BEECN Program Organization: Difference between revisions

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{| class="wikitable" border="1" style="float:right; width:25%; margin-left:10px; border-collapse:collapse;"
| style="background:#72452d; color:white; text-align: center; border:2px solid white;"| '''<big>BEECN Guidelines [[Main_Page#SECTION 800: Basic Earthquake Emergency Communication_Nodes (BEECN)|↱]]</big>'''
| style="background:#72452d; color:white; text-align: center; border:2px solid white;"| '''<big>BEECN Guidelines</big>'''
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| style="background:#ddd2cd; text-align:left; padding-left:20px; border:4px solid white;"| [[Basic Earthquake Emergency Communications Nodes (BEECN)|Introduction]]
| style="background:#ddd2cd; text-align:left; padding-left:20px; border:4px solid white;"| [[Basic Earthquake Emergency Communications Nodes (BEECN)|Introduction]]
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| style="background:#ddd2cd; text-align:left; padding-left:20px; border:4px solid white;"| [[Operations at Fire Stations]]
| style="background:#ddd2cd; text-align:left; padding-left:20px; border:4px solid white;"| [[Operations at Fire Stations]]
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| style="background:#e9ae97; text-align: center; border:2px solid white;"|'''<big>[[Main_Page#SECTION 800: Basic Earthquake Emergency Communication_Nodes (BEECN)|Back to Main Guidelines ↱]]</big>'''
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This section outlines the structure, management, and responsibilities of the BEECN (Basic Earthquake Emergency Communication Node) program.
This section outlines the structure, management, and responsibilities associated with the BEECN (Basic Earthquake Emergency Communication Node) program.
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== Definitions and Acronyms ==
== Definitions and Acronyms ==
Being that we are both a government '''''and''''' emergency management organization, we use a whole lotta jargon (WLJ). The table below will help volunteers navigate it.
Being that we are both a government '''''and''''' emergency management organization, we use a whole lotta jargon (WLJ). The table below will help volunteers navigate it.
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|'''Amateur radio'''
|'''Amateur radio'''
|Also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages. The BEECN system relies on use of amateur radio to pass messages from the neighborhood level to the EOC.
|Also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages. The BEECN system relies on use of amateur radio to pass messages from the neighborhood level to the [[PBEM Emergency Operations Center (EOC)|EOC]].
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|'''ARO'''
|'''ARO'''
|"Amateur Radio Operator". These are volunteers who are amateur radio licensed ''and'' trained to operate the Orange Kits at fire stations.
|"Amateur Radio Operator". These are volunteers who are amateur radio licensed ''and'' trained to operate the [[Operations at Fire Stations#Orange Go-Kits|Orange Kits]] at fire stations.
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|'''BEECN Cache Storage Location'''
|'''BEECN Cache Storage Location'''
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|'''BEECN Coordinator'''
|'''BEECN Coordinator'''
|Abbreviated as "BC". A BEECN Volunteer who serves as the "blue skies" leader of a BEECN Cohort. Their backup is the BEECN Coordinator Assistant ("BCA").
|Abbreviated as "BC". A BEECN Volunteer who serves as the "Blue Skies" leader of a BEECN Cohort. See: [[VSF 14.01.02: BEECN Coordinator]].
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|'''BEECN Resource'''
|'''BEECN Resource'''
|A component piece of the BEECN system crucial to its function. This might include a BEECN volunteer, a cache, a fire station, or a site.
|Any component piece of the BEECN system crucial to its function. This might include a BEECN volunteer, a cache, a fire station, or a site.
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|'''BEECN Site'''
|'''BEECN Site'''
|The physical location where the general public is encouraged to convene after an earthquake if they need the services of the BEECN system. These locations are published on public maps. This is not necessarily the same as the BEECN Cache Storage Location.
|The physical location where the general public is encouraged to convene after an earthquake if they need the services of the BEECN system. These locations are published on public maps. This is often not the same as the BEECN Cache Storage Location.
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|'''BEECN Volunteer'''
|'''BEECN Volunteer'''
|A volunteer trained and qualified to operate a handheld BEECN radio, and assigned to a specific BEECN resource and apprised of how to set it up and operate it.
|A volunteer trained and qualified to operate a [[BEECN Caches#UHF Handheld BEECN Radio|handheld BEECN radio]], and assigned to a specific BEECN resource and apprised of how to set it up and operate it. See: [[VSF 14.01.01: BEECN Volunteer]].
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|'''Blue Skies'''
|'''Blue Skies'''
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|'''Cache'''
|'''Cache'''
|A collection of BEECN equipment secured in a confidential location.
|A collection of BEECN equipment secured in a confidential location. See: [[BEECN Caches]].
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|'''Cohort'''
|'''Cohort'''
|A team of BEECN Volunteers assigned to maintain and operate a specific BEECN resource.
|A team of BEECN Volunteers assigned to maintain and operate a specific BEECN resource, usually a cache or at a fire station.
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|'''Demobilization'''
|'''Demobilization'''
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|'''Orange Kit'''
|'''Orange Kit'''
|A VHF HAM radio kit present at every PF&R fire station and available for use by AROs.
|A VHF HAM radio kit present at every PF&R fire station and available for use by AROs. See: [[Operations at Fire Stations#Orange Go-Kits|Orange Kits]].
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|'''PBEM'''
|'''PBEM'''
|[https://www.portland.gov/pbem "Portland Bureau of Emergency Management"]. This is the City of Portland government agency that manages the BEEN program.
|[https://www.portland.gov/pbem "Portland Bureau of Emergency Management"]. This is the City of Portland government agency that manages the BEECN program.
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|'''PF&R'''
|'''PF&R'''
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|'''Shift One'''
|'''Shift One'''
|The very first shift of a BEECN activation. Shift One could fall to Shift A or Shift B.
|The very first shift of a BEECN activation. Shift One could fall to Shift A or Shift B. See: [[Operations at BEECN Sites#Shift One|Shift One]].
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|'''UHF'''
|'''UHF'''
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|"Very high frequency". The Orange Kits at fire stations operate on VHF frequencies.
|"Very high frequency". The Orange Kits at fire stations operate on VHF frequencies.
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== BEECN and PBEM ==
== BEECN and PBEM ==
# The BEECN program is sited in, supervised and managed by the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) with participation from Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R).
# The BEECN program is sited in and managed by the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) with participation from Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R).
# PBEM has sole authority to determine BEECN volunteer membership and who is responsible for maintaining and deploying a BEECN.
# PBEM has sole authority to determine BEECN volunteer membership and who is responsible for maintaining and deploying a BEECN.
# When activated, BEECN volunteers defer to the authority of any present emergency response personnel (such as police, fire, or EMS personnel), members of the military, emergency managers associated with a City of Portland bureau (e.g. the Portland Water Bureau), or staff from PBEM.
# When activated, BEECN volunteers defer to the authority of any present emergency response personnel (such as police, fire, or EMS personnel), members of the military, emergency managers associated with a City of Portland bureau (e.g. the Portland Water Bureau), or staff from PBEM.
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A BEECN consists of three essential elements: the site, the equipment cache, and the assigned volunteers.
A BEECN consists of three essential elements: the site, the equipment cache, and the assigned volunteers.


# The '''BEECN site''' is the geographical location where Portlanders are encouraged to go 24 to 48 hours following an earthquake. For example: school grounds, a park, or a parking lot. These are the sites that appear on published BEECN maps.
# The '''[[BEECN Sites|BEECN site]]''' is the geographical location where Portlanders are encouraged to go 24 to 48 hours following an earthquake. For example: school grounds, a park, or a parking lot. These are the sites that appear on published BEECN maps.
# The '''BEECN equipment cache''' associated with the site is located within a five block radius of the BEECN site. It contains all the equipment that volunteers need to deploy the BEECN.
# The '''[[BEECN Caches|BEECN equipment cache]]''' associated with the site is located within a five block radius of the BEECN site. It contains all the equipment that volunteers need to deploy the BEECN.
# '''BEECN volunteers''' are the personnel associated either with a BEECN or a fire station, and are trained to deploy the BEECN program 24 to 48 hours following an earthquake. It takes a minimum of two volunteers to operate a BEECN, and at least two volunteers to carry out BEECN responsibilities at a fire station.
# '''[[BEECN Volunteers|BEECN volunteers]]''' are the personnel associated either with a BEECN or a fire station, and are trained to deploy the BEECN program 24 to 48 hours following an earthquake. It takes a minimum of two volunteers to operate a BEECN, and at least two volunteers to carry out BEECN responsibilities at a fire station.
In addition to these three essential elements, the BEECN system relies on Orange "Go-Kits" located at every Portland Fire & Rescue fire station.
In addition to these three essential elements, the BEECN system relies on [[Operations at Fire Stations#Orange Go-Kits|Orange "Go-Kits"]] located at every Portland Fire & Rescue fire station.
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# Be responsible for and maintain Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with property owners who host BEECN caches.
# Be responsible for and maintain Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with property owners who host BEECN caches.
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[[File:2013.05.22.PACE Setter (4).jpg|thumb|400x400px|''This BEECN is deployed in an ideal site: not a lot of trees, flat, broad uh...[https://youtu.be/GPX-mW4l1rU tract of land]. Yes very nice.'']]
== Location of BEECN Sites ==
# At minimum, there will be a total of 48 BEECN sites located throughout the City of Portland.
# BEECNs will be evenly distributed throughout the city and are generally sited with the goal of placing approximately two BEECNs within each of the Portland Plan’s neighborhood hub boundaries (see Appendix B).
# PBEM has complete discretion over the location of each BEECN site. However, PBEM will consider the input of property owners, community partners, city employees, and volunteers when deciding BEECN site locations.
# Though moving a BEECN site should be avoided, PBEM will consider moving a site if a more appropriate one is found in the immediate neighborhood of the BEECN.
# The ideal BEECN site is:
#* An open area large enough to hold a crowd of at least 100 people;
#* A safe distance from unreinforced masonry structures (such as older brick structures);
#* Is not on a steep gradient or near landslide hazards, and not easily subject to flooding;
#* Is not in the vicinity of tall trees, overhead power lines, or other utility hazards;
#* Is familiar to the community and following a disaster might be intuited by neighbors as a community gathering point, and is geographically central to the immediate community.
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