The Türkiye Fire and Life Safety 2024 Conference, organized in collaboration with NFPA and supported by FEMA and USFA, was successfully concluded on December 19 with the participation of leading figures from the business world and civil society organizations.
The Türkiye Fire and Life Safety 2024 Conference, organized in collaboration with the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Fire Administration, was successfully concluded on December 19 with the participation of leading figures from the business world and civil society organizations.
The Türkiye Fire and Life Safety 2024 Conference aims to guide institutions and organizations in maintaining strong fire, electrical, and life safety protection measures by increasing risk awareness regarding fire, electrical, and life safety risks. It provides analyses and recommended policy approaches to protect citizens against evolving risks, changing infrastructure, and new technologies.
In the opening speech of the conference, Evrim Bunn, Director of Strategic Relations and Partnerships at the U.S. Fire Administration, first provided information about the mission and objectives of the American Fire Administration. He stated that they support fire departments across the U.S. by providing training, technology, data, and information to help them become more prepared for disasters and increase their ability to adapt to changing climate conditions, thereby preventing loss of life and property.
She also talked about the collaborations they have developed with various companies, civil society organizations, and universities both domestically and internationally to strengthen American fire departments.
She mentioned that the National Fire Academy, established within the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), offers advanced leadership courses to senior firefighters from the U.S. and other countries. Additionally, he highlighted the public communication, education, and risk reduction campaigns they conduct to ensure the public is prepared and resilient against fires and natural disasters.
Rebecca Harned, Consultant at the U.S. Fire Administration, provided information about NERIS, the National Emergency Response Information System, which was recently published by the U.S. Fire Administration.
She stated that NERIS aims to enhance preparedness and response to incidents involving all hazards that fire departments respond to, by providing an intelligence system that supports data-driven decision-making.
She also mentioned that while developing NERIS, they collaborated with fire departments, scientists, engineers, and developers to create a solution for collecting data after a fire, major incident, or any event that fire departments respond to.
Kenneth Burson, NFPA Government Networks International Relations Representative, provided information about the NFPA 1660 Continuity, Emergency, and Crisis Management Standard, which focuses on preparedness, response, and recovery areas.
He mentioned that the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission) recognized NFPA 1660 as the National Preparedness Standard. He also stated that NFPA 1600, widely used by public, non-profit, non-governmental, and private organizations at local, regional, national, international, and global levels, was accepted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a voluntary consensus standard for emergency preparedness.
Kenneth Burson explained that NFPA 1660 is not a fire-based standard but rather a universal standard for professionals focusing on disaster and emergency management and business continuity efforts, aimed at reducing physical losses, especially to life safety, and enabling business continuity. He noted that international organizations such as FEMA, the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), and the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) all endorse NFPA 1600 and work together with NFPA to develop the standard.
He further emphasized that the NFPA 1600 Continuity, Emergency, and Crisis Management Standard, widely recognized for disaster and emergency management, crisis management, and business continuity, provides comprehensive guidance to organizations on preparing for, responding to, and recovering from various emergencies.
He pointed out that natural and human-made disasters, cyber-attacks, operational disruptions, and unforeseen crises can seriously affect project processes, employee safety, and financial stability. He stressed the importance of a proactive approach to crisis preparation, response, and recovery for high-risk institutions, enabling them to identify company-wide risks, minimize risks, manage current and future risks, protect assets, and ensure uninterrupted operations.
Isa Ersoy, Strategy and Business Development Director at Conspectus Academy, stated that in Turkey, many risks that could be managed turn into high-cost crises or even disasters because problems are often addressed through crisis management instead of risk management, and necessary precautions are not taken in time.
He emphasized the importance of increasing companies' awareness of disaster risks, especially those related to natural and human-made disasters, which frequently turn into catastrophes in our country. He stressed that Disaster and Emergency Management should be internalized by all management levels and employees, starting from the company's CEO, and be established as a corporate culture.
He also mentioned that mid and senior-level managers, who are part of the executive team, must be developed to be competent in Disaster and Emergency Management and able to make strategic decisions.
Regarding the Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, he pointed out the necessity of establishing a standardized Emergency Management System to enhance the ability to develop prevention and detection capabilities and to strengthen the ability to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and allocate resources for disasters and emergencies, in order to protect companies from all hazards and threats they may face.
Prof. Dr. Didem Saloğlu Dertli, a faculty member of the Disaster and Emergency Management Department at the Disaster Management Institute of Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ), provided information about secondary disasters (Natech Accidents) in industrial facilities and critical infrastructure facilities that occur after natural disasters.
He stated that in the event of the expected Marmara earthquake, we would face a serious NATECH hazard, and therefore, comprehensive risk analyses must be conducted to prevent industrial accidents in industrial factories and organized industrial zones in major cities.
He also mentioned that in 2013, Turkey, together with the EU, agreed to implement measures to enhance the prevention and reduction of major industrial accidents.
Institutions such as AFAD, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior, municipalities, fire departments, and chambers of industry have been involved in these efforts.
Istanbul Fire Department Deputy Operations Manager Doğan Gürer provided information on "The Impact of Sustainable Technologies on Firefighting Operations."
He stated that hydrogen emissions from lithium batteries could reach highly stoichiometric distributions in cases of explosion or overheating, potentially leading to a volumetric explosion during or before the incident.
He also discussed the challenges of preventing fire spread to surrounding vehicles in the case of an electric vehicle fire in enclosed spaces. He suggested revising Autopark Authority automation, designating parking spots for electric vehicles closer to ventilation exits, or implementing entry restrictions similar to those for LPG-powered vehicles.
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