In June 2016 when Lake Illawarra flooded the NSW State Emergency Service performed many flood rescues in caravan parks around the lake
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Shellharbour Unit operations coordinator Tom Nichols said the SES saw an opportunity to develop community action teams within such parks to help with future events.
“Our unit had a very unique challenge. We had a significant amount of flooding combined with a King Tide,” he said.
The unit approached IMB Bank Community Foundation and on Wednesday received a grant to help establish community action teams and fund a trailer to deploy in such weather events.
“The teams would be self sufficient with their trailer. There wouldn’t be any need for them to drive through flooded waters to get to us,” Mr Nichols said.
Several SES projects were among 50 to share in $500,000 in funding on Wednesday. Wollongong SES for a rescue stretcher wheel, Wingecarribee a vertical rescue training tower and Kiama a kitchen on wheels.
Other funding went to feeding the homeless, solar-powered bathroom facilities at a sporting complex, a social education and behavioural improvement program to educate young boys and medical equipment for a hospital ICU.
IMB Bank has handed out $9.1 million in 19 years. CEO Robert Ryan and Community Foundation chair Jan Swinhoe said 250 projects applied for funding in 2018.
Other funding recipients;
- Raise the Gong Chemo Care Kits for women
- Warilla Baptist Church Pre-School banana circle to turn unwanted food scraps into usable compost.
- Sandon Point Surf Life Saving Club IRB replacement
- Football South Coast football program for refugees
- Kind Hearts Illawarra outreach
- Rotary Club of West Wollongong road safety education
- Illawarra Light Railway Museum camp kitchen
- South Coast Rescue Squad training room refurbishment
- Marine Rescue Port Kembla communications centre upgrade
- ARAFMI Illawarra Mental Health Carers crisis manual
- Caresouth health hub
- Wollongong Therapy Centre taking therapy into the sunshine
- Wollongong City Gallery project remembering the life of Bob Srederas
- Wollongong Conservatorium of Music Roger Soden Scholarship
- Need A Feed
- Top Blokes Foundation stepping up program
- Illawarra Drug Awareness Group Life Education truck
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