Fighting with forest fires in Turkey will be enhanced by participation of certified, equipped and identified volunteers.
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Regulation about volunteers taking part in combatting forest fires entered into force, published in the official newspaper.
In the regulation the legal identification, quality, duty, responsibility, education level, necessary equipment and clothe of the volunteers are established.
According to the Regulation, people who want to be volunteers in combatting forest fires will apply to the Regional or General Forest Management Authority and a commission will make a decision about giving them volunteer status.
Volunteers will be certified and identified
Candidate volunteers will be educated in theoric and practical way about first aid, how to use protective equipment, work safety, means benefited in forest fires. At the end of the education, candidates having 70 or more score in the exam will be able to be the volunteers combatting in forest fires taking their participation documents.
Necessary condition is to complete theoric and practical education about dealing with forest fires and to have certification for candidates to obtain volunteer status.
Volunteers will have identity card and their equipment will be renewed in every 2 years.
Volunteers will be provided with new equipment and personel protective kit by General Directorate of Forest Managemet Authority. If there is an owner of the forest, then the owner will provide the mentioned equipment.
Reaching to the fire place with necessary equipment, interfering into the accidents that have taken a place during fire event and putting out the fire, implementing first aid will be among the responsibilities of the volunteers.
Died, injured or crippled volunteers will be under the cover of the Regulation about compensation payment for the people being dead or disabled as a result of fire event.
During the volunteer theoric and practical education, candidate volunteers' cost of food, accommodation and transportation expenses will be met by the General Directorate of Forest Management.
Candidate volunteers who will have esteemed success will be given certificate of appreciation by the General Directorate of Forest Management.