Disaster communications cannot be considered a preference: Türkiye's Altun

Disaster communication is among the pillars of Türkiye’s communications model, and cannot be considered a preference for any country, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun has stressed.

"Being a critical component of an integrated disaster management approach, disaster communication is, therefore, a fundamental element of the strategic communication policy of our state," Altun said on Monday, addressing the Disaster Communication Symposium on the First Anniversary of the Disaster of the Century on February 6, 2023.

Every disaster, regardless of its intensity, requires an emergency response and effective process management, Altun emphasised, adding that disaster communications cannot be limited to times of disaster.

The Directorate of Communications has been informing the public before disasters and carrying out disaster prevention and risk reduction activities per their areas of responsibility, he said.

"Our disaster communication strategies have been one of the most strategic tools we have available for disaster preparedness, emergency response, rehabilitation, and recovery efforts,” the communications director stressed.

'A milestone'

Following the twin earthquakes, Türkiye did not move with a mentality of just healing its wounds and carrying on, Altun said, commemorating over 53,000 lives that were lost as a result of the devastating earthquakes that hit 11 southern cities, affecting 14 million people.

"We, as Türkiye, consider the disaster of the century to be a milestone in the context of disaster communication,” Altun expressed.

Since the earthquakes on February 6, the Directorate of Communications has been striving to move Türkiye to the next level of disaster communication with significant efforts while also contributing to the academic and intellectual body of knowledge in the field, he added.

The communications director underlined that from search and rescue operations to the efficient management of emergency response logistics, to the delivery of humanitarian aid for health services, effective management of the communication process is crucial.

"Today, disaster communication cannot be considered as a preference for any country. Disaster communication is a matter of public governance that must be worked on and invested in," Altun said.