Experiences of First Responders in Enhancing Disaster Education Capacity

First responders contribute to the community to be more resilient in disaster situations by using their disaster response skills. However, they encounter environmental, social, institutional, organizational and psychological problems while responding to disasters. The experiences and observations of those involved in disaster response are critical for the creation of more effective strategies for disaster education and training. This section revealed the experiences of sixteen people who participated in the response activities after the earthquakes that affected more than ten cities in Türkiye on February 6, 2023. The study was designed using a phenomenological model. Data were collected with semi-structured interview forms in September 2023 and analyzed with the Maxqda 2020 qualitative data analysis program. Consequently, four key themes emerged: benefits of disaster education, challenges and solution proposals about disaster education, training experiences in the disaster processes and suggestions for training topics. Participants stated that disaster education increased institutional capacity and provided social benefits. They also expressed many negative opinions about the content of the disaster training they received and its implementation during earthquakes and offered suggestions for future disaster training based on their experiences. The findings of this study will enhance the disaster education capacity in Türkiye and other countries experiencing similar challenges.