When is an amateur radio operator not an amateur radio operator? Sounds like the setup to a joke, but in this case it most certainly is not. Volunteers from ARES of Douglas and Elbert county provided communication support for the Elizabeth Stampede using public safety radio instead of amateur radio. In Colorado, the Digital Trunked Radio System (DTRS, i.e. public safety radio) provides operability and interoperability between public safety agencies and emergency responders to 256 sites across the state and serves more than 1,000 state, local, federal, and tribal agencies using over 125,000 subscriber units. DTRS has become the primary method for mission-critical public safety communications across the state. Elbert county OEM Director Shane Pynes is training Elbert county volunteers to use public safety radio. Prior to the Elizabeth Stampede, Shane provide an EOC tour and public safety radio training to ARES R1D5 members. For the Elizabeth Stampede R1D5 volunteers applied that training to operate as a command post and coordinate communications for law, fire, medical, and event staff. It is a new and exciting form and function of providing radio communication services.
