SCHRIEVER SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Space Base Delta 1 team members commemorated the official opening of the Emergency Communications Center with a ribbon cutting on June 3, at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado.
With the ECC now operational, Schriever has a unified communications hub for emergency services dispatchers from the 50th Civil Engineer Squadron and 50th Security Forces Squadron, providing constant and consistent communication during emergencies.
The launch of the ECC was made possible through a deliberate effort involving these units as well as communications personnel, electricians, contracting specialists, and many others. Continued coordination with these and other supporting organizations ensures the center remains ready to respond whenever the need arises.
The Emergency Communications Center is a perfect example of the premier services SBD 1 provides to the people at Schriever, said U.S. Space Force Col. Kenneth Klock, SBD 1 commander. Personnel work behind the scenes 24/7, ready to dispatch help for any emergency, ensuring swift support whenever it is needed.
Previously, emergency responders from the 50th CES and the 50th SFS were located in separate buildings with two separate dispatch centers.
The increased awareness of base activities, emergencies, alarm activations, and other situations allows for more targeted response to the actual emergency at hand, increasing efficiency of resources.
“Having the command-and-control nodes immediately next to each other for the first responders saves critical seconds as well as ensuring miscommunications do not happen in crisis or emergency situations,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Dayne Foote, 50th SFS commander.
Beyond redesigning the old Base Defense Operations Center to create a more efficient layout, the dispatch system has been upgraded to an all-encompassing dispatch client that automates tasks previously done manually. Communication that used to require keying a radio or making a phone call is now instantaneous as well.
Dispatchers have been learning the new system during this transition and will continue to refine their skills to improve response times for all emergency services provided for Schriever’s population of over 8,000. The design also allows for future growth, and these improvements have already had a significant impact on base safety.
“Automating these actions has already accelerated dispatch times by 8%,” said USAF Lt. Col. Brandon Goebel, 50th CES commander. “In an emergency where seconds count, that 8% could be the difference between someone’s life or death.”
Achieving that kind of life-saving impact is only possible through high-level training, ensuring responders can act without hesitation when every second matters.
“Both units will continue to work daily and [bring] larger scale exercises into the battle rhythm to ensure the muscle memory is second nature to both firefighters and defenders,” Foote said. “Training is critical to successful operations at any level, and we collectively strive to be the best trained and best prepared warfighters in the DoD!”