CERT Los Angeles CERT Goes to Turkey

Early in 1999, Dr. Husan Ali Bulak contacted the LAFD's Disaster Preparedness Unit - Community Emergency Response Team. Dr. Husan was looking for information and assistance on training volunteer teams in the District of Mugla, in Turkey. Back and forth, communications occurred over the next several months including a visit to the Disaster Preparedness Unit (DPU) by one of Dr. Husan's colleagues. Eventually an invitation was extended to CERT Instructor FF/LPM Jim Harkins to visit Turkey and assist them in developing a CERT-like program. Jim had helped develop the original LAFD program. So on March 20, 2000, he departed for Turkey.

Twenty hours later, after changing planes in Frankfurt and Istanbul, he arrived at Ismir, Turkey where Dr. Husan met him. As they traveled toward the District Capital of Mugla, Dr. Husan began to fill Jim in on what his country's needs and problems were. Jim's host in Mugla was the Governor of the District of Mugla, Lutfu Yigenoglu (Lütfü Yiðenoðlu). The Deputy Governor, Ali Haydar Kucuk (Ali Haydar Küçük) was his escort through much of this trip along with Dr. Husan. The Deputy Governor seems to be a true believer in the CERT concept.

Ephisis, Library

Many long hours of discussions followed, the primary participants in these early discussions along with Jim were Deputy Governor Küçük, Dr. Husan Ali Bulak, DOST (Sports Club of Nature Sports) Leader: Gokay Caglav (Gökay Çaðlav), and Mugla 2000 Club representative: Cem Tolek (Cem Tölek). DOST and Mugla 2000 are mountaineering sport clubs. The government's plan is to use these trained mountaineers as Light Search and Rescue Teams for mountain rescue and urban disasters.

Governor Yigenoglu receiving LAFD CERT vest and helmet from Jim Harkins

Mugla, Turkey is located in a climate very much like Southern California. Hot summers and cool winters. They have the seacoast, and a few hours away, snow skiing in the mountains. Tourism is one of their main industries. Unfortunately, they also share the two main natural disasters of Los Angeles, Earthquakes, and Wildfires. The economy of Turkey is weaker than Southern California. One U.S. dollar is worth about 590,000 Turkish Lira. While Turkey is a Muslim nation, it is truly where east meets west. The eastern part of the county is more conservative and traditionally eastern, while the west is more liberal and "European." Much like the difference between California and New England. Jim found all the people he met to very friendly and positive towards him and towards the U.S. Many of them speak some amount of English. They very much want our help and friendship. At every meeting, the custom is that they offer you a cup of cay (tea). This is served very hot, in small glasses. You can't say enough about how courteous the Turkish people are. They always want to help you.

In Turkey, a mayor is an elected position and a governor is a bureaucratic position of the central government. Governor Lutfu Yigenoglu is the governor of the district of Mugla. This includes the cities of Mugla, Mamaris, and Fethiye. Deputy Governor Ali Haydar Kucuk is his deputy in charge of disaster response. Jim also met with the mayor of Mamaris, Mayor Isa Kucuk (Ýsa Küçük), the Fethiye Local Authority (Gov Rep): Cengizhan Aksoy and the mayor of Fethiye, Mayor Behcet Saatci (Behçet Saatçi). Mayor Isa Kucuk had been a resident diplomat in New York in the past, was very cordial, and spoke English very well.

Mamaris Bay, view from the Hotel Mavi

The Nation of Turkey experienced an estimated 18,000 deaths in their two large earthquakes. Because of the size of the disaster, the Government was unable to rapidly handle all the needs of the people. After the first earthquake, people created local Search & Rescue Teams to meet the need. The government wants to be able to smoothly integrate these volunteer teams into emergency operations and CERT is how they want to approach the problem of standardized training. What CERT will become in Turkey is, of course, dependent on Turkish needs and Turkish ways. Considering the size and scope of the Turkish disaster, California and Los Angeles would have had severe difficulty in the same situation. However, one difference was that our citizens have been trained not to expect help for 72 hours and to be prepared to be independent. Turkish citizens expected government help immediately.

The first meeting group from the capital at Mugla.

Front row from left: Unnamed Representative of National Guard, Governor Lütfü Yiðenoðlu, FF/LPM Harkins, Dr. Husan Ali Bulak, and Deputy Governor Ali Haydar Küçük

We expect to see much more interaction between the City of Los Angeles, the LAFD, and the Turkish Government. This first step has been very positive with good friendships and working relationships created. Mugla has expressed a desire to formalize this relationship. Any CERT members who may be thinking of taking a vacation to Turkey can be confident of receiving a warm welcome in this land where traditional mid-eastern hospitality meets the western lifestyle. If you go anywhere near Mugla, don't miss the ancient ruins of Ephesus. It is one of the best-preserved examples of an ancient Mediterranean civilization.

	updated: 16 December 2001