Welcome to the official site for the BEACON Exercise!
Leadership positions now open (video and interest form due June 30, 2026)
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: @BEACONexercise
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
Thursday, November 6, 2025 09:00 – 10:00 AM Kick Off Meeting
Thursday, November 6, 2025 18:00 – 20:00 PM Kick Off Meeting
Thursday, December 11, 2025 18:00 – 20:00 December Exercise Liaison training
Thursday, January 8, 2026 18:00 – 20:00 January Exercise Liaison training
Saturday, January 31, 2026 09:00 – 12:00 Pre-Exercise Tabletop Exercise
Saturday, February 21, 2026 09:00 – 12:00 Local Equipment Test Day
Saturday, March 21, 2026 09:00 – 12:00 Regional Equipment Test Day
Thursday, April 23, 2026 14:00 – 16:00 Controller and Evaluator Training
(By invitation only)
Thursday, April 30, 2026 09:00 – 17:00 2026 BEACON Exercise
Saturday, October 17, 2026 11:00 – 11:50 Discussion at Pacificon and live streamed
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)
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.
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
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 consists of proven leaders with decades of combined experience serving volunteer radio and served agencies.
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.
