BEECN Volunteers

BEECN Guidelines

Introduction

BEECN Program Organization

BEECN Sites

BEECN Volunteers

BEECN Caches

Operations at BEECN Sites

Operations at Fire Stations

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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.

Relevant Documents/Resources	Updated
BEECN Volunteer Application	2022.06.15
PBEM Volunteer Code of Conduct	2024.12.12

There are five types of BEECN volunteer listed in the VSF Directory. They are:

BEECN Volunteer Position Descriptions
VSF 14.01.01: BEECN Volunteer
VSF 14.01.02: BEECN Coordinator
VSF 14.01.03: BEECN District Coordinator
VSF 02.02: Fire Station ARO
VSF 14.01.04: Fire Station UHF Volunteer

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

Role of BEECN Volunteers

1. 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.
2. Any time a BEECN volunteer engages in authorized BEECN activities, that member is a representative of the City of Portland and will comport themselves in a manner consistent with these BEECN Guidelines and PBEM Volunteer Code of Conduct.

Indemnification of BEECN Volunteers

BEECN and Fire Station volunteers are indemnified under the same policies as all PBEM volunteers. Please view the page on Volunteer Indemnification for more information.

Persons with Disabilities

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

1. BEECN volunteers and NETs operate independent of each other’s authority and are not under each other’s chain of command.
2. PBEM encourages BEECN cohorts to meet with regularly with their local NETs, and to be familiar with their Earthquake Response Frameworks.
3. 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.

BEECN Volunteer Qualifications

Each BEECN volunteer must:

1. 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.
2. 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 criminal background for PBEM volunteers.
3. Be willing and capable of fulfilling the BEECN volunteer responsibilities indicated in BEECN Guidelines section concerning BEECN Cohort Responsibilities.
4. Sign the PBEM Volunteer Code of Conduct, and follow the procedures indicated in this Guidelines manual.

Relevant BEECN Volunteer Experience and Prior Training

1. Only volunteers staffing fire station Go-Kits in the BEECN program need to have an Amateur Radio license and an ARO qualification. Volunteers staffing BEECN sites use a push-to-talk radio and do not require an Amateur Radio license.
2. BEECN volunteers do not need to be first aid certified as they are not expected to provide medical treatment. However, each BEECN cache is stocked with first aid supplies and PBEM encourages BEECN volunteers to have or receive first aid certification. PBEM will endeavor to obtain this training for BEECN volunteers.
3. BEECN volunteers can also have a background in CERT/NET training, but this is not required. If a BEECN volunteer would like to receive NET training, PBEM will expedite that individual’s application into the NET program.
4. Other skill competencies relevant to volunteering for the BEECN program include: public speaking, leadership/personnel management, mental health crisis de-escalation, and crowd management.

BEECN Training

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.

BEECN Volunteer Teams

Figure 1: The structure of a BEECN team.

BEECN Team Responsibilities

Each BEECN Team has the following responsibilities:

1. 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.
2. No less than quarterly, inventory the contents of the cache through the BEECN Journaling System. Many caches include inventory forms to aid in the inventory process.
3. 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.
4. In the event of a major earthquake, proceed with BEECN operations as described in Operations at BEECN Sites (which is also reflected in the volunteer position description for BEECN volunteers).

BEECN Volunteer Team Organization

1. Each BEECN should have a team of no fewer than eight volunteers who are trained and familiar with the BEECN cache.
2. One of the eight in a team will be the Coordinator for that BEECN team. The responsibilities of the Coordinator are described in the section titled BEECN Team Coordinators and also reflected in that volunteer position description.
3. 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 Operational Periods and Shifts.

BEECN Team Coordinators

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:

1. Use contact information provided by PBEM to keep other volunteers assigned to the BEECN resource organized as a team.
2. On behalf of their team, serving as a point of contact for:
   • 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 BEECN District Coordinator (if one is assigned);
   • The owner/manager of the property hosting the cache. The Coordinator should contact the property owner/manager when BEECN exercises are scheduled.
3. Organizes and leads deployment planning for their team, which includes completing the BEECN response framework annually.
4. Ensure team members are prepared to carry out responsibilities as indicated in Operations at BEECN Sites.
5. Ensuring that the team has no fewer than eight members, and recruiting new members from the immediate neighborhood as needed.
6. Providing PBEM with program feedback, recommendations, and resource requests as appropriate.
7. Schedule regular activities around the BEECN, such as equipment checks and inventories.
8. Encourage BEECN volunteers to participate in regular exercises.
9. Ensuring that the team responsibilities described in BEECN Team Responsibilities are carried out.

Fire Station Volunteer Teams

Volunteering at a fire station during a 2013 BEECN exercise.

A fire station volunteer is a specialized Amateur Radio Operator (ARO), or a 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.

Like BEECN Teams, Fire Station teams should appoint a BEECN Team Coordinator to help keep them organized.

Spontaneous Volunteers (SUVs) at BEECNs

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:

1. Do not require prior training or credentials
2. Support the mission of the BEECN site without compromising its integrity or safety
3. Free up trained personnel for specialized roles

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

Appropriate BEECN roles for SUVs

Logistics & Site Support

• 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.

Information Sharing

• 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.

Care & Comfort

• 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.

Crowdsourced Observation

• 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:

• Use or operate radios
• Relay official messages
• Enter supply caches
• Access sensitive documents or patient information

• Be left unsupervised in roles with safety risks