BEECN Volunteers: Difference between revisions

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This section covers the role, structure, and responsibilities of BEECN volunteers. Volunteers operate in organized teams, perform regular equipment checks, participate in drills, and deploy communication nodes 24–48 hours after a major earthquake. A NET volunteer can also volunteer for BEECN.

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BEECN Coordinators and BEECN District Coordinators are "Blue Skies" roles; the rest are considered volunteer disaster responders.  

# BEECN volunteers are unpaid volunteers with the City of Portland and any responsibilities undertaken as a BEECN volunteer are voluntary. Volunteers are not employees of PBEM or any other city bureau while acting as a BEECN volunteer.

BEECN and Fire Station volunteers are indemnified under the same policies as all PBEM volunteers. Please view the page on [[Volunteer Risk, Injury Coverage, and Indemnification|Volunteer Indemnification]] for more information.

Everyone has a part in emergency preparedness and response, and any volunteer interested in the BEECN program will not be discouraged or denied on the basis of any physical or cognitive disability. In order to ensure equal access to volunteer programs, PBEM will reasonably modify policies and procedures and provide auxiliary aids and services to persons with disabilities.

=== BEECN Volunteers and Portland Neighborhood Emergency Teams ===

# PBEM encourages BEECN cohorts to meet with regularly with their local NETs, and to be familiar with their [[Earthquake Response Frameworks]].

# One person may be both a NET and BEECN volunteer. NETs respond immediately following a major disaster, while BEECN volunteers operate 24 to 48 hours following an earthquake. Therefore, a volunteer can plausibly be part of both programs, and PBEM encourages volunteer participation in both.

# Reside within walking or biking distance of the BEECN or fire station the volunteer is responsible for, and be prepared to transport self to the BEECN or fire station in the event of a BEECN deployment without relying on motorized transportation. BEECN volunteers do this within the deployment timeframe of 24 to 48 hours following a disaster.

# Complete a criminal background check at PBEM’s expense. Though anyone can take BEECN training, some criminal convictions may bar an applicant from registration as a full volunteer. For details, please see the policy on [[Background Checks|criminal background]] for PBEM volunteers.

# Be willing and capable of fulfilling the BEECN volunteer responsibilities indicated in BEECN Guidelines section concerning [[BEECN Volunteers#BEECN Cohort Responsibilities|BEECN Cohort Responsibilities]].

# Sign the [[PBEM Volunteer Code of Conduct]], and follow the procedures indicated in this Guidelines manual.

PBEM will provide training to designated BEECN volunteers instructing on the deployment and use of BEECN equipment on an as-needed basis. PBEM encourages members of a BEECN Cohort to teach each other in the use of equipment when possible. Required and optional training is included in the position descriptions of each BEECN volunteer.

[[File:BEECN_Volunteer_Shifts.png|thumb|400x400px|''Figure 1: The structure of a BEECN team.'']]

# No less than monthly, a team member does a sight check of the cache to ensure it is secure and has not been damaged or significantly tampered with, and that the tarp over it is still on tight (if the cache is outdoors). The check should '''''always''''' be logged in the [[BEECN Journaling System]].

# No less than annually, participate in a BEECN activation exercise. PBEM will coordinate an exercise in the area of the BEECN once a year, but will coordinate more activation exercises at the request of a cohort as resources allow.

# In the event of a major earthquake, proceed with BEECN operations as described in [[Operations at BEECN Sites]] (which is also reflected in the [[VSF 14.01.01: BEECN Volunteer|volunteer position description]] for BEECN volunteers).

# Each BEECN should have a team of no fewer than eight volunteers who are trained and familiar with the BEECN cache.

# For operations, a team is divided into two shifts (Shift A and Shift B). The intention is that in an emergency deployment, each shift will work for eight hours maximum and relay to the other shift at the end of eight hours. See [[Operations at BEECN Sites#BEECN Operational Periods and shifts|Operational Periods and Shifts]].

BEECN Coordinators have no field authority greater than other BEECN volunteers, but are responsible for organizing their cohort during blue sky periods. Responsibilities of the Team Coordinator include:

# Use contact information provided by PBEM to keep other volunteers assigned to the BEECN resource organized as a team.

#* PBEM; whose staff will contact the Team Coordinator to inform of BEECN drills or exercises, policy changes, or any other information relevant to the BEECN program.

#* The owner/manager of the property hosting the cache. The Coordinator should contact the property owner/manager when BEECN exercises are scheduled.

# Organizes and leads deployment planning for their team, which includes completing the [[Operations at BEECN Sites#Deployment Planning: the BEECN Response Framework|BEECN response framework]] annually.

# Ensuring that the team has no fewer than eight members, and recruiting new members from the immediate neighborhood as needed.

# Ensuring that the team responsibilities described in [[BEECN Volunteers#BEECN Team Responsibilities|BEECN Team Responsibilities]] are carried out.

A fire station volunteer is a specialized [[VSF 02.02: Fire Station HAM|Amateur Radio Operator (ARO)]], '''''or''''' a [[VSF 14.01.04: Fire Station UHF Volunteer|non-licensed volunteer]] partnering with the ARO. Fire station volunteers also form an optimal team of six or more for each fire station. Fire station volunteers are responsible for relaying messages from BEECNs to the EOC during deployments and exercises and are fundamental to BEECN operations. Therefore, a BEECN team should know who the fire station volunteer is who will be relaying their messages. The responsibilities of fire station volunteers are described in their volunteer position descriptions and in the page [[Operations at Fire Stations|Operations at Fire Stations.]]

Like BEECN Teams, Fire Station teams should appoint a [[BEECN Volunteers#BEECN Team Coordinators|BEECN Team Coordinator]] to help keep them organized.

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In the aftermath of an earthquake, PBEM anticipates that neighbors will emerge to help other neighbors. Some of these spontaneous volunteers may appear at BEECN sites and offer to help BEECN volunteers.

After an earthquake, '''[[Spontaneous Unaffiliated Volunteers (SUVs)]]'''—those who show up without prior training or affiliation—can be a valuable resource at BEECN sites, ''if managed appropriately''. The key is to assign tasks that:

# Support the mission of the BEECN site without compromising its integrity or safety

A member or members of a BEECN Team may want to consider taking a second VSF as [[VSF 15.03.02: SUV Intake]].

* '''Queue management''': Help organize and direct people forming lines to request help or information.

* '''Foot traffic control''': Prevent congestion around the BEECN tent or radio operators.

* '''Set-up & Tear-down assistance''': Help erect shade structures, signage, or tables under supervision.

* '''Greeter / triage screener''': Welcome people and explain what BEECN does (with a provided script).

* '''Signage holding''': Stand at intersections with directional signs pointing to the BEECN site.

* '''Runner / messenger''': Relay written messages between volunteers at the site or deliver updates to nearby partner locations.

* '''Child distraction helper''': Supervise games, coloring sheets, or storytelling to occupy kids waiting with families.

* '''Elder or mobility assistance''': Provide seating or help individuals move safely through the site.

* '''Damage Spotter''' ''(under supervision)'': Document visible damage nearby using a paper form or their own phones.

* '''Rumor logging''': Record what people say they’ve heard (to help volunteers track misinformation).

=== Boundaries for BEECN SUVs ===

SUVs should not:

* Be left unsupervised in roles with safety risks