SFS, Fire Department merge communications centers Published June 25, 2014 By Senior Airman Frank Casciotta 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 71st Security Forces Squadron and Vance Fire Department consolidated their Emergency Communication Centers May 12 to improve information dissemination during emergencies. "Now we have representatives from each of our departments sitting back-to-back instead of at separate locations," said Senior Master Sgt. Matthew Friedman, the 71st SFS superintendent. "This will allow us to communicate more effectively amongst ourselves and the rest of the base." Prior to the change, security forces and fire department emergency communicators were in two separate locations. Now, they are both located in the Base Defense Operations Center. "Operations run much smoother now that we are in the same room," said Tyler Koehn, the Vance Fire Department's lead emergency communicator. "This way, we can share information without having to make phone calls back and forth." The change will allow emergency first responders to provide faster and more accurate information to commanders during emergencies, said Friedman.