Fire and Rescue NSW Firefighters deployed to Türkiye honoured by community at 'welcome home' dinner - Sydney
Published: 20 Mar 2023 07:38pm
The 54 Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Urban Search and Rescue specialists, who formed part of a 72-strong contingent of Australian emergency services workers to earthquake-damaged Türkiye, have been honoured at a 'welcome home' dinner held by Sydney's Türkish community at the FRNSW Emergency Services Academy at Orchard Hills.
The firefighters spent two weeks in Türkiye assisting with the response and recovery efforts in the aftermath of catastrophic earthquakes that rocked the province of Hatay, claiming over 52 000 lives.
As part of the support mission, the team took over more than 22 tonnes of equipment that was used to search many of the areas most seriously affected by the earthquake.
The firefighters and their colleagues also recovered the bodies of 34 victims, returned to their loved ones.
The deployment involved difficult and exhausting work over long hours and crews experienced additional quakes and aftershocks while in the field, often leading to further building collapses.
The dinner was organised by Sydney's Türkish community to say 'thanks' to the firefighters, police, paramedics, medical team, engineers and federal officials who formed the Australian contingent.
FRNSW Commissioner Paul Baxter has expressed his pride in the Australian efforts in Türkiye:
"Our firefighters are considered amongst the best in the world and they deserve to be thanked for the way in which they went about providing assistance to the people of Türkiye in the aftermath of these devastating earthquakes." Commissioner Baxter said.
"They were deployed in the heart of the areas worst affected and were required to work long, arduous hours in very tough conditions," he said.
"I can't thank them enough for their bravery and commitment and I'm very happy the members of Sydney's Türkish community have had an opportunity to express their gratitude through this function."
Updated: 20 Mar 2023 07:42pm
Related safety topics
It“s the law to have at least one working smoke alarm installed on every level of your home.
Details about this incident may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice.
For all life threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000)
For flood information, warnings or requests for non-life threatening assistance, call the SES on 132 500 or visit the NSW State Emergency Service website here. [external link].
For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link]
Stations nearby
166 Kent Street, The Rocks NSW 2000
147 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009
211-217 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000