The Zetron Blog: Z-Wire

Estimated reading time: 14 minute(s) Over the last few weeks, we have all witnessed life as we know it turned inside out by the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. It seems the world has changed overnight. Social distancing, homeschooling, working from home, and staying inside are now the new buzzwords on our newsfeeds. Besides health concerns, financial worries and anxieties over the availability of essential resources and supplies weigh heavily on us all. And in truth, even the most confident and introverted people among us are getting restless. But while there is little doubt our world will come through these events stronger than ever, there is also no hiding the facts. These are uncertain times. And although much of the world is on pause right now, it’s important to recognize and say thank you to those among us who cannot stay in or stand still. Besides the brave and relentless healthcare workers on the front lines, we must also acknowledge and extend our gratitude to our nation’s first responders. Our EMTs and paramedics, firefighters, law enforcement officers, public safety dispatchers, 9-1-1 operators, and everyone else working day and night to keep our communities healthy, safe, and operational. These people are our partners, our customers, our family, and our friends. In truth, they deserve so much more than our well wishes. They deserve our support, our patience, our kindness, and our sincere appreciation. If you are a first responder, including those working tirelessly and selflessly in telecommunicator and dispatch roles within emergency communicatons centers, please know the world appreciates all you do, and we recognize everything you sacrifice to protect the people we love. Thank you for your kindness, courage, and leadership. We are humbled by your courage and astounded by your generosity and dedication. You are the backbone of our society. Please take care of yourself and keep one another grounded, healthy, and safe. With this in mind, it’s paramount for all our first responders to acknowledge and address the unique challenges created by fighting this pandemic 24/7. Aside from the standard guidelines for PPE precautions, safe distancing, frequent hand washing, and staying mindful of physical symptoms or isolation protocols, adequate nutrition, and rest is also essential. So is mental wellbeing. During these trying times, first responders are powering through staggering levels of stress, physical strain, and mental exhaustion. If you are among this community, please understand, although it may feel the fate of your community is resting on you, and in some cases, it may be—we also recognize you are human. You are only capable of so much. Yes, we need you to keep showing up and stay healthy, but at the same time, we need you to give yourself and your crew a break. It’s essential to rest when you can. Likewise, be sure to take time to check on your family, to enjoy the solace of a five-minute walk, and to revel in the too-rare instances of a hot meal or humorous conversation. We promise the world will understand. On that note, if you are stuck inside, go for a quick walk around the building, step outside and just breathe or watch a silly online video. No matter how chaotic, remember to take time to clear your mind and relieve some of the tension. Likewise, although the pressure to perform is high, please remember you are not alone. Chances are your co-workers are experiencing the same fatigue, frustrations, and hardships. Like you, they are also dealing with the best and worst of human nature, while at the same time worrying over how to stay in touch with family and friends. Please remember to be patient and kind to one another, to lean on each other for support, and make each other smile when you can. Also, if you need professional support, again, you are not alone. If you need to talk, don’t hesitate to reach out to your agency’s mental health team. Remember, you are the reason they are there. No matter how awkward it may feel, understand these people are committed to your wellbeing. In turn, they will do everything they can to help you through this. No one will think anything less of you, and in truth, no one has to know. As far as technical and equipment support for your command center, understand nothing has changed on Zetron’s end. Although we’ve modified how we work, we are still here for your agency—24/7/365. Please do not hesitate to contact our team if there is anything we can do to better support your agency’s mission critical needs or help your command center operate more efficiently. We are all in this together, and we will stand beside you in this fight. Visit our Coronavirus Public Notice page for updates regarding Zetron and what we’re doing to remain available and accessible to those that need us. Lastly, for those of you planning on attending IWCE this August, Zetron will be there to greet you. Although we are disappointed to have missed the opportunity to see you earlier, we recognize the gravity of the situation. As such, we are committed to keeping our customers, partners, and employees safe. Rest assured, we will all be back together this summer, stronger and better than ever. Together we will get through these challenging times. Thank you from all of us at Zetron. Going forward, please stay safe and take care of one another.

Estimated reading time: 18 minute(s)
If you work in emergency and/or mission-critical dispatch, you already know maintaining backup communications center is a necessary evil. Whether you’re dealing with routine calls, large-scale incidents, special events, power failures, etc., having a contingency plan for coordinating field operations and teams or communicating with first responders is critical to the mission. Even more important is the ability to get these services mobilized quickly and with minimal interruption to your agency and community.

Estimated reading time: 17 minute(s)
Like boarding a roller-coaster, upgrading your communication center can be equally thrilling and nerve-wracking. Just when you think you’ve finally overcome funding and approval hurdles—you realize the real ride is only beginning.

Estimated reading time: 10 minute(s)
Ever since the first text message was sent back in 1992, it’s transformed how we communicate. Today, over 180 billion text messages are sent each month 1 in the U.S., with 97% of Americans saying they text on a weekly basis, according to The Pew Research Center. Younger generations especially are more comfortable texting and prefer it over talking on the phone. Yet when it comes to emergencies, we’ve still been widely limited to just one option: calling 9-1-1.