Emergency Operations Centers

A well designed and equipped emergency operations center is key to a coordinated response and is the focal point for managing everything that occurs during the event. Emergency operations centers are designed to facilitate mission critical activities such as training, coordination, command and control, and dispatch. The success of each of these activities is directly linked to space planning, ergonomic furniture design, and audiovisual monitoring within the operations center. As a leading control room designer, custom furniture manufacturer and audiovisual systems integrator, Americon ensures that every operations center it outfits creates an environment for effective interaction between teams and decision-makers.

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Emergency Operations Center Furniture: The design and layout of specialized furniture ensures that operators work in a comfortable and convenient environment with the necessary tools placed at their finger tips. A well planned furniture layout ensures successful interaction between teams and allows the flexibility to rearrange as requirements change.

Dispatch Furniture: Specialized dispatch furniture may also be a component of emergency operations centers. Custom-made ergonomic dispatch consoles support communications and security requirements with furniture designed specifically for that purpose.

Video Wall Systems: DLP, LED, and LCD video wall systems bring real-time data and information in an intuitive form that speeds decision-making. In emergencies, audiovisual systems could be the only link to the outside.

Americon provides creative space planning for emergency operations centers. Every emergency operations center is unique in space characteristics, number of staff, budget and application. The layout could have a traditional look where several rows of furniture face video walls. Or it could be a conference room and control room rolled into one. Another approach could be workstation clusters placed across the room. Or there could be a combination of some, or all of these approaches. Video walls are another popular tool for modern emergency operations centers. Americon Visionmaster video wall systems are modular plug-and-play systems that are a solution for either large or small spaces depending on available space and budget.

Americon Visionmaster DLP, LED and LCD video walls are the latest in video wall technology. They are fully modular, self-contained, free standing, portable and expandable. Visionmaster video walls have a shallow depth between 12" and 24" and height typically between 7' and 12' making them suitable for smaller control rooms, or dual purpose environments like conference rooms. Custom size video walls are available.

A Visionmaster video wall system is comprised of a video processor (controller), the latest high definition displays, sound system, wireless keyboard with mouse, integrated equipment racks, storage space, custom cabinetry, connectivity and optional installation and training. The Visionmaster video wall is designed in a modular fashion with simplicity that allows a qualified electronics specialist to do the installation. However, Americon can provide both factory installation and training if requested.Other features such as a video conferencing interface, touch panel control and distributed audio are also available.

Here are a few characteristics of all Visionmaster models:

• Easily service equipment from the front or rear.
• Available in a variety of individual screen sizes; operator has complete control over picture size and placement.
• Modular and free standing with all components including audio speakers stored in the base.
• Cost savings with cabinet solution over mounting displays on the wall.
• Display network applications, DVD, satellite, cable, video conferencing and computer images simultaneously.
• Assign hot keys for combinations of images and recall them quickly and easily.

See more information on Visionmaster video wall systems here. Installation is completed in one day for most cases.

Americon on CNBC's World Business Review.

Americon is leading the way with unique control room furniture and video display solutions designed for all facets of emergency operations. Americon’s president appeared on CNBC to discuss the issues confronting the emergency management community and what Americon is doing to bring emergency managers the tools they need faster.

See Americon emergency management solutions on World Business Report

Ask me about our turnkey packages for emergency operations centers. The package includes needs analysis, drawings, customized workstations and our matching, modular Visionmaster video wall configured for your application. It’s a simple and cost effective approach that includes exactly what you need to get your operation up and running quickly.