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
Preparing for the 2027 BEACON Exercise?
We are excited to announce that preparation for the 2027 BEACON Exercise has begun and we are even more excited about what is ahead! The 2026 BEACON Exercise was a tremendous success, thanks to the hundreds of participants who came together to test communications, coordination, partnerships, and response capabilities. You are what makes BEACON successful!
Because of the tremendous growth and success we experienced in 2026, we have expanded the 2027 BEACON leadership and planning team to accommodate the anticipated growth in 2027. More than a dozen volunteer leaders across California have offered their time and support to improve documentation, training, exercise development, outreach, presentations, and participant resources.
We encourage you to download and review the 2026 BEACON documents as you begin preparing for 2027. These materials provide a useful starting point while our 2027 Planning Team works to update and improve the documents and events for the upcoming exercise. With expanded participation comes more opportunities and more work behind the scenes. Our priority is to have essential documents and resources available when 2027 BEACON Registration opens in October 2026, with additional materials released throughout the following weeks.
Our 2027 event calendar will also be posted in October and updated regularly as kickoff meetings, training, outreach presentations, test days, and other opportunities are scheduled. We encourage participating organizations to plan accordingly and set aside time for these events. These opportunities are designed to help you prepare, learn, collaborate, and get the most out of BEACON.
We ask for your patience as our volunteer leaders work diligently over the coming weeks to build the 2027 calendar and develop an even better BEACON experience for everyone.
Questions, comments, or want assistance with outreach? Please use the Contact Us form in the website toolbar to reach our Outreach Coordinator.
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.
2026 PARTICIPATING AGENCIES & PARTNERS -- Thank you!
Humboldt County OES
Alameda County
Sheriff's Comm Team
Humboldt County CERT
City of Petaluma
Sonoma County ACS
California Department of Water Resources
The Food Bank for
Humboldt County
City of Richmond OES
City of Livermore
Emergency Management
North Bay Communication Cooperative
Bear River Band OES
City of Pleasanton
Emergency Management
DATE TIME (Pacific) EVENT
Saturday, October 17, 2026 11:00 – 11:50 Session at Pacificon and live streamed
New 2027 training dates TBD
Thursday, April 29, 2027 09:00 – 17:00 2027 BEACON Exercise
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!
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 11:00 AM
Pacificon Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 11:00 AM
BEACON: Building Emergency Area Communications, Operations, and Networks
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 2026
Disaster Scenario 2026
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
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 30 2026
Provide feedback
Who Should Participate
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)
Our Leadership Team
Our Leadership Team
Our Leadership Team consists of proven leaders with decades of combined experience serving volunteer radio and served agencies.
Daniel Goldstein KJ6KEU
Executive Director
Daniel Goldstein KJ6KEU
Executive Director
Greg Waters KJ6OUI
Exercise Director
Greg Waters KJ6OUI
Exercise Director
Dan has held technical, management, and executive positions in IT for over 35 years, and in cybersecurity for 25 years. He is also an elected Hayward City Council member. He currently serves as the Administrative Sergeant for the Alameda County Sheriff's Communications Team, as the California Region 2 Auxiliary Communications Mutual Aid Coordinator, and as the ARRL East Bay Section Emergency Coordinator.
Greg is a full-time paid employee with Humboldt County Sheriff, Office of Emergency Services as the Program Coordinator. Greg is assigned the duty to manage the county Auxiliary Communications (AuxComm) team and multiple county CERT teams. Greg is type III rated for Incident Management Team (IMT) and Drone Pilot. He is an Incident Command System Instructor for first responders and volunteer groups.
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