Our Search and Rescue Team successfully completed AFAD training
![]()
Istanbul Commerce University staff received training on possible earthquake preparations. Our personnel, who improved their search and rescue skills with AFAD’s expert training, gave the message “We are ready for any disaster at any time”.
After the 6 February 2023 earthquakes centred in Kahramanmaraş, students and staff of Istanbul Commerce University also rushed to the aid of the earthquake victims. While thousands of earthquake victims in the earthquake region received emergency supplies collected at our university, many of our staff went to the region to help Search and Rescue teams.
THEY VOLUNTEERED
In June 2023, within the scope of the earthquake mobilisation in which our university also participated in, more than 30 of our staff who applied for the Volunteer Search and Rescue Personnel call made to our university employees were subjected to theoretical trainings such as First Aid during the intervening period. 23 of our personnel successfully completed the ‘Earthquake Search and Rescue’ training program conducted by the Disaster Coordination Centre (AFAD) during the last week.
TRAINING PROCESS AND CONTENT
This program, which aims to train 100 thousand search and rescue personnel across Turkey, aims to contribute to the effective and rapid performance of search and rescue activities, which are vital in emergencies such as earthquakes. Within the scope of the training, our personnel received training on basic search and rescue, introduction of search and rescue equipment, use of equipment and access techniques to possible earthquake victims, fortification construction, tunnelling and consolidation techniques to reach earthquake victims in the rubble, and transporting large masses in earthquake scenarios.
THEY GAINED RESPONSE SKILLS
The training provided by AFAD aims to provide the necessary skills for emergency teams to respond in an equipped and competent manner. This program, which aims to provide a basis for the management and coordination of professional search and rescue operations, was carried out with an intensive training schedule for 5 days at AFAD headquarters in Florya. Our personnel will be entitled to become AFAD accredited Search and Rescue Personnel by completing their specialisation trainings in the following period.
