ARES of Douglas and Elbert Counties is comprised of two components:
- R1D5 (Region 1, District 5) is the operational element under the Colorado ARES section.
- Amateur Radio Emergency Services of Douglas and Elbert Counties Inc (ARESDEC) is the 501(c)(3) NPO (Non-Profit Organization. Records available upon request.)
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service of Douglas and Elbert Counties (ARESDEC) is one of 28 ARES districts in the state of Colorado. For more than 30 years, ARESDEC has been serving our community in times of emergency and disaster by providing volunteer communications services to public safety agencies and support organizations (i.e., American Red Cross and Salvation Army). We are a service organization comprised of amateur radio operators who donate our time, equipment, and expertise. We train our members to use best communications practices to effectively assist our served agencies.
ARESDEC hosts a weekly radio net on the Colorado Repeater Association’s 448.425 MHz repeater (negative offset, 107.2 Hz CTCSS tone). Each Thursday evening at 8:00 PM, our members gather on the radio to practice our communication skills and to receive updates about upcoming events and trainings. There is no ARESDEC net on the fourth Thursday of the month, instead ARESDEC organizes an in person meeting with featured speakers on a ham radio or emergency communications related topics. Our monthly meetings are from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, and the meeting location varies.
ARESDEC is also known as R1D5 ARES, which is short for Colorado ARES Region 1, District 5. Colorado ARES is divided into 10 “All-hazards” regions which closely align with the All-hazards regions of the Colorado Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM). Each region is divided into districts, which follow county lines. Amateur radio operators who want to serve as ARES members are encouraged to join the ARES district in their area. More information about Colorado ARES can be found at www.coloradoares.org.
