Muskegon Central Dispatch 911 is one of the busiest 911 call centers in the Midwest. The existing space was shoe-horned into a leftover office space on the second floor of Muskegon Central Fire Station. MCD had a desperate need to expand their operation but were completely land locked within an existing building footprint that rendered an addition nearly impossible.
Inadequate space combined with existing building systems that had never operated correctly left the Dispatch staff and equipment vulnerable to power loss, overheating, and the inability to grow. In the time of greatest need for residents of Muskegon County, the emergency dispatch center they were relying on to deliver critical help was antiquated, and inefficient.
Our team worked with Dispatch staff as well as the Muskegon Fire Department to design a project that would significantly increase the overall building square footage and allow for future growth of both the Fire Department and Dispatch operations. Additionally, the project focused on correcting existing and ongoing issues with the HVAC systems, Electrical systems, fire protection and building security.
The renovated building now enables the Dispatch team to adapt to constantly expanding technology needs, add additional staff, and addresses a significant need for the physical and mental well-being of the staff. The project expanded necessary program spaces while at the same time maintained the intimate culture of the dispatch staff and enhanced their space needs for dedicated well-being space. For the first time in nearly two decades, the dispatch center includes a quite or cry-it-out room, an essential component for any 911 call center. A gourmet kitchen and roof top deck and barbecue will provide staff with the necessary infrastructure to address day to day needs as well as enhance Holiday Celebrations together at work. Muskegon County residents can now rest assured knowing that if, in the event they need help, the people on the other line have the best facility, technology and staff in the State to serve them in their time of need.