Abstract
Educational programs, as well as policies in disaster management have evolved with great impact and speed following the occurrence of the 17 August 1999 Kocaeli earthquake, in northwestern Turkey. This particular natural disaster led to large loss of life, and substantial national economic loss. The response efforts were complex. These losses led all sectors in Turkey to prepare for a possible future natural disaster of similar magnitude. Efforts in terms of education, training, and research are outlined in this study. National policy initiatives are presented in detail, dating from the Ottoman Empire, to the modern Republic of Turkey.
