Agency

The mission of the New River Valley Emergency Communications Regional Authority is to provide quality and reliable 911 dispatch and emergency communication services to the community and agencies we serve. Our partnership will promote interoperability, collaboration and convey the highest level of professionalism. Our commitment to excellence in public safety will foster a safe environment and promptly respond to the needs of our citizens.

The New River Valley Emergency Communications Regional Authority (NRVECRA) was created during the Virginia General Assembly 2010 Session under the New River Valley Emergency Communications Regional Authority Act to provide 9-1-1 dispatch and emergency communications services for Montgomery County, the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, and Virginia Tech. The service area encompasses 393 square miles with a total population of approximately 98,000 people. The approved legislation can be viewed here, as well as, the bylaws.

The NRVECRA is governed by a five-member Board of Directors comprised of one representative from each member entity and one at-large representative. Funding is provided by each of the participating agencies; the Board is charged with adopting policies and overseeing proper management of Authority operations, and the adoption of an annual budget. Under the direction of the Board, an executive director is responsible for the operational oversight and management of the regional center.

The Governing Board adopted a resolution in 2011 to form a Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) comprised of local public safety representatives. The nine-member committee provides input and recommendations to the board regarding the regional emergency communications operations.

The NRVECRA became fully operational in 2016 and is located in Montgomery County’s new state-of-the-art Public Safety Building in Christiansburg, Virginia. The Center is the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) providing consolidated 911 services to four (4) law enforcement agencies, five (5) fire departments, and six (6) EMS agencies. This centralized 911 dispatch concept allows for a seamless unified communication structure promoting enhanced response times and efficient management of resources.

The regional center is the first point of contact the public has when reporting emergency and non-emergency requests for service. Calls are answered by dedicated and trained staff of the NRV ECRA who dispatch the appropriate resources based on pertinent information gathered during the call processing phase.