The exercise is done based on a scenario where on August 16 a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck the Elmadağ district of Ankara. A disaster alert was issued to Disaster Management Teams, and shortly after teams from 59 provinces mobilized and gathered at the Disaster Management Crisis Center in Ankara. After receiving their task orders, they moved to their designated operational areas. Across eight different zones, the teams not only conducted search and rescue activities but also worked in the fields of medical rescue, psychosocial support, food distribution, shelter, in-kind donations, and warehouse management. In addition, five search and rescue dogs actively participated in the operations.

Five different groups served in the field

Speaking after the exercise, IHH Disaster Management Board Member responsible for the program, Ömer Kars, shared details of the operation:
“Today, as the IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, we have successfully completed our 5th National Disaster Management Exercise. In this exercise, we carried out a fieldwork with five different working groups within the Disaster Management. Most importantly, with more than 1,200 search and rescue volunteers, we responded to 39 calls and managed to reach 95 individuals—both alive and deceased—from under the rubble.”

“We served hot meals to 7,000 people”

Highlighting assistances beyond search and rescue areas, Kars added:
“With our food services group, we prepared and served hot meals for 7,000 people throughout the exercise, including to participants and local residents. With our psychosocial support team, we created a play area and provided play therapy for more than 20 affected children. We also carried out home visits to 10 families to provide social support. With our warehouse management and in-kind aid teams, we coordinated incoming donations at our 180-square-meter field warehouse and ensured their distribution to forward supply points.”

Kars also added:
“With our medical rescue team, in coordination with search and rescue operations, we evacuated 95 citizens that we pulled from the rubble and handed them over to public authorities, working alongside 44 specialized health professionals. With our shelter team, we also simulated a tent city consisting of 15 tents.”

“We identify shortcomings and provide solutions”

Following Kars, IHH Secretary General Ahmet Göksun stated:
“Today we have carried out our 5th National Disaster Management Exercise. Thankfully, we completed it without any negative incidents. Of course, exercises and trainings are conducted so that we can improve ourselves and perform better in the field. In this activity, we identify our shortcomings and strive to correct them. Our staff have documented their reports and assessments. God willing, we will analyze the outcomes, identify areas where we fell short, and work to improve them. At the same time, we also measure our capacity. Disaster management is not just about search and rescue—it also involves providing psychosocial support, ensuring food services, managing in-kind donations, and arranging shelter. We conduct our studies in all these areas.”

The exercise concluded after the operations were completed.