International coordination of urban search and rescue and emergency medical teams following the earthquakes in Türkiye Part II.

Part II: Implementation of international coordination, early lessons learnt and long term effects of the disaster

Abstract

The author of the publication summarises his 22-day expert mission to Türkiye to introduce the initial lessons learned on the rescue operations after the devastating earthquake of 6 February 2023. As an expert with the deployed European Union Civil Protection Team, he was involved in the on-site coordination of international assistance, primarily from the European Union, first as a logistics expert and later as an Emergency Medical Team Coordination Cell expert. The case study is based on the author's personal experience, knowledge gained from field work, and international reports and analyses received by the National Directorate General for Disaster Management, highlighting Hungary's special role in the assistance, including the deployment of an internationally classified urban search and rescue team for the first time in its history, and the selection of two experts to the EU Civil Protection Team. The full study was awarded 1st prize in 2023 in the Scientific Interdisciplinary Competition of the Disaster Management Scientific Council. In Part II, the author outlines the international coordination of urban search-and-rescue activities and emergency medical teams, as well as the early lessons learned and the long-term effects of the disaster.