[spunkets]

"Amateur radio is indeed regulated, but not to the degree that fist responder communications are in todays world. "

First responders know nothing about radios. They are simply handed to them to use, right out of the box. They;re told push the button to talk, release to hear, and the volume control and battery compartment are pointed out. Depending on the class, amateurs know a hell of a lot more, and can build and operate your 10Kw station.

[TalonDJ]

Yup. In an emergency most first responders can just wait for the system to come back on-line. HAMs can build a radio out of scrap and start transmitting.