Fire Fighting Organization and Its Efficacy Problem in Turkey

Fire fighting which used to be performed by volunteers thanks to the efforts of citizens in the Ottoman Empire has been organized in various ways from the beginning of the 18th century onwards, when the first fire fighting organization was established. Fire fighting services offered by local and central governments across the world is de-centralized in Turkey, in other words conducted by local administrations. An effective fire fighting service directly affecting the safety of those who make use of this service aims to minimize the loss of lives. On the other hand, a small mistake made by fire fighters and victims jeopardizes their lives. The present study is primarily intended to investigate, in terms of “effectiveness problems”, the organization of fire fighting services over time and current methods by which fire fighting services are put into action. It also aims to study the ways related services are offered within the context of the relationship between local and central governments. “The urgent need to reform emergency response institutions” marks the basic suggestion of the study, in which several other suggestions are made to solve the problems concerning fire fighting services.