On August 17 2023 the Coffs-Bellingen Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) undertook a recovery exercise at the Coffs Harbour Showground.
Spearheaded by Community Recovery Officers at the City of Coffs Harbour and Bellingen Shire Council, this initiative brought together over 80 recovery stakeholders from local, state and federal government agencies, community groups, and emergency services.
The exercise simulated a recovery operation in response to a devastating fire scenario within the Coffs Harbour and Bellingen Local Government Areas (LGAs).
"This exercise is a testament to the City's ongoing commitment, along with our local and state government agency partners, to help us prepare for any eventuality," said City of Coffs Harbour Local Emergency Management Officer, Andrew Beswick.
"Drawing insights from recent disasters such as floods, fires, and storms, we wish to incorporate these lessons to enhance our resilience and help our communities bounce back from any such events in the future."
The recovery exercise aligns with the continuous efforts of both the City of Coffs Harbour and Bellingen Shire Council to develop a Local Pre-Event Recovery Plan for the LEMC. It builds upon the success of the recently completed LEMC Disaster Risk Assessment in May 2023 and the Disability Inclusive Emergency Planning Forums held in both LGAs.
The exercise leveraged the newly developed and innovative Recovery Exercise Toolkit, which was jointly developed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR). Support for the exercise came from NEMA and the NSW Reconstruction Authority.
To further support disaster recovery, the City of Coffs Harbour will be running community recovery planning workshops in mid-September. To learn more about these workshops and to register your attendance, please visit coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/rr
