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Creating More Unified Emergency Communications in Long Beach, CA

Faced with rising call volumes and staffing shortages, the City of Long Beach partnered with Matrix Consulting Group to evaluate the operations and staffing of its Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications. The Department had been navigating the challenges of delivering high-quality emergency communications for police, fire, and EMS services while managing a highly specialized workforce and increasing demands on performance.

A waterway in Long Beach, California

Challenge

Despite the Department’s consolidated structure, operations remained divided between police and fire/EMS functions, limiting efficiency and complicating staffing flexibility. The center relied heavily on mandatory overtime to maintain coverage, contributing to employee fatigue and reduced morale. Recruitment and retention challenges, along with inconsistent call-processing times and underutilized performance tracking, further strained the system. The Department needed a clear strategy to stabilize staffing, streamline operations, and move toward a truly unified communications model.

Solution

Matrix conducted a comprehensive review of organizational structure, staffing schedules, workload distribution, and performance metrics. This included employee surveys, comparative benchmarking, and analysis of more than 750,000 annual call records.

Key recommendations included:

  • Adjusting staffing minimums and shift schedules based on workload to reduce reliance on overtime.
  • Co-locating fire and police dispatch functions to enhance collaboration and improve training efficiency.
  • Implementing cross-training programs for new and existing staff to increase scheduling flexibility.
  • Enhancing recruitment, branding, and retention strategies, including compensation review and employee recognition programs.
  • Expanding the quality assurance program and adopting national performance standards to improve accountability and service delivery.

Outcome

With a clear roadmap and actionable tools in place, Long Beach is positioned to build a more resilient, integrated emergency communications center that can better meet the needs of both the public and first responders.