VSF 14.01.01: BEECN Volunteer

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A Volunteer Support Function (VSF) is a functional area under which volunteers carry out their responsibilities. Each VSF is broken into position assignments. VSF 14.01.01 is the position assigned to general BEECN volunteers.

See also: BEECN Program Guidelines

Summary

BEECN volunteers operate in organized cohorts, perform regular equipment checks, participate in drills, and deploy communication nodes (BEECNs) 24–48 hours after a major earthquake.

A Basic Earthquake Emergency Communication Node (BEECN) Volunteer plays a vital role in disaster response by establishing communication between neighborhoods and Portland’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the aftermath of a major earthquake. Volunteers assist at designated BEECN sites to relay critical information, such as scene stabilization information, emergency requests, and damage reports, using durable communication systems.

BEECN Volunteers are the only PBEM volunteers who can be a NET volunteer or an ATV but are indemnified by the City of Portland either way.

Blue Skies/Grey Skies Summary
During Blue Skies, these volunteers...	During Grey Skies, these volunteers...
...stay in contact with their BEECN Coordinator, participate in BEECN equipment checks, exercises, and inventories. They help keep caches adequately supplied, and monitor the BEECN readiness score for their assigned BEECN.	...deploy to their BEECN site, set up the radio, and begin exchanging messages with their primary relay.

Related Volunteer Positions

VSF 14.01.02: BEECN Coordinator

VSF 14.01.03: BEECN District Coordinator

VSF 14.01.04: Fire Station UHF Volunteer

VSF 02.02: Fire Station ARO

Responsibilities

• Deploy to assigned BEECN sites within 24–48 hours following a major earthquake.
• Set up communication equipment, including handheld radios and tents, at BEECN locations.
• Relay and log emergency messages between the public and emergency responders via radio.
• Conduct periodic checks and inventory of BEECN caches to ensure readiness.
• Participate in scheduled training, drills, and activation exercises to maintain operational competence.
• Represent PBEM professionally and follow safety and operational guidelines at all times.
• Log all volunteer hours.

Position ID ※	VSF 14.01.01: BEECN Volunteer
Mission Area ※	Preparedness	Response	Recovery
Lead Agency ※	Portland Bureau of Emergency Management
Active NET Required? ※	No; this position is available to ATVs.
Structure ※	The BEECN Volunteer is part of a BEECN Cohort, and the BEECN Volunteer reports to the BEECN Coordinator for their assigned BEECN.
Relevant Knowledge, Skills, Abilities ※	Hand held UHF radio operation. Ability to remain cool headed in intense situations. First aid is also helpful, but not as important as the other skills listed.
Licenses and Certifications ※	None required.
Currency ※	BEECN volunteers must be in touch with their BEECN Coordinator and appear on the roster of their BEECN Response Framework. They should also participate in BEECN inventories and exercises as their time allows. Because all BEECN volunteers are indemnified, they are required to log their hours but not required to meet the twelve hour Minimum Service Contribution (MSC) unless they are also a NET volunteer. However, they should log at least one hour each calendar year minimum to remain in active status. Required to complete a criminal background check at PBEM's expense every three years.
Physical Requirements ※	A BEECN volunteer must be inside a 20-minute walk or bike ride of the BEECN they are assigned to. They should be able to access BEECN equipment from storage and move it to the BEECN site with the assistance of at least one other person.
Task Book ※	None at this time.
PPE and Recommended Equipment ※	PPE: Weather appropriate clothes. BEECN volunteers should wear the hard hats and vests found in their BEECN cache when conducting BEECN operations. Equipment: All the equipment a BEECN volunteer needs should be in their BEECN Cache.
Forms ※	BEECN Response Framework NET Form 6: Communications Log
Updated ※	2025.01.15 (version 2.0)
Released ※	2017.10.03

Training for VSF 14.01.01: BEECN Volunteer

Important note: ONLY the trainings listed as REQUIRED are required! Optional training and supplemental resources are presented as a path for a volunteer to increase their knowledge and confidence carrying out their volunteer responsibilities. However, no volunteer's Active status depends on completing training marked as "Optional" or "Supplemental". For more information, please visit the article on Position Descriptions: Training Section.

Training or Resource	Type	Delivery	Duration	Learning Objective
BEECN Orientation	Required	Online	1.5 hours	Summarizes BEECN Guidelines and prepares a new volunteer for working with their BEECN cohort. ↳ Links for BEECN Orientation Training
Hours Logging Training	Required	Online	1 minute	For BEECN volunteers to learn how to log their service hours in their MyImpact profile.
BEECN Radio Training	Required	Online	2 minutes	Brief video on how to use the handheld BEECN UHF radio.
IS-100: Introduction to the Incident Command System	Optional	Online	2.0 hours	Course describes the history, features and principles, and organizational structure of the Incident Command System. Knowing the basics of ICS can give BEECN volunteers context to the City's overall response effort.
Crowd Management	Optional	Online or in-person	2.0 hours	Not to be confused with "Crowd Control". It is possible that large numbers of people will visit the BEECN Site. Crowd management training helps BEECN volunteers guide the behavior and movement of crowds.
Mental Health Crisis De-escalation	Optional	In-person	3.0 hours	If an individual visiting a BEECN Site is in a state of agitation, this training helps volunteers identify the precipitants of agitated behavior, the importance of non-verbal communication, and skills/strategies to manage an agitated person.
IS-242: Effective Communication	Optional	Online	8.0 hours	This course covers basic communication skills, how to communicate in an emergency, how to identify community-specific communication issues, using technology as a communication tool, and effective oral communication. Not every sub-topic in this course is relevant to the responsibilities of a BEECN volunteer.
IS-2901: Introduction to Community Lifelines	Optional	Online	1.0 hours	Introduces the FEMA Community Lifelines construct, an outcome-driven response structure used to achieve incident stabilization. PBEM uses Community Lifelines, and knowing them will help BEECN volunteers communicate more effectively with the EOC.
First Aid (certification)	Optional	In-person	6.5 hours	Instructs volunteers how to preserve life, prevent further injury or deterioration, and promote recovery by providing immediate, temporary care to an injured or ill person. The BEECN caches include first aid supplies, and first aid certification can help BEECN volunteers use and/or distribute them effectively.
Basic NET or CERT (certification)	Optional	In-person	24 hours	Basic NET/CERT training provides more and varied disaster response skills and situational awareness to BEECN volunteers.

VSF 14.01.01: BEECN Volunteer Knowledge Base

File/Resource	Description	Author	Publish Date
BEECN Guidelines	The BEECN Guidelines is the "blueprint" for the BEECN program and covers the nuances of program policies. A regular BEECN volunteer doesn't need to know the Guidelines to carry out their responsibilities, but reviewing them will enhance knowledge and provide a more complete picture of the program.	PBEM	2017.10.03
BEECN video content	Video content relevant to BEECN volunteer responsibilities.	PBEM	-
BEECN on Tumblr	Media articles tagged as relevant to BEECN volunteer responsibilities.	PBEM	-
Portland Basic Emergency Operations Plan (BEOP)	The BEOP is the framework that governs how the City of Portland responds in the aftermath of a major disaster. Being familiar with it can provide BEECN volunteers with heightened situational awareness.	PBEM	2016.02.15
Seattle Emergency Hubs	One of the programs that BEECN was based on. Summary videos are HERE and HERE.		2014
Hollywood’s big lie about disasters: In crises like Spain’s blackout, the natural reaction is generosity, not panic	Case study reflecting that survivors are more inclined to help other survivors in a disaster, countering assumptions that people behave badly towards each other.	Javier Salas / El Pais	2025.05.06
Where We Go When Everything Breaks: Placemaking Lessons from Asheville's Recovery	Case study about how usual social spaces become key to disaster recovery, which is a principle idea behind BEECN.	Project for Public Spaces/Ryan Smolar	2025.05.16
Elite Panic vs. the Resilient Populace	Focus on the 1964 Alaska earthquake and the emergent volunteers who came together and helped people. Noted because BEECNs may become gathering points of spontaneous volunteers who want assignments.	James B. Meigs for Commentary Magazine	2020.05.01