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| SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | MAY 2026 | 7 BEACON TRAINING By Janis Rice, EPAP PIO e Sun Lakes Emergency Preparedness Action Plan is continuously training in the eort to be ready for a large magnitude earthquake, res, or other major disasters. On April 30th, the Sun Lakes EPAP Team, Radio Communication Team and a selected group of our certied CERT members participated in the BEACON Exercise. e purpose of this drill was to test our Sun Lakes EPAP/Communications Team's ability to link their communication capabilities with local areas and throughout California. e exercise focused on the expected roles, responsibilities, and outcomes that dene eective auxiliary communications from the neighborhoods and cities up to the state level and beyond, including mutual aid practices, ocial FEMA forms, and processes that ensure vital two-way communications to operational area partners. During the drill, our EPAP Executive Team, Radio Comms Team and CERT volunteers practiced the following procedures: *Made sure all equipment and radios were operational at the EPAP Operation Center. Necessary repairs were made. *Observed the operations of the drill to ensure information was reaching the intended targets. *Received phone messages and recorded information from individuals assigned throughout our community. *Conrmed Winlink (worldwide radio email system using radio pathways where the internet is not present) sent and received messages to participating team members. *Establish communicators outside our area using the ICS-205 form (Incident Radio Communications Plan which provides information on all radio frequencies assigned for each operational period). *CERT Trained participants collected eld information and reported back to the lead. *First Aid (FAST) participants collected eld information and reported back to the lead. Tracy Lenocker, Dede Hermon, Candace Jenkins and the EPAP Executive and Radio Comms Team's summary of the exercise was positive. With our participation in these types of drills and exercises we can make certain Sun Lakes EPAP is prepared for an emergency event. BEING PREPARED WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE. ••••••• • • • • - €•€•• • ‚•ƒ • •••ƒ ••• „• •••„ƒ ƒ•ƒ„• ••ƒ•„ •• „ •••…••