To assist Turkey in continuing to rescue earthquake victims and in preparedness for potential earthquakes, Taiwan’s search and rescue team proposed the donation to Minister of the Interior Lin Yu-chang at National Fire Agency (NFA) before withdrawing from Turkey on February 14. Minister Lin also reported it to Premier Chen Chien-jen who then expressed that Taiwan was “in duty bound“ and would help Turkey all-out within our capabilities. Taiwan’s search and rescue team therefore cooperated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to donate 4 tons of search and rescue equipment and materials to the AKUT Search and Resch Association through diplomatic channels. This action has continued the cooperation and amity established between the two countries since September 21; and has enhanced the building of a mutual aid mechanism for earthquake search and rescue missions between Taiwan and Turkey.
AKUT is Turkey’s first medium urban search-and-rescue team certified by the United Nation (UN) and ever came to Taiwan in 1999 to assist in disaster relief and rescue works. This time, Turkey suffers from devastating earthquakes and Taiwan’s search and rescue team also flew to Turkey immediately to implement the rescue mission. Together with AKUT, Taiwan’s search and rescue team succeeded in rescuing a citizen buried in the debris and both parties have established a good mutual and tactic cooperation. The 4 tons of search and rescue equipment and materials donated to Turkey can be divided into “search and rescue” (including destruction and support equipment, which can be used to destruct and support collapsed buildings to save trapped people), “rear supply” (including tents and power generators used to carry out operations on the campsite) and “medical” (including medical consumables that are required to dress and fix the trauma) categories. As all of these three types of equipment and materials are required for post-earthquake rescue, restoration and reconstruction missions and for responding to future potential earthquakes, they are expected to assist Turkey in completing restoration and reconstruction works and in preparedness for the next earthquake event.
In the future, Taiwan’s search and rescue teams will also continue to cooperate and have exchange with AKUT and other Turkish search and rescue teams. Taiwan also sincerely invites Turkey’s special rescue squad to come to Taiwan to exchange ideas and carry out cooperation projects with th aspiration that the two countries will work on building a long and sustainable mutual cooperation mechanism.