The Role of Communication in Disaster Management Strategic Plans: The Examples of TARAP, TAMP and TASİP

Abstract

Disasters cause physical destruction and disrupt the psychological, economic, and social dynamics of societies. Effective disaster management requires more than technical and logistical preparation; it demands robust communication strategies integrated into every phase of the disaster cycle. Türkiye has made significant progress in institutionalising disaster management through national plans such as the Türkiye Disaster Risk Reduction Plan (TARAP), Türkiye Disaster Response Plan (TAMP), and Türkiye Post-Disaster Recovery Plan (TASIP), developed under the coordination of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). However, the communication dimension within these frameworks remains a developing area that warrants systematic analysis and enhancement. This study examines the role and strategic significance of communication in disaster management by analysing these plans in light of crisis communication literature and international frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The analysis highlights several noteworthy developments: TARAP prioritises public awareness and risk communication; TAMP assigns communication responsibilities during emergencies to a centralised Press and Public Relations Group; and TASIP institutionalises a Communication and Information Unit responsible for delivering timely, reliable information to the public and media during recovery. The study concludes that communication is not a supplementary function but a core element of governance in disaster management. To enhance Türkiye’s disaster communication capacity, these plans should be reinforced through implementation tools emphasising inclusivity, transparency, and responsiveness, including context-sensitive communication protocols, training for field personnel, digital platforms with misinformation management capabilities, and the empowerment of community-based actors such as local leaders and civil society organisations.

Keywords

• Crisis Communication
• Disaster Management
• TAMP
• TARAP
• TASIP

Kaynakça

1. AFAD (2014). Türkiye Afet Müdahale Planı (TAMP). 3 Ocak 2014 tarih ve 28871 sayılı Resmi Gazete'de yayımlanan plan
2. AFAD (2022a). Türkiye Afet Risk Azaltma Planı (TARAP). 8 Temmuz 2022 tarihli 31890 sayılı Resmî Gazete’de yayımlanan plan.
3. AFAD (2022b). Türkiye Afet Müdahale Planı (TAMP). 15 Eylül 2022 tarihli 31954 sayılı Resmî Gazete’de yayımlanan plan.
4. AFAD (2022c). Açıklamalı Yönetim Terimleri Sözlüğü. Afet ve Acil Durum Yönetimi Başkanlığı Yayını, Ankara.
5. AFAD (2025). Türkiye Afet Sonrası İyileştirme Planı (TASİP). T.C. İçişleri Bakanlığı Afet ve Acil Durum Yönetimi Başkanlığı 9889 sayılı Cumhurbaşkanı Kararı.
6. Bilgi Teknolojileri ve İletişim Kurumu (BTK) (2022). Afet anında haberleşme sistemleri. Ankara: BTK Yayınları.
7. Cadwell, P. (2020). Trust, distrust, and translation in a disaster. Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, 29(2), 157–174.
8. Coombs, W.T. (2023). Ongoing Crisis Communication: Planning, Managing, and Responding. Sixth Edition, Newbury Park, CA.: Sage Publications.

9. Diedrichs, D.R., Phelps, K., & Isihara, P.A. (2016). Quantifying communication effects in disaster response logistics: A multiple network system dynamics model. Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 6(1), 24-45.
10. EU (2023). Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) and its Situational Awareness Sector. EFAS annual seminar 28-29 September 2023, Olimpia Imperiali Presentation, 23.
11. FEMA (2020). National Incident Management System Basic Guidance for Public Information Officers, December 2020, USA.
12. Friedman, D.B., Rose, I.D. & Koskan, A. (2011). Pilot assessment of an experiential disaster communication curriculum. Disaster Prevention and Management, 20 (3), 238-250.
13. Haupt, B. (2021). The Use of Crisis Communication Strategies in Emergency Management. Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 18(2), 125-150.
14. IFRC (2016). International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, The IFRC and Community Resilience: Communication Guidance for National Societies, Geneva, 28.
15. Jayasekara, P. K. (2019). Role of Facebook as a disaster communication media. International Journal of Emergency Services, 8(2), 191–204.
16. Liu, B. F., I. A. Iles, & E. Herovic. (2020). Leadership under Fire: How Governments Manage Crisis Communication. Communication Studies, 71(1), 128–47.
17. Malesic, M. (2019). The Concept of Trust in Disasters: The Slovenian Experience. Disaster Prevention and Management, 28(5), 603-615.
18. Miller, K. (2015). Organizational communication: Approaches and processes. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
19. Öztürk, M., ve Demir, Y. (2023). Bilgilendirme ve Kaos Arasında: Afet Yönetiminde Medyanın Rolüne Yönelik Bibliyometrik Bir Analiz. TRT Akademi, Afet Yönetimi ve Medya, 8(18), 506 – 527.
20. Rafi, M.M., Aziz, T. & Lodi, S.H. (2018). A comparative study of disaster management information systems. Online Information Review, 42(6), 971-988
21. Saputro, K.A. (2016). Information Volunteers' Strategies in Crisis Communication: The Case of the Mt. Merapi Eruption in Indonesia, 2010. International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, 7(1), 63-72.
22. United Nations (UN) (2015). Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 Report. United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, 37.
23. United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). (2015). Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. United Nations. https://www.preventionweb.net/files/ 43291_sendai frameworkfordrren.pdf
24. United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) (2005). Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015. World Conference on Disaster Reduction, 18-22 January 2005, Hyogo, Japan.