Ed,

Congratulations to the organisation called ICOPE Inc. “Iluka Community Organisation Preparing for Emergencies”. ICOPE is less than twelve months old and already punching above their weight. 

The committee behind ICOPE are self-starters, motivated and driven. They know the importance of working in a positive and collaborative way with others, such as, Red Cross, RFS, SES, the Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC), Clarence Valley Council, Rotary and the broader community.

They hosted a free community party last Sunday, they called “Field of Friends” to network and create a more connected community. It was a huge success and sponsored by FRRR Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal and the Yulgilbar Foundation  

The ICOPE committee are very proud, and rightly so, for becoming the first community group to receive endorsement for a Community Managed Evacuation Centre (CMEC). They have developed an inclusive Community Emergency Plan that maps out vulnerable people, ensuring no one gets forgotten in a disaster.

They are a shinning, example of what community members can do, and are willing to do, to prepare their community for future natural disasters and emergencies. They are leaders, showing the way for other communities to follow. 

They are an extraordinary group of volunteers, spending hundreds, if not thousands of hours of their time making ICOPE Inc a reality. 

Cr Karen Toms, Yamba