Ataşehir Municipality organized a special event on February 6 to commemorate the 2023 thousand citizens who lost their lives in the earthquakes that caused great destruction in 11 provinces on February 53, 5, and to share the earthquake preparedness efforts. The event was held at the Ataşehir Disaster and Emergency Management Center. The program explained the preparations made by the Ataşehir Municipality for a rapid and effective response in the event of a possible disaster, and introduced the Search and Rescue Disaster Village, which includes many critical units, from a soup kitchen that will provide hot meals to 3 thousand people, to a medical intervention tent, from the management center to shelters.
On the anniversary of the great earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023, which caused destruction in 11 provinces and caused the death of more than 53 thousand citizens, Ataşehir Municipality organized another meaningful event.
On the second anniversary of the February 6 earthquakes, a gathering was held at the Ataşehir Disaster and Emergency Management Center to provide information on what steps should be taken before a possible earthquake and the disaster preparation work carried out in the district. At the event, citizens who lost their lives in the earthquake were commemorated with a moment of silence, and after the documentary screening, Ataşehir Municipality's disaster response strategies and preparations were conveyed to the participants in detail.
In the program, Ataşehir Mayor Onursal Adıgüzel, ATAK Search and Rescue Team Leader Cemre Kaya and Prof. Dr. Himmet Karaman from Istanbul Technical University took part as speakers. Following the speeches, certificates of appreciation were presented to the 38-person ATAK Search and Rescue Team.
In the program, the management center, which was completely renovated and renamed as the 'Disaster and Emergency Crisis Center', was introduced, as well as the Search and Rescue Disaster Village, which will save lives in the event of a possible disaster.
“If We Had Not Forgotten the 99 Earthquake, We Would Not Have Faced Such Great Destruction on February 6”
Ataşehir Mayor Onursal Adıgüzel made the following remarks in his speech on the anniversary of the February 6 earthquakes: “Today, we are here not only to commemorate our losses, but also to underline a great responsibility. Earthquakes may be a fact of nature; however, it is in our hands to reduce the destruction it will create and save lives. Unfortunately, our memory is short as a country. However, forgetting is the greatest danger. Forgetting and ignoring earthquakes is the greatest mistake. If we do not learn from our pain, we will have lost our losses in vain. If we had not forgotten the earthquake of 99, rest assured that we would not have encountered such great destruction in the February 6 earthquakes. If we had identified and reduced the risks, our friends who were engaged in search and rescue activities would have had very few tasks. We would have lost many fewer people.
Mayor Adıgüzel, who also mentioned that they implemented important projects to prepare Ataşehir for an earthquake, said, “As soon as we took office, we started to prepare the basic equipment and materials that would be needed in emergencies by placing earthquake containers at various points in our district and we have placed 3 earthquake containers so far, and today we are placing our 4th earthquake container, which you will see in the field, in Necmettin Erbakan Park. These containers contain first aid kits, generators, tents and other emergency response equipment to be used in search and rescue operations. At the same time, we have determined 150 assembly areas in our district in order to ensure the safety of our neighbors after a possible major earthquake.”
Ataşehir is ready for disasters with its 3600 square meter disaster and emergency center
Stating that they continue important preparations against possible disasters with the Disaster and Emergency Management Center, President Adıgüzel said, “Our current 3600 square meter Ataşehir Disaster and Emergency Management Center has equipment and capacity that many districts do not have. Our center includes many critical units from the heliport area to the earthquake simulation truck, from the search and rescue drill area to the dog training area. Thanks to our Disaster and Emergency Crisis Center located here, we manage the field work in the best way by making a rapid and coordinated intervention plan in the event of a possible disaster. At the same time, our Search and Rescue Team works with a 7/24 duty system for rapid and effective intervention in the event of a disaster. We are ready for all disaster scenarios with our debris imaging and sensitive listening devices, search and rescue vehicles and specially trained dogs.”
'We have implemented our Search and Rescue Disaster Village project'
Stating that they have made important precautions and preparations regarding shelter and logistics, which are among the most critical issues after the earthquake, Mayor Adıgüzel said, “We purchased new generation tents that entered the inventory of a municipality for the first time in this area and we have prepared areas such as dining hall tents, shelter tents, health tents and management tents by implementing our Search and Rescue Disaster Village project. The project includes a soup kitchen that will provide hot meals to 3.000 people daily, as well as rest and sleep areas, first aid and emergency response areas. In this way, we will be able to act in a coordinated manner from the first moment of the disaster and ensure that basic needs are met. We cannot change the reality of earthquakes, but we can be prepared for them,” and concluded his speech.
'Human Life is Entrusted to Us in Times of Disaster'
ATAK Search and Rescue Team Leader Cemre Kaya began her speech by commemorating the citizens who lost their lives in the February 6 earthquakes and described the night of the earthquake with the following words: “What we experienced there that day was not just a memory, but a responsibility, an oath for us. We gathered under this roof because we know that in times of disaster, human life is entrusted to us. We have to be ready at all times. We are points individually, but when we come together, we form a line, we become a team. And that team sets off without hesitation for another life, for another hope.” Expressing that they are ready for an emergency call at any time, Kaya said, “Two years have passed since the Kahramanmaraş earthquake. I remember with mercy the citizens we lost and wish patience to their families. I am grateful to all search and rescue teams, and to every hero who sweated in the field. As the ATAK team, we are ready for every task that will come from our presidency and AFAD. Because we are always ready for search and rescue in case of an emergency call, even when we are asleep,” he concluded.
Karaman: We Started Risk Analysis Studies in Ataşehir
Prof. Dr. Himmet Karaman, who shared important information about the earthquake reality, said, “The February 6 earthquakes were a painful history of the greatest losses we have experienced in Turkey. Since 1929, this country has experienced many earthquakes and faced painful results. We think that there will be a major earthquake in Istanbul and Marmara. We should learn lessons from past earthquakes. In disaster management, we should examine the past and develop risk reduction strategies. What is important is to manage resources correctly, reduce risks and keep teams ready. The most important factor in combating earthquakes is minimizing risk. We have currently started risk analysis and improvement studies in Ataşehir. I hope we will not encounter a major earthquake before these studies are completed. We will continue our studies without interruption and complete our earthquake preparations.”
Disaster and Emergency Crisis Center Renewed
In addition to the team, equipment and vehicles that allow rapid intervention in the event of a possible disaster, the Ataşehir Disaster and Emergency Management Center, which is built on an area of 3600 square meters and includes many critical areas and materials from the simulation truck to the heliport area, has also completely renewed the existing management center so that all processes can be carried out in a coordinated manner without interruption in the event of a disaster. The Disaster and Emergency Crisis Center, which has been provided with a structure that has all the technical equipment and intervention plans necessary for the uninterrupted execution of disaster management processes, will play an active role in rapid and effective decision-making processes in times of disaster.
Village That Will Save Lives in an Earthquake
On the other hand, Ataşehir Municipality is constantly updating its preparations for post-disasters while strengthening its team and equipment. In this context, Ataşehir Disaster and Emergency Management Center, which has added many new generation tents that most municipalities do not have, also introduced the Search and Rescue Disaster Village that it will establish with these tents in case of a possible disaster. The Disaster Village, which includes different critical units from shelters to soup kitchens, medical intervention areas to the management center and logistics areas, will also be able to distribute food to 3 thousand people daily.
Uninterrupted Communication and Intervention Can Be Provided
In the mini village planned to be established rapidly in disaster-hit regions by the Ataşehir Municipality Disaster and Emergency Management Center, intervention plans will be coordinated thanks to the mobile command system in the management center area, which will be located for uninterrupted decision-making, while the distribution of aid materials, logistic support and operation follow-ups will also be managed from this area. In addition, uninterrupted communication will be provided with various communication systems in the center.
A Special Infrastructure Was Prepared for Cleaning and Hygiene
There is also a hygiene tent in the Search and Rescue Disaster Village to ensure post-disaster hygiene conditions. The tent, which has the infrastructure to meet personal cleaning and disinfection needs, also includes toilets and shower areas, as well as systems created for waste management.
Earthquake Containers Are Being Placed in 17 Neighborhoods
In the new period, Ataşehir Municipality, which has accelerated its earthquake preparation works, completed the disaster risk maps for 28 actions and entered the second stage risk scanning process, plans to accelerate the urban transformation in the district after the said scannings are completed. In this context, an important cooperation was signed with IMM regarding the zoning plans, and a protocol was signed with KİPTAŞ. On the other hand, Ataşehir Municipality, which has started to place earthquake containers in 17 neighborhoods in the district, aims to meet the first response equipment in the event of a disaster with its fully equipped containers for a possible disaster. There are 150 collection areas for post-disasters in the district. Ataşehir Municipality continues its earthquake preparation works without interruption.
