Istanbul, August 17, 2022
Press Release
— He who manages the waste, manages the fire.
— Small local measures can give fires a chance to be tackled from the start.
— First response equipment should be readily available for everyone to use.
— Post-fire environmental protection and restoration efforts are of great importance.
The forest fires, which have become the painful agenda of Turkey, have raised sensitivity in all segments of society. “We are experiencing an environmental disaster. Burning forests dramatically reveal that we need to increase our sensitivity on environmental management.” EKO Fuarcılık Exhibitions Manager Namık Sarıgöl said; ”Both the causes of the fires, fire management and extinguishing efforts, and the elimination of post-fire environmental impacts are processes that we need to carefully evaluate. Everyone has a job in the management of these processes.” Stating that the issue will be discussed at the IFAT Eurasia International Environmental Technologies Specialization Fair to be held at Tüyap Fair and Congress Center on April 27-29, 2023, Namık Sarıgöl said the following:
“We have seen in the fires that have occurred that global warming has a negative impact on life on our planet in many different areas. The natural coincidence of human movements, especially in our tourism resorts, with risky climatic conditions, the disproportionate increase in the amount of waste, the workload that exceeds the service possibilities of local governments increase the possibility of fire on the one hand, while limiting the possibilities of intervention on the other. Failures in the management of wastes that may initiate or accelerate combustion, inadequate pre-fire inspection and prevention measures lead to increased losses.
Small measures in tourism areas where fires are concentrated will increase the chances of first response. Apart from arson attempts that require police measures, domestic wastes from camping and picnic areas, recreation areas and residential areas and wastes from tourism facilities and other commercial/industrial enterprises, if any, should be managed with a holistic planning.”
Referring to the fire fighting efforts, Namık Sarıgöl; “Fire burns where it falls. We see from the media that forest villagers, mukhtars, municipalities have a great job in the fight against fire, and we see the struggle they are fighting,” he said:
“These fires, which are painful for everyone – ordinary citizens, vacationers, villagers, artists – can be prevented, if not completely, and the part that cannot be prevented can be managed and extinguished. Eliminating the environmental losses that occur after a fire is also an area that we need to address. Waste management means managing the fire in the first place. Fire-fighting equipment available to everyone and adequate training, combined with waste management, can help us prevent major losses. ”
Stating that the basic equipment used in firefighting, such as fire trucks, land rovers, hoses, valves, pumps, compressors, tankers, construction equipment are among the product groups to be exhibited at IFAT Eurasia, Sarıgöl said; “Although the measures and studies that can be divided into three stages as the waste management process, the fire response process and the process of eliminating the environmental effects after the fire are handled separately, it is of great importance that we evaluate and plan as a whole.”
IFAT Eurasia International Environmental Technologies Fair brings together national and international technology providers that offer products and services to a wide range of products, especially Waste Management, Water and Waste Water Management, Recycling, Urban Cleaning and Intervention Vehicles, with industry professionals from the Eurasia region.