s a superpower, especially for those working in high-stress environments like emergency telecommunicators. These frontline professionals face immense pressure daily, which can take a toll on their mental and physical well-being. Research suggests that practicing gratitude can be a powerful tool in combating these challenges, offering a host […]

2023's Top Podcasts All Dispatchers Should Be Listening To

Emergency Dispatchers often face unique, taxing challenges that most of us can never fully comprehend. These professionals balance and navigate mental, physical and logistical problems while providing a necessary service for communities around the world.
Communicating the nuances of the job is no easy task. Still, these podcasts make great strides in educating the public, fostering understanding and providing a source of community for dispatchers and other first responders.
We found that the following podcasts were a wealth of valuable information and worth sharing with our own community:

3 Ways to Make Dispatch Desks More Comfortable

PSAP and 911 dispatchers spend long shifts tied to their workstations, often going many hours without a break to stretch. Long hours in the same position make ergonomics a critical pain point for any dispatch center. In the high-stress dispatch environment, tools must be in the right place, monitors adjusted to fit line of sight, and ample surface space free of obstructions or clutter.

The comfort and efficiency of a dispatch desk setup can directly impact performance, often with life-and-death results.

Here are a few ideas for how to make a dispatch console more comfortable.

Evolution of the Healthful PSAP (Bonus: Ergonomics Whitepaper)

Reducing workplace discomfort and injury is critical for PSAPs challenged with down-time and churn. While somewhat surprising, it is true that the industry lacks a centralized ergonomic standard to address the needs and challenges specific to 911 dispatching environments. Read on to learn how PSAP equipment providers can deliver meaningful solutions.

Dispatcher Yoga: 5 Standing Poses To Reduce Stress

The need to be mindful of your mental and physical health continues to be of utmost importance, particularly for the front-line first ‘first’ responders who are serving their communities. Watson Consoles is here to help with some standing yoga positions that help alleviate stress and promote mental health.

Sil Barajas

Sil is dedicated to console product development and is immersed in research and design of user-centered console features including comfort controls, tech integration and space-plan efficiency. Prior to working at Watson, he was a Design Engineer at NET Systems, Inc. Sil is a graduate of Midwestern State University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. […]

Lucas Pearl

Lucas oversees all of Watson’s industrial designers, engineers, and product managers and works directly with international designers and suppliers to bring world-class product from idea to reality. He most enjoys that he can see how each of the individuals on his team contributes to making something greater than individual components. Lucas is a graduate of […]

Brian Hickson

Brian has been with Watson since 2006 and has a depth of experience in all aspects of consoles project planning and implementation. He joined Watson in 2006 as a project coordinator where he assisted the sales team with as many as 350 projects at one time. He advanced to a role as Post Sales Manager […]