Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency or AFAD in short, with the Law No. 29 dated 2009 May 5902 published in the Official Gazette on 17 June 2009; It is a disaster and emergency management institution established in place of the Ministry of Interior Civil Defense General Directorate (SSGM) and the Ministry of Public Works and Settlement General Directorate of Disaster Affairs, Prime Ministry General Directorate of Disaster and Emergency Management (TAY). The institution works under the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Turkey. The main duty and purpose of the institution is to carry out the management and coordination of pre-disaster preparedness and mitigation, intervention to be made during the disaster and post-disaster recovery works.
Turkey is a country that frequently faces natural disasters due to its tectonic, seismic, topographic and climatic structure. Flood, flood, avalanche, landslide, fire, but most importantly earthquake…
Our country ranks third in the world in terms of human loss in earthquakes and eighth in terms of the number of people affected. On average, there is at least one earthquake with a magnitude of 5 to 6 every year.
The material and moral losses caused directly or indirectly by natural disasters are proof of how meticulously disaster management and coordination should be handled in today's world.
Policies regarding natural disasters in our country were first developed after the 1939 Erzincan Earthquake; With the Law No. 1959 on “Aids to be Taken by Measures to be Taken Due to Disasters Affecting Public Life” enacted in 7269, the legal gap on the subject was tried to be eliminated. Legal regulations regarding disasters continued with the "Regulation on Emergency Aid Organization and Planning Principles for Disasters", which was issued in 1988 in order to ensure that all the state's facilities reach the disaster area as quickly as possible and that the most effective first response is made to the victims of the disaster.
The turning point in the field of disaster management and coordination in Turkey is the 17 August 1999 Marmara Earthquake.
This earthquake, which caused great loss of life and extensive damage, has bitterly revealed the necessity of reviewing the issue of disaster management in our country.
The need to redefine the authorities and responsibilities of institutions that need to be coordinated has made it necessary to gather authority and coordination in one hand in disaster and emergency situations.
In this direction, the General Directorate of Civil Defense under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the General Directorate of Disaster Affairs under the Ministry of Public Works and Settlement, and the General Directorate of Emergency Management of Turkey under the Prime Ministry, which work for disasters, were closed and transferred to the Prime Ministry with the Law No. 2009 enacted in 5902. The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency was established and the authorities and responsibilities were gathered under a single roof. Within the scope of the regulations regarding the Presidential Government System, the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency was subordinated to the Ministry of Interior with the Presidential Decree No. 15 published on 2018 July 4.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency is a multi-faceted, multi-faceted organization that provides cooperation between all institutions and organizations of the country for the planning, direction, support, coordination and effective implementation of the necessary activities for the prevention of disasters and reducing their damage, responding to disasters and completing the post-disaster recovery works quickly. It is a multi-actor, business-oriented, flexible and dynamic institution, which oversees the rational use of resources in this field, and which is based on interdisciplinary work in its activities.
In BAW328752 02u frame; A new disaster management model has been put into practice in our country, and with this model, priority has been given to "Risk Management" from "Crisis Management".
This model, which is called "Integrated Disaster Management System" today, aims to prevent the damages caused by disasters and emergencies, to determine the dangers and risks beforehand, to take measures to prevent or minimize the damages that may occur before the disaster occurs, to ensure effective response and coordination and to provide effective response and coordination. It envisages that the improvement works are carried out in an integrated manner afterwards.
Our Presidency carries out its activities through the Provincial Disaster and Emergency Directorates directly affiliated to the governor in the provinces and the Disaster and Emergency Search and Rescue Union Directorates in 11 provinces.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency is the only authorized institution regarding disasters and emergencies, and with the understanding of an umbrella institution, according to the nature and size of the disaster and emergency situation, the General Staff, Foreign Affairs, Health, Transport and Infrastructure etc. It continues its activities in cooperation with other relevant ministries and non-governmental organizations.
Since the day it was founded, it has carried out the most effective and rapid response to the earthquakes in Elazig, Simav and Van that have been experienced in our country, and has healed the wounds of our citizens in the shortest time with its successful recovery policies after the earthquake. In case of flood disasters in Antalya, Samsun and Sinop, coordination with the relevant institutions was ensured in a short time, and the efforts to return life to normal in the disaster area were completed immediately.
Our Presidency, which has carried out many successful operations not only nationally but also internationally, has not remained indifferent to disasters and emergencies even in the most remote geographies of the world, with its qualified, professional and expert personnel and technological equipment, from Haiti to Japan, from Chile to Myanmar. He extended his helping hand until; Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and Syria successfully carried out evacuation and humanitarian aid operations that won the world's appreciation in the social events.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency will continue to fulfill its duties and responsibilities, both nationally and internationally, with its well-equipped personnel and effective policies it has developed.