Kurtarma

Kurtarma is a Turkish term meaning rescue or saving from danger. It is used to describe actions aimed at preserving life, health, or property during emergencies. The term comes from the verb kurtarmak, meaning to save or rescue.

In Turkey, kurtarma operations are organized across civil, military, and civilian institutions. The central coordinating body is AFAD, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, which directs search and rescue, evacuation, and disaster response. Other agencies include the Turkish Coast Guard, the gendarmerie and police, and municipal fire departments. Specialized units include urban search and rescue (USAR) teams, water rescue squads, mountain rescue teams, and avalanche rescue teams. Non-governmental organizations such as AKUT conduct independent search and rescue missions and training.

Kurtarma operations occur in a wide range of contexts, including natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, transport accidents including aviation, road, and maritime incidents, and the rescue of people in remote or difficult terrain. They often require multidisciplinary coordination, emergency medical care, and rapid extraction. Tools and methods commonly used include search dogs, drones, thermal imaging, listening devices, specialized lifting and rigging equipment, boats and helicopters, and on-site medical support. The effort typically involves coordination among local authorities, emergency medical services, and volunteers.