About the client
“There are 1000 calls a day in the Emergency Center.”
-Yves Latreille, Operational Unit Leader at the Gatineau 911 Emergency Centre.
The Gatineau 911 Emergency Center has 70 employees spread across five teams. During each work period, eight to ten operators are on the floor prepared to answer the 1,000 daily calls the centre receives.
About the project
Our client required 12 control consoles for its renewed emergency center in the city of Gatineau. These consoles were required to fulfill strict ergonomic guidelines like the APSAM guidelines and were required to be future-proofed so that the center could implement new technologies such as the Next Generation of 911 that is currently being adopted throughout North America.
About the solution
Our client chose our Transit Series of control consoles to build out its new emergency center. This entailed the design and manufacturing of 12 ergonomic workstations for the primary center that would serve as the backbone of 911 dispatch in the Gatineau region.
Our dispatch consoles fulfill the technical and ergonomic requirements since they are built using heavy duty materials. The steel substructure that supports the weight of the equipment and plays a pivotal role in cable management, is made from 12-inch gauge steel. While the dual worksurfaces are made from high-pressure laminate which is scratch, stain and impact resistant. It is a thick material that is also stain resistant and anti-static, creating a durable workstation that stays clean and looks professional.
The furniture for this center is designed in the “cockpit” configuration, and each console occupies a footprint of 76 by 76 inches. They feature a double work surface with electric height adjustment, with individual controls that are independent from one another.
With its innovative wall system, our consoles offer an efficient cable management solution for data and telephone cables. By routing cables along dedicated electrical raceways, our dispatch consoles maximize access to the interior of the console and reduce obstacles in cable management. Removable panels provide easy access to cables and maintain a clean aesthetic in the center.
Contributing to an efficient cable management system is the 12-inch gauge steel substructure underneath the worksurface. Cables run along the substructure from the CPU enclosures all the way to the worksurfaces to power monitors, tools and other IT equipment like the dispatch console.
To power the IT equipment, the powerful height adjustability actuators, and the personal environmental systems, there are 3 power bars located underneath the work surface itself, and an electrification system included in the control consoles, enabling 2 separate dedicated circuits of 15A each.
The Dual CPU enclosures are big enough for 2 Mid Tower PC’s placed side by side, equipped with steel trays for maintenance, rackmount functionality with ventilation grills.
The entire console is industrial grade and manufactured for a 24/7 usage. Including the worksurfaces, the steel underneath and all the accessories. The worksurface can easily support 6 monitors of 24 inches, 4 in the forefront and 2 in the secondary level. These monitor arms are adjustable and future proof, also there is no tool required to make adjustments for the different operators.
Adding to the versatility of the system, the worksurface includes a retractable monument port systemoffering direct access to data and power without having to open the CPU enclosures. This system includes ports for USB, power supply and a special port for the CAT5 network.
Each console is equipped with a personal environmental system to control the light intensity, cooling and heating, on the worksurface. This system allows direct and precise control of the 2 task lights with a 4400k with warm and cold light, as well as the cooling fans and the heaters installed on the bottom of the console.
All consoles are also equipped with our Console Alert system, which sends a distress call from the console to the supervisor and enhances the center’s crisis management capabilities. This system is connected to a status light (which is itself compatible with the Solacom system), and includes the following colors: white, green, yellow and red. Each one indicates the status of the console: Busy, Alert activated, Administrative phone call and in an emergency call with alert activated.
Between every 2 consoles there is a 36 inches space, where the cables run through a shared wall system to help keep a clean environment with superb cable management. This space is also occupied by a small cabinet with 2 drawers for documents and personal items.
About the result
Using our heavy-duty consoles, 911 telecommunicators can handle an increased amount of emergency calls while working in a comfortable workstation that adapts to the user’s needs. Equipped with state-of-the-art consoles, the SPVG allows its employees to have the best possible working conditions. The ergonomic features and the technology integrations help reduce stress and reduce burnout. Since our dispatch consoles are designed to be future-proofed, they enable telecommunicators to quickly implement new technologies and IT equipment without increasing downtime. Something that comes in handy when NG911is just around the corner.
Let us help you build a control center solution
Sustema has more than 30 years of experience in designing and building specialized furniture for control rooms. We have helped multiple PSAPs throughout North America to modernize their control rooms and provide their operators with state-of-the-art dispatch consoles. Contact us to get the ball rolling.
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