Cooperation in civil protection

Following the severe earthquake in south-eastern Turkey in 2023, the two municipalities agreed to cooperate in the field of disaster control, particularly in the expansion of a search dog unit. At the end of September 2024, a delegation from the twin city of Beşiktaş gained valuable insights into the disaster control and civil protection structures in the city of Erlangen. The return visit to Beşiktaş was scheduled directly after the Easter holidays. In addition to representatives of the fire department, Dr. Melanie Schulz-Drost/BRK, a renowned and internationally experienced search dog trainer, was also present. The group completed an extensive program under the direction of the Beşiktaş Municipal Directorate of Civil Protection and experienced the magnitude 6.2 earthquake on 23.4 and other aftershocks in Istanbul at first hand.

In discussions with the various institutions, units and civil society activists, it became clear that the district of Beşiktaş has been working intensively for several years to expand its disaster protection. The city administration maintains an earthquake park, which also houses the municipal coordination office for disaster prevention. In Beşiktaş, there are a further 60 green spaces that serve as meeting points for the population in the event of an earthquake. After the earthquake, people living in houses that were not earthquake-proof also spent several days in parks. Beşiktaş also began setting up a search dog team several years ago. Two dogs are currently being trained at a training center run by AFAD, the Istanbul Provincial Disaster and Emergency Directorate. There are a total of 81 trained search and rubble dogs throughout Turkey, 20 of them in Istanbul, which work according to a national standard but are approaching the international standard of INSARAG. Dr. Melanie Schulz-Drost was very impressed by the level of training and the facilities and was able to give her Turkish colleagues important tips and advice for the further training of the dogs in a one-day workshop. There is great interest on both sides in intensifying the cooperation. Getting to know each other and building up relationships and trust will make it much easier to work together in the event of a disaster. In the future, it has been agreed to hold several days of further training in various districts in Istanbul.

During their visit to AFAD's training and education station, the Erlangen group had the opportunity to experience an earthquake simulation and were instructed on how to behave in the event of an earthquake. All municipal and civil society actors involved in disaster protection are organized under the umbrella of AFAD. At another meeting, the Erlangen team got to know various civil society organizations that deal with different aspects of disaster management in Beşiktaş and are all classified as light, medium and heavy USAR teams according to the international INSARAG standard. One initiative is active exclusively in Beşiktaş, while two others are represented throughout Turkey. The civil society organizations in Turkey work under much more difficult conditions than the volunteer blue light organizations in Germany. For example, it is very difficult to achieve non-profit status, there is no exemption from work in the event of a disaster and there is no legislation to promote voluntary work. The NGOs feel hindered rather than supported by the government. All three associations would like an exchange with the volunteer blue light organizations in Erlangen regarding technical equipment, working methods and possible joint exercises. The efforts of the Beşiktaş city administration and the civil society organizations are very exemplary compared to other districts. In one of the neighboring districts, for example, there is still neither a responsible municipal unit for disaster control nor search dogs.

Due to the lack of human and financial resources, it is a challenge for those involved to sensitize and inform the 200,000 inhabitants of Beşiktaş. According to Kemalettin Arslan, Director of Civil Protection, the best way to do this is through the schools: 17,000 of the 23,000 pupils in Besiktas have already been informed and trained for a disaster - i.e. an earthquake. The representatives of the Erlangen fire department, Michael Stöhr and Markus König, saw that their professional colleagues from the Beşiktaş fire department had very comparable concepts in terms of operational tactics and equipment. The equipment is almost identical, but the service life in Turkey is significantly longer. The Erlangen team was impressed by the software, an all-in-one system that is also linked to the surveillance cameras so that the fire department can use live images for their approach and, in some cases, also for the scenes of operations.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, it became clear that Istanbul is one of the most vulnerable cities in the world. Despite all efforts, 1.5 million residential units are not considered earthquake-proof. Experts fear a destructive scenario accompanied by a tsunami if the major earthquake with a magnitude of 7 or more is forecast to shake the city. This makes it all the more important to support the actors in Besiktas in their efforts to prepare the residents.

The project is part of the German-Turkish Initiative for the Promotion of Municipal Dialogue ORTAK - the Turkish word for TOGETHER - and is financially supported by Engagement Global and the Mercator Foundation. If funding is also available next year, it is planned to continue the cooperation in the field of disaster prevention.