Combined dispatch center fully operational in NRV

CHRISTIANSBURG (WSLS 10) - The first 911 regional authority in Virginia is up and running in the New River Valley.

The joint 911 center includes Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Virginia Tech and Montgomery County.

The combined dispatch center has been in the works for nine years. With the construction of the new public safety building in downtown Christiansburg, that goal could finally become a reality.

Leaders said this will cut down on response times and help different police agencies communicate immediately.

The center will have 36 full-time dispatchers.

Leaders are hoping to implement a text 911 system in less than a year.