I am writing this text on February 6, 2025—an anniversary of one of those dark days when our nation was in mourning, and we couldn’t hold back our tears… Just like August 17, 1999, and November 12, 1999. Everyone around my age or older knows these tragic dates. But despite all the pain we have experienced and the lessons we have learned, what is it that we still don’t fully understand?
I intentionally started with an emotional introduction because, as a nation, we don’t take action unless an event affects us emotionally—unless the pain comes close to us. I am writing this as an occupational safety professional and as a young person who wants to contribute to his country and nation.
Let’s imagine a country:
A place where almost all cities, especially industrial zones, are located in a first-degree earthquake zone, yet it still remains unprepared for earthquakes. When written like this, it sounds illogical, doesn’t it? But unfortunately, this is the reality.
Our hometown, which we take pride in for its wealth and resources, is also home to great risks—earthquakes, floods, landslides… We live just a minute away from these disasters. National regulations also tell us that we must be prepared for these risks.
So why do we accept losing so many lives in a single event—an earthquake, a fire?
I can already hear some saying, “But we don’t accept it!” Sadly, I must say that every minute we fail to take action actually means we do.
Let’s think together:
How many of us have a family emergency plan?
Where will we gather in the event of an earthquake?
Do we have an emergency kit? If so, are its contents still intact? Do we even remember where we placed it?
How safe is the building we live in?
Is there an emergency gathering point in our neighborhood? Do we know where it is?
If I’m working a night shift, how will I reach my family during an earthquake?
Forget about hotels… If a fire breaks out in our own home:
Do we have a fire extinguisher in our apartment or house? Is it in working condition?
In thick smoke during a fire, how can we find the emergency exit?
Are the emergency exit lights functioning properly?
If we ask our building or company management whether the emergency exit lights are working, would we be seen as troublemakers?
How many people know that smoke rises during a fire, and that we should crawl to escape?
We could add more questions… But unfortunately, most of the answers are missing.
“In fire risk management, the situation is more suitable to management through the risk hierarchy. Therefore, I can say that the foundation of our approaches here is “Eliminating the Risk”, meaning preventing the occurrence of fire.”
The Role of Industry: A Collective Approach
Now, let’s talk about industrial practices…
Our country is home to countless national and international industrial enterprises. Many of them are working tirelessly to fulfill their legal obligations. Some, however, go beyond mere compliance and operate under the principle of “Respect for People”, prioritizing their employees and striving to safeguard their well-being under all circumstances.
At this point, I believe our greatest need is for these valuable industrial organizations to come together, share ideas, and unite their strengths.
An old proverb says: “One hand has no sound, but two hands make noise.”
By collaborating, fostering a culture of continuous sharing and learning, industries can contribute significantly—not just to themselves and their employees, but also to the broader goal of building a “Disaster-Ready Society.”
Why is this important?
Some industries are financially strong,
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have the advantage of agility,
Large-scale corporations possess extensive technical knowledge,
Government institutions, however, have limited resources...
So, how do you think industrial cooperation in each region could simplify disaster management for that area?
Let’s recall the Hatay Earthquake…
The day after the earthquake, many industrial enterprises immediately sent search and rescue teams to the disaster zone without hesitation. However, due to the limited number of trained teams, many of these groups were either unable to participate in the efforts at all or could only contribute in a very limited capacity.
Now, let’s imagine:
If there had been a fully equipped
Risk Management Hierarchy and base our actions primarily on these principles. In the case of earthquake risk, since we cannot completely eliminate the risk hierarchically, our focus has been on managing the pre-earthquake, during earthquake, and post-earthquake phases.
To summarize the topic with a table:
Disaster response team, strengthened through industry government collaboration, wouldn’t it have been possible to save many more lives that day? This is why I believe that adopting a collective approach in disaster management should be one of our top priorities.
Earthquake and Fire Risk Management in the Automotive Industry
As an employee in the automotive sector, I would like to share what we have done and how we can contribute to risk management efforts.
As risk management professionals, we refer to Risk Management Hierarchy and base our actions primarily on these principles. In the case of earthquake risk, since we cannot completely eliminate the risk hierarchically, our focus has been on managing the pre-earthquake, during earthquake, and post-earthquake phases.To summarize the topic with a table:I have marked the important and relatively rare practices in bold. I hopethis serves as a reference for everyone and contributes to the efforts.
Fire Risk Management Table
In fire risk management, the situation is more suited to management through the risk hierarchy. Therefore, I can say that the foundation of our approaches here is “Eliminating the Risk”, meaning preventing the occurrence of fire.
As clearly evident from both types of management, our efforts have always been directed towards either preventing the creation of risks or taking actions that can be implemented beforehand.
My Personal Experience and Humble Advice
I am a citizen who has closely experienced both the November 12 and August 17 earthquakes, lived in a tent for months, and due to my role at the crisis management desk, was unable to see my father for a long time.
This lived experience allows me to empathize and motivates me to do everything I can to ensure that no one else ever has to experience those pains again.
We are in the disaster zone.
We cannot prevent earthquakes, but we can certainly prevent the damage.
By changing our perspective and efforts, we can definitely prevent potential fires.
How much can 65 seconds take away from our lives?
How many 65-second moments can a single drill steal from our entire lifetime?
Let’s really think about it.
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