BEACON Exercise
Lighting the way for auxiliary communications!
Welcome to the official site for the BEACON Exercise!
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: @BEACONexercise
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BEACON Exercise
We are excited to announce that registration for the 2027 BEACON Exercise is now LIVE! Click Register in the toolbar and register today!
Registering has many benefits. Registered participants will receive email reminders about upcoming outreach events, training opportunities, equipment testing, and exercise preparedness activities being offered throughout the year. You will also be enrolled to receive an alert test from Humboldt County OES, which will confirm your ability to receive text injects that will be used during the BEACON Exercise. Inject messages (commonly referred to simply as injects) are scripted pieces of information, events, or prompts introduced into an exercise to drive the scenario forward and stimulate player action.
Following registration, you will be connected with your local, county, and/or regional Exercise Liaison (EL). EL’s are participants that volunteer to help guide other participants. Your liaison will help ensure you are aware of training and preparation opportunities available in your area. Exercise Liaisons can also help you and your team build your contact and resource lists by connecting you with partner agencies and other participating organizations. You can find the list of EL’s in your area by clicking on Liaison on the toolbar.
Whether you are returning as a 2026 participant or joining BEACON for the first time, we look forward to having you and your organization participate in this growing nationwide communications and coordination exercise.
Be sure to visit the BEACON website as we continue adding 2027 resources and information. Click the Calendar link to see upcoming virtual training and preparation presentations designed to help your team understand the exercise and prepare for participation.
Register early. Start planning NOW.
2026 BEACON After Action Report
Download the 2026 BEACON Exercise After Action Report v1.0
Note: Version 1.1 of the 2026 BEACON After Action Report will be released after the 2026 Pacificon BEACON panel, adding an annex with discussion highlights, key insights, and improvement recommendations.
Disclaimer:
The 2026 BEACON AAR is intended to capture common observations, identify strengths, and highlight opportunities for improvement that can enhance emergency communications preparedness and interagency coordination. Because BEACON included participants from many different organizations, disciplines, and jurisdictions, the recommendations were intentionally written to be broadly applicable. As a result, not every observation or suggested area for improvement will apply equally to every organization or participant. We encourage you to review the report and incorporate those lessons that are relevant to your mission, capabilities, and operational environment.
2027 PARTICIPATING AGENCIES & PARTNERS -- Thank you!
Humboldt County OES
Alameda County
Sheriff's Comm Team
2026 PARTICIPATING AGENCIES & PARTNERS -- Thank you!
DATE TIME (Pacific) EVENT
Saturday, October 17, 2026 16:00 – 16:50 Session at Pacificon and live streamed
See all 2027 events on our Calendar page!
Thursday, April 29, 2027 09:00 – 17:00 2027 BEACON Exercise
Join us for a lively discussion at Pacificon on
Saturday, October 17, 2026.
Dan and Greg will lead a panel discussion on lessons learned from the 2026 BEACON Exercise, live streamed, with a special guest. We hope to see you there!
Pacificon Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 4:00 PM
BEACON: Building Emergency Area Communications, Operations, and Networks
Auxiliary Communications (AuxComm) is the term adopted nationally to refer to volunteer led backup communications networks. AuxComm has been a component of the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) since 2014, and states are asked to adopt AuxComm in their state plans. California adopted AuxComm in the California Statewide Interoperability Communications Plan (CalSCIP) in 2022.
BEACON unites the volunteer auxiliary communications community with the career professionals that rely on them to augment incident communications. The Exercise focuses on the expected roles, responsibilities, and outcomes that define effective auxiliary communications from the neighborhoods and cities up to the state and beyond, including mutual aid practices, official forms, and processes that ensure vital two-way communications to operational area partners that include NGOs, schools, hospitals, CERT, and other partners.
BEACON draws on real experience learned across the US, from hurricanes in the east, derechos and tornadoes in the midwest, and wildfires in the west. To many in the auxiliary communications community, this exercise will be very different because it integrates the methods and practices followed by career emergency management professionals. The exercise is no longer theory, but practice.
As a professionally developed Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) exercise, BEACON offers a standardized and performance-based methodology that allows agencies to assess and validate the policies, plans, procedures, training, equipment, assumptions, and interagency agreements. This assessment helps identify gaps, deficiencies, and vulnerabilities before a real incident occurs.
Agencies also meet part of their Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funding requirements by participating in HSEEP programs.
Nets
Amateur radio:
1st Wednesday of the month @ 11:00 Pacific, 7.2380 MHz LSB
SHARES:
2nd Wednesday of the month @ 11:00 Pacific, SFA0 (zero)
Disaster Scenario 2027
USGS reports an 8.8 magnitude earthquake along the San Andreas Fault, with building collapse, infrastructure damage, and fires. In such an event, communicators will be tasked to engage other volunteers to give situation reports; provide radio assistance to shelters, schools, and hospitals; set up public information posts at police and fire stations, libraries, and other public places; help coordinate resources within neighborhoods; ensure messages get delivered to their intended recipients; and communicate resource requests through official channels.
How To Participate
Register by April 21 and create a login to return
You will be matched to a group in your area. IF YOU MISS REGISTRATION, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL LIAISON DIRECTLY
Invite others to participate
Attend pre-exercise training events
Participate in the exercise on April 29 2027
Provide feedback
Who Should Participate
BEACON Exercise welcomes all groups and individuals interested in emergency preparedness to participate:
Local, County, State, Federal, Tribal Government Agencies (Law Enforcement, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Departments, Emergency Management, Cal OES, National Weather Service, CalTrans)
Nongovernmental Organizations (Food Bank, Neighborhood Pantry, American Red Cross)
Community Service Organizations (Community Emergency Response Team, Neighborhood Watch, Amateur Radio Emergency Services, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service, Auxiliary Communication Service, Animal Rescue)
Community Based Organizations (Radio Club, Elks, Lions, Rotary, Scouts)
Faith Based Organizations (Salvation Army, Southern Baptists, Latter Day Saints, Catholic Archdiocese, everyone!)
Schools, (Elementary, High School, Colleges, Trade Schools, ROP)
Healthcare (Clinic, Hospital, Skilled Nursing Facility, Assisted Living Facility)
Utilities (Electric, Water)
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