2026 Spring CDE for Southwest Combined Teams (SWCT)

We’re so glad that you’ve signed up for the May 30th Citywide Deployment Exercise, and that you are going to be a part of the Southwest Combined Teams (SWCT for the exercise that day. If you haven’t already been assigned a role in the exercise, you will likely be assigned to a “roving team” which will use our NET (and CERT) training to respond to a series of “injects” or emergency scenarios.

Here’ are some details:

Event is Saturday, May 30, 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: Vermont Hills Church (just west of Pendleton Park) parking lot, at 6053 SW 55th Street, Portland, OR 97221

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.

Read up: The Citywide Deployment Exercise Wiki offers a wealth of information and links.

If you can, please join us at our joint Hayhurst/Maplewood NET meeting on Tuesday evening, May 26, starting at 7 pm. We will go over 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:

Topic: 5/26/2026 NET Meeting
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81792296644?pwd=KzliVVQ5NUJNR00yVk5oNGtaWkN3dz09
MeetingID: 817 9229 6644
Passcode: Hayhurst

IMPORTANT: Active NET and BEECN volunteers participating in the CDE must complete the annual Heat Illness Prevention Training before 05/29. If the Heat Index rises above 80, 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 May 26 and at the CDE on May 30! Just let us know if you have questions.

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!

Beth Blenz-Clucas (503-481-1530), CDE Exercise Coordinator

Is this your First Exercise?

This site will be updated with information. So, if so, read through it entirely and check for updates prior to the exercise and following the exercise for valuable information. If you have any questions or suggestions, please out to CDE Exercise Coordinator, or email: firstresponders@hayhurstnet.com.

Objectives
NET’s core purpose when activated is to coordinate first response within our community and communicate with Form 201 to the PBEM Emergency Operations Center (EOC):
– Collaborative decision-making with empathy and understanding.
– Agile tactical planning while facing ambiguity.
– Improvisational application of Incident Command System (ICS) methodology.

SWCT Volunteer Roles

Southwest Combined Teams (SWCT) Exercise Coordinator – Beth B. & Greg Z.
Incident Team Lead (ITL) – Bob M. and Tom B.
ITL Scribe – TBD
Ops Section Chief – Candice E.
Spontaneous Unaffiliated Volunteer (SUV) coordinator – TBD
Amateur Radio Operator (ARO) – Ed K.
ARO Scribe – Irene J.
SAR Team (A) Yellow Lead – TBD
SAR Team (A) Yellow FRS – TBD
SAR Team (B) Blue Lead – TBD
SAR Team (B) Blue FRS – TBD
SAR Team (C) Red Lead – TBD
SAR Team (C) Red FRS – TBD

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.

05/30/2026, Spring 2026 Citywide Deployment Exercise (CDE) will assemble upon activation at 1PM to 4PM at Primary Staging Area Vermont Hills United Methodist Church property adjacent to the Pendleton Park area.
If you’d like to setup, please assemble at Hayhurst’s Primary Staging Area at 12:00PM to set up one or more canopy tents, along with at least three tables.
Here’s a link to the Maplewood Ops Plan: https://www.portland.gov/pbem/neighborhood-emergency-teams/documents/maplewood-net-ops-plan/download (key point – use Channel 18 for Radio Check-in** while in route to Staging Area. Please feel free to considering filling in Form 1 while enroute and during radio check-in: https://volunteerpdx.net/index.php/NET_Incident_Command_System_(ICS)_Forms#NET_Form_1:_Damage_Assessment_Form
We can only use the Vermont Hills United Methodist Church (where we generally meeting for our monthly meetings) facility restrooms from 1:30PM 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 closed, so you’ll just have to 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.
Training Information
- Reflect on training key takeaways Grant Tokiwa provided:
  - Session 1: Building Size-up
  - Session 2: Search & Rescue
  - Session 3: Scribe (recording of session schedule on 5/26/2026 will be provided soon)
  - Links
    - ICS Role Cards
    - Hayhurst Trifold Brochure (covers requirements for having an Ops Plan):
    - Hayhurst Operations Plan
    - Intro to ICS and Forms
    - CDE FORMS
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.