The DC Office of Unified Communication is responsible for answering 911 emergency calls as well as 311 calls for city services, information, and non-emergency police services. And in 2019 alone, they answered 1.4 million 911 calls and another 1.8 million 311 calls. With all dispatchers located in a single room and working 24/7 on outdated equipment, the organization needed a way to upgrade 156 positions within their compact space, while accommodating the needs of their vital workforce — and staying fully functional throughout the install.
As the lifeline of the District of Columbia, dispatchers at the DC OUC have an extremely stressful job. In addition to communicating with local fire, EMT, and police, they need to constantly collaborate with sister offices in Maryland and Virginia as people cross over the border. That means communication can’t be lost for an instant.
Before pursuing a remodel, dispatchers’ desks were small and crowded together, without proper lighting or climate control. And because their current workstations were outdated, there were also challenges when it came to technology. The organization needed a better system for cable management and equipment accessibility as well as faster response for IT issues given the critical nature of the environment.
“Anything we can do to reduce the stress levels of employees is something we want to shoot for. They already have a stressful job. Whether it’s bringing in new equipment or new technology, our goal is to lessen their overall stress load.”
Karl Millard, 911 Operations Manager
Knowing that employee satisfaction was key, the DC Office invited Watson and four other major console manufacturers to showcase their equipment. After presenting the Mercury Pro the Management Team, dispatchers had a chance to evaluate the consoles for themselves. Employees particularly liked how durable and spacious Mercury Pro was, with features that made it easier to do their job.