BEECN Volunteers
Role of BEECN Volunteers
a. 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.
b. Any time a BEECN volunteer engages in authorized BEECN activities, that member is a representative of the City of Portland and will comport him or herself in a manner consistent with these BEECN Guidelines and Code of Conduct.
100.10 Persons with Disabilities
Everyone has a part in emergency preparedness and response, and no volunteer interest in the BEECN program will 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 Volunteer Qualifications
Each BEECN volunteer must:
a. 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 (such as a car). BEECN volunteers do this within the deployment timeframe of 24 to 48 hours following a disaster.
b. Pass a criminal background check at PBEM’s expense.
1. A volunteer may not be considered for BEECN service if she or he has been convicted of a crimeclassified as: a Class A Felony; a Class B Felony; any sex crime requiring registration; or stalking.
2. All rules governing background checks for BEECN volunteers are identical to the rules governing background checks for NET volunteers. See NET Guidelines, Sections 200.20
and 300.15.a.
c. Be willing and capable of fulfilling the BEECN volunteer responsibilities indicated in Section
d. Sign the Code of Conduct applicable to BEECN volunteers (Appendix A), and follow the procedures indicated in this Guidelines manual.
Relevant BEECN Volunteer Experience and Prior Training
a. Only volunteers staffing fire station Go-Kits in the BEECN program need to have an Amateur Radio license and experience with amateur radio operations. Volunteers staffing BEECN sites use a push-to-talk radio and do not require an Amateur Radio license.
b. 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.
c. 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, Portland NET will expedite that individual’s
application into the NET program. d. Other skill competencies relevant to volunteering for the BEECN program include: public speaking, leadership/personnel management, and mental health/crisis counseling.
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.
BEECN Volunteer Cohorts
a. Each BEECN should have a cohort of no fewer than eight volunteers who are trained and familiar with the BEECN cache.
b. One of the eight in a cohort will be the Cohort Coordinator for that BEECN cohort. The responsibilities of the Coordinator are described in 100.35: BEECN Cohort Coordinators.
c. A cohort is divided into two shifts (Shift A and Shift B) of four volunteers each. The intention is that in an actual emergency deployment, each shift will work for eight hours maximum and switch to
the other shift at the end of eight hours. See Section 300.10 on operational periods and shifts.
d. Shift A and Shift B are further divided between two Primary Volunteers and two Backup Volunteers. If a Primary Volunteer is injured or for some other reason cannot deploy the BEECN, Backup
Volunteers are available to fill in or take over deployment responsibilities. See Figure 1: Cohort Organization.
BEECN Cohort Coordinators
Cohort Coordinators have no field authority greater than other BEECN volunteers, but are responsible for organizing their cohort. Responsibilities of the Cohort Coordinator include:
a. Serving as PBEM’s point of contact for a BEECN’s cohort. PBEM will contact this individual to inform of BEECN drills or exercises, policy changes, or any other information relevant to the BEECN program. The Cohort Coordinator is responsible for relaying this information to cohort members.
b. Serving as the point of contact for the owner/manager of the property hosting the cache. The Coordinator should contact the property owner/manager when BEECN exercises are scheduled.
c. Working with cohort members to plan out shift and primary/backup volunteer designations for operations.
d. Ensuring that cohort volunteers feel comfortable with using the cache equipment, can deploy the BEECN competently, and that all volunteers understand their role and responsibilities in the event of a BEECN deployment.
e. Ensuring that the cohort has no fewer than eight members, and recruiting new members from the immediate neighborhood as needed.
f. Providing PBEM with program feedback, recommendations, and resource requests as appropriate.
g. Ensuring that the cohort responsibilities described in 100.40: BEECN Cohort Responsibilities are carried out, and the results of audits and exercises are relayed to PBEM.
BEECN Cohort Responsibilities
Each BEECN Cohort has the following responsibilities:
a. No less than monthly, do 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). There is no need to inform PBEM of this check unless there is damage or other issues to report.
b. No less than quarterly, inventory the contents of the cache using the inventory forms included inside the cache. The completed inventory form should be logged online at:
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/pbem/65758.
c. 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.
d. In the event of a major earthquake, proceed with BEECN operations as described in Section 300.
Fire Station Cohorts
A Fire Station volunteer (“FS volunteer”) is a specialized Amateur Radio Operator (ARO), OR a non-licensed volunteer assisting the ARO, who works independently of BEECN cohorts and communicates with the Portland Emergency Coordination Center (ECC).Fire Station volunteers also form a cohort of eight for each fire station. Each shift requires one primary and one backup ARO. Fire Station Volunteers are responsible for relaying messages from BEECNs to the ECC during deployments and exercises and are fundamental to BEECN operations. Therefore, a BEECN cohort should know who the Fire Station Volunteer is who will be relaying their messages. The responsibilities of Fire Station Volunteers are described in Operations: Fire Stations
BEECN Volunteers and Portland Neighborhood Emergency Teams
a. BEECN volunteers and NETs operate independent of each other’s authority and are not under each other’s chain of command.
b. PBEM encourages BEECN cohorts to meet with regularly with their local NETs, and to be familiar with their Operations Plans.
c. 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.
Indemnification of BEECN Volunteers
Subject to the conditions and limitations of the Oregon Constitution and Oregon Tort Claims Act, ORS 30.260 through 30.300, the City shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless BEECN or FS volunteers for any tort claim arising out of a BEECN/FS volunteer’s act or omission within the course and scope of the volunteer’s duties while the volunteer is performing emergency service activities under the direction of PBEM in connection with a state of emergency declared under ORS 401.309, or during a state of public health emergency proclaimed under ORS 433.441, or while the volunteer is engaged in training being conducted or approved by PBEM for the purpose of preparing the volunteer to perform emergency services, or while a volunteer is participating in non-emergency deployment activities with PBEM’s prior approval.