Blind Spots Hurt Colorado Emergency Radio Network

DENVER (AP) - A statewide radio network for Colorado emergency responders doesn't work as well as planners hoped because of blind spots in the mountains.

The Denver Post reported Monday the state has invested an estimated $200 million to $300 million in the system, much of it from federal grants.

The system was a high priority after the 2001 terrorist attacks. Users range from police and firefighters to hospitals and schools.

The system relies on line-of-sight transmissions over a network of towers. It works well in flat country, but officials say the system needs more towers to get the same performance in the mountains.

Two agencies, the U.S. Forest Service and the Colorado State Forest Service, haven't joined the system because of the problems in the mountains.

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