Johnson County Communications Center continuously strives to improve its 9-1-1, Police, Fire and EMS dispatching services it provides to about 625,000 people within the county.
Johnson County recently opened a new facility where 71 dispatchers work to provide around the clock service to the community. Sheriff’s Office dispatchers provide service to their own large department and to nine other law enforcement agencies including the Olathe Police Department. Johnson County Emergency Communications Center dispatches for all 14 fire/ EMS agencies in the county. Each dispatcher relies on an efficient facility design focused on each individual to get the job done productively.
The County Communications Center provided a state-of-the-art 9-1-1 communications facility for the two county agencies, a new building containing 41 new consoles and dedicated to the mission of 9-1-1 dispatching. It was important to Johnson County to build a sustainable and environmentally responsible building equipped with new furniture that meets these same standards. This new building covers 46,000 square feet, is a candidate for LEED “green building” certification and is built to withstand F4-level tornadic winds while remaining fully operational.
Kevin Whittaker, the Deputy Director of Communication Services, was directly involved in the process from the beginning. Once the RFP for console furniture was issued, three solid finalists emerged. Kevin knew he wanted new height adjustable consoles, had an idea of what equipment each console would need to house, knew they were implementing a new radio system and had a general idea of how things should look and function. They chose Xybix for several key reasons. First, not only was Xybix up front regarding standards and the cost of the workstations including add-ons, the furniture was very customizable. Secondly, it was very important for Johnson County to implement their sustainability initiative throughout their innovative center.
Xybix offers a formaldehyde-free particleboard that fits the needs of green centers striving to be LEED certified. “We utilized the formaldehyde-free particle board offered by Xybix and were thrilled to be able to maintain our desired green materials in our install,” states Kevin. “Our experience working with Xybix was extremely satisfying and we particularly appreciated the customization aspect of their products without a dizzying array of add ons and up charges,” adds Kevin.
Kevin and his team found Kelley Smith, our National Install Manager, and his team to be helpful and friendly and always very on point throughout the install. Kevin worked diligently with Xybix designer, Josi Gebhardt, who shared her experience regarding communication center layouts and how to tailor the building for best functionality. Kevin appreciated having Josi ‘s expertise to help guide them through the design process enabling them to make good decisions.
Kevin is pleased to recommend Xybix to others so we have returned to Olathe for additional work and upgrades. The Johnson County Communication Center remains green and is up and running with very satisfied dispatchers keeping productivity high.
Once you are a customer with Xybix—you are always a customer and we intend to look after you throughout the years to come!