History

ECCA was formed by intergovernmental agreement in 2010 as the successor to the Elbert County Emergency Telephone Services Authority which had been in existence since 1986. The financial downturn of 2008/2009 had made it necessary to close the county dispatch center in Kiowa and contract out emergency dispatch services to neighboring Douglas County.

As part of that process the governance structure was changed to a board of directors made up of representatives from each of the emergency agencies in the county, a county commissioner and a citizen. Communications infrastructure was quickly built to allow Douglas County Regional Dispatch to communicate with agencies in Elbert County.

Since then that infrastructure has been expanded and improved with the objective of making it extremely reliable and robust. Conversion of most emergency communications to the state-wide digital trunked radio system proceeded and by 2021 nearly all responder communications used that network.

Very rapid growth in housing along the western edge of the county ramped up in 2019 and continues. This has increased the calls for service between 30% and 50% for some agencies and is requiring continued expansion and improvement of the ECCA communications infrastructure.

ECCA is dedicated to continuing to provide reliable and responsive emergency communications needs for member agencies.