Thank you for taking part to help the local community! The next Citywide Deployment Exercise (CDE) is scheduled for November 7th 2026 from 1:00 to 4:00PM. To take part, please register via this link:
Event is Saturday, November 07, 1 to 4 pm. Rain or shine. We will start right on time. The exercise will end at about 3:30 pm, and then we will do a “hotwash” to review the exercise, right on the spot.
Location: St. Luke Lutheran Church 4595 SW California St, Portland, OR 97219 (See red pointer for assembly location at staging area in image below.)
Bring: your PPE (helmet, vest) and NET/CERT bag with your supplies. Comfortable shoes. A water bottle and a snack. Weather-appropriate clothes. Sunscreen. An FRS or GMRS radio, if you have one.
If you can, please join us at our joint Hayhurst/Maplewood NET meeting on Tuesday evening, October 27, starting at 6:45pm. We will go over an ICS training and what to expect at the CDE. The in-person meeting is at the meeting room on the north side of Vermont Hills Church, 6053 SW 55th Street. You can also join the meeting via Zoom:
IMPORTANT: Active NET and BEECN volunteers participating in the CDE must complete the annual Heat Illness Prevention Training beforeCDE. If the Heat Index rises above 80 (very unlikely), any volunteer without this annual training may not participate in the CDE. This is an annual requirement under Oregon-OSHA and City policy, and therefore the Portland NET Code of Conduct as well. Don’t worry: there will be opportunities for shade and rest during the exercise as you need it. Just plan to stay hydrated.
We look forward to seeing you at the meeting on October 27 and at the CDE on November 7! And remember, this is just an exercise. It is a chance to refresh our training and to learn how to work with other volunteers as a team. We’re all going to make mistakes, and those will be great learning opportunities!
For questions, please contact exercise coordinator Greg Zupan via greg.zupan@gmail.com.
Is This Your First Exercise?
This site will be actively maintained. So, read through it entirely and check for updates prior and following the exercise for active awareness.
Objectives NET’s core purpose when activated is to coordinate first response within our community and communicate with immediate activation briefing provided by the PBEM Emergency Operations Center (EOC), or with a Form 201 from the prior team on duty: – Collaborative decision-making with empathy and understanding. – Agile tactical planning while facing ambiguity. – Improvisational application of Incident Command System (ICS) methodology.
SWCT Volunteer Roles
Westside SubNet Control – Brian S & Ed K.
Southwest Combined Teams (SWCT) Exercise Coordinator – Greg Z.
NEW 11/01:NET ICS Forms (This also includes the Form 201 template and an example from last year’s drill for review. A briefing hand-off will be core to the drill. View the following QR Code via tablet or cell phone camera to review the forms.)
As a NET, please login to MIP (MyImpactPage – Login) to identify additional training available.
Prep Reminder Info
Check your NET gear and be sure that you have your responder vest, NET ID, hard hat, and a water bottle filled and ready, as well as, verifying the additional gear that you suspect may be needed. Make sure you bring a clipboard, pen or pencil, and a collapsible chair.
11/07/2026, Fall 2026 Citywide Deployment Exercise (CDE) will assemble upon activation at 1PM to 4PM at Primary Staging Area St. Luke Lutheran Church property.
If you’d like to setup, please assemble at Hayhurst’s Secondary Staging Area at 12:00PM to set up one or more canopy tents, along with at least three tables.
We can only use the St. Luke Lutheran Church facility restrooms from noon on. Despite weather conditions, everyone will need to be stationed outside the facility. Bring gear and water to deal with high temperature conditions. Along with normal NET gear, please be sure to bring water, snacks, clipboard, writing utensil, and a collapsible chair.
ARO will provide Ham Radio power independently.
Spontaneous Unaffiliated Volunteers (SUV) can take part in this CDE and are welcome. Registration is open, so click the link above sign up as an SUV regardless of NET, BEECN, ATV, etc. status.
The debriefing will start at 3:45, and conclude by 4pm, and everyone is welcome, but not required, to join us at the Old Market Pub & Brewery (https://maps.app.goo.gl/Fvo46qG5rKj33Mff9) for a post exercise gathering.
Radio Check-in** will be on Channel 18
Be sure to charge your radios. Even if you cannot activate, please turn on your radio and check in. Everyone from all neighborhoods should turn their radio on to channel 18. There will likely be Net Control and will call for check-ins starting at 1:00. Depending on the NC we may need “relays”. This is an example of what our radio check-in exercise will be:
Net Control: “This is Brian, (call sign), Net Control for our cross-team NET radio check-in. I am ready to take check-ins now. Please state your neighborhood, first name, and nearest intersection, followed by GMRS call sign and unit number.” (Only the GRMS radio users will have a call sign. For example, a family might have more than 1 person on air using the same call sign so if two people it could be “Unit 1” and “Unit 2”.)
How to check in: First name + team name + location of nearest cross street + GMRS call sign plus unit number.
How to “relay”:
If Net Control can’t hear a station, but you can, please say “RELAY”. Net Control will recognize you, then you can relay the check-in.
Example of a relay:
Net control: “Are there any check-ins?”
“Dave on Peyton Rd. and SW 63rd Ave”
Net Control: “…Nothing heard”
Bob: “Relay”
Net Control: “Relay Go ahead”
Bob: “I hear Dave on Peyton Rd. and SW 63rd Ave. “
Net Control: “Copy that, I have Dave checked in.”
Bob: “Relay, Dave you are checked in.”
Dave: “I roger your message, I am checked in.”
Bob: “Confirmed”
According to FCC:
Every GMRS or Ham station must transmit a station identification . . . following the transmission of communications or a series of communications and/or every 15 minutes during a long transmission. (That’s stations, not licensees.) Number may be included after the call sign in the identification. For example: Jack would be: ABCD123-Unit 1 and Jane would be ABCD123-Unit 2. A lengthy call sign – 4 letters, 3 numbers, followed by a unit number. The good thing is that it can be given just every 15 minutes after a series of transmissions or during a lengthy transmission.
Spring 2025 Photos
The CDE was a success! Many NETs took part along with Scouts and even three visiting CERTs from Eugene.
