Canadian Turkish Society calls for faster activation of rescue teams after disasters

Members were disheartened that the Burnaby Urban Search and Rescue team, which deployed itself last week, will remain the only Canadian team in the earthquake zone.

Article content

The Canadian Turkish Society is calling for a change in the way Canada sends rescue teams to international disasters after only one team went to Turkey after last week’s earthquake.

Announcement 2

Article content

Sina Kutluay, a spokeswoman for the group, said members were bummed that British Columbia’s Burnaby Urban Search and Rescue team, which went to Turkey just last week, will remain the only Canadian team in the earthquake zone. This comes after the Turkish consulate in Vancouver said the deadline for others to participate had expired.

Article content

“Due to some formalities or some logistical issues, they couldn’t get there,” Kutluay said Sunday, referring to the federally coordinated provision of Canadian search screws, such as the Vancouver Urban Search and Rescue Heavy Team.

“It is not a normal situation (where you have time to) ask for permission. You have to go there and start digging and save people. I think that should be reviewed after this experience.”

Announcement 3

Article content

The Burnaby search team made headlines on Friday after CBC footage showed members being thanked and hugged by Turkish colleagues, moments after a dust-covered woman was taken to an ambulance in the town of Adiyaman. after being rescued from the rubble.

The team said in a Facebook post over the weekend that it remains on the ground in the southeastern city, looking for other “victims still trapped in collapsed houses.”

Handout photo of Burnaby firefighters and the city's independent urban search and rescue team registering with YVR on February 8, 2023. The team is in Turkey to assist in the search and rescue of survivors following the earthquake magnitude 7.8 that struck Turkey and Syria on February 8, 2023. Monday, February 6, 2023.
Handout photo of Burnaby firefighters and the city’s independent urban search and rescue team registering with YVR on February 8, 2023. The team is in Turkey to assist in the search and rescue of survivors following the earthquake magnitude 7.8 that struck Turkey and Syria on February 8, 2023. Monday, February 6, 2023. Burnaby Fire Department photo L323 /jpg

Kutluay said the Canadian Turkish Society is very grateful to the team for their work, noting that it demonstrates the benefits of a streamlined process that would allow more crews to travel to the scene of a disaster.

“I’m sure they could have saved so many people still, because a week has passed and there are still children and people (being found) alive under the collapsed buildings.”

Announcement 4

Article content

He said members of the society were attending their annual general meeting when the earthquake struck and that one of their first actions was to compose an email to the prime minister and other Canadian politicians asking for search and rescue teams to be dispatched quickly.

Canadian federal authorities did not give any rescue team the official go-ahead after Monday’s quake, which killed tens of thousands, but they did send an assessment team and commit $10 million to relief efforts.

“This contribution will help support emergency medical services and provide shelter, food and other essential items,” Global Affairs Canada said in a statement on Saturday.

He said Canada will also match every donation made to the Canadian Red Cross for Turkey and Syria through February 22, up to $10 million.

Announcement 5

Article content

A child is rescued from rubble after an earthquake in Azmarin, Syria, on February 7, 2023 in this still image taken from video.
A child is rescued from rubble after an earthquake in Azmarin, Syria, on February 7, 2023 in this still image taken from video. Photo of WHITE HELMETS /via REUTERS

Kutluay said the society is now focused on helping coordinate donations and providing support to community members who have lost family or friends in the earthquake.

“We are now in the process of finding affected students who are studying in Canada. We would like to find them, contact them and coordinate support for them in the next few days,” she said.

Kutluay also noted that initially many people were donating relief materials, including blankets, tents and food, as Turkish Airlines agreed to transport the goods for free. However, he said all storage depots are now full, so the society advises people to support through financial donations instead.

“For now, funding is the most important thing,” he said. “This will not go away in a couple of weeks or months. It will be a really long support effort.”


Support our journalism: Our in-depth journalism is possible thanks to the support of our subscribers. For just $3.50 a week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to The Vancouver Sun, The Province, National Post, and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The province.

ad 1

Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil discussion forum and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour to moderate before appearing on the site. We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful. We’ve enabled email notifications: You’ll now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there’s an update in a comment thread you follow, or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

Leave a Comment