Israeli Rescue Worker Tells TML of Hunting for Survivors in Quake-stricken Turkey

Linor Attias was a member of a 25-person team from United Hatzalah volunteer rescue service who rushed to southern Turkey in the aftermath of the massive, devastating earthquakes, determined to do her part to help

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Sara Miller, The Media Line

February 17, 2023

Israelis from United Hatzalah and from the IDF Home Front Command remove rubble from a collapsed building in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey while searching for survivors of the devastating February 6, 2023 earthquake. (Courtesy/United Hatzalah)

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In the aftermath of the massive earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria last week, the global community and international agencies rushed to offer assistance with search and rescue efforts and aid for survivors. Among those countries was Israel, which dispatched more than 450 people to join aid efforts in Turkey, including members of the United Hatzalah (United Rescue) volunteer emergency medical service organization.

Volunteers, including members of the United Hatzalah team, get oriented to the site of a collapsed building in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey. (Courtesy/United Hatzalah)

The Hatzalah team of 25 people, including medical professionals, search and rescue experts and engineers, arrived in Turkey a day after the first earthquake. They were dispatched to Kahramanmaras, close to the epicenter, where they remained for almost one week, rescuing survivors trapped under the rubble and offering support to those anxiously awaiting news of their missing loved ones.

Aerial view of the stie of a collapsed building in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey. (Courtesy/United Hatzalah)

Linor Attias, a senior official for United Hatzalah and a member of the search and rescue team, spoke to The Media Line about her time in quake-stricken Turkey, including the adrenaline-inducing highs and the heartbreaking lows.