Bornova’s BAK Team Ready to Save Lives

The Bornova Search and Rescue (BAK) team, established within Bornova Municipality, successfully completed a comprehensive earthquake drill at the AFAD İzmir Provincial Directorate, demonstrating its capabilities in search and rescue operations and emergency medical response. Mayor Ömer Eşki emphasized that the team is fully prepared to respond to potential disasters, where every second can mean the difference between life and death.

Established in the aftermath of the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and having completed its official accreditation process, the BAK team continues to strengthen its disaster preparedness through regular training and exercises. The latest drill, held at the AFAD İzmir facilities, highlighted the municipality’s commitment to maintaining a highly trained emergency response force in a region prone to earthquakes.

Following the emergency call, the BAK team rapidly mobilized with its full range of technical equipment and established the operational command center. Rescue personnel secured complete silence around the simulated collapse site before conducting visual inspections, acoustic listening, and voice-call procedures to locate survivors trapped beneath the rubble. Using specialized cutting and drilling equipment, the team successfully extricated the simulated victim, who immediately received medical treatment from emergency responders.

Mayor Eşki: “We Hope We Never Need It, But We Are Always Ready”

Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki praised the BAK team's high level of preparedness, stressing that they possess the professionalism required to race against time during search and rescue operations.

"We sincerely hope such disasters never happen again. However, as a city located in an earthquake-prone region, we have a responsibility to be fully prepared. Our BAK team continues its training without interruption so that, if needed, they can respond immediately and save lives when every second matters."