Evaluation of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality's disaster services: A qualitative study

Disaster management is successful when public institutions and organizations, local governments, private sector, NGOs and the community can fulfill their predetermined authority and responsibilities in cooperation. Disaster management policies in the world have entered into a localization trend. Therefore, metropolitan municipalities, which are the most important part of local authorities, have many responsibilities. In order to fulfill these responsibilities, metropolitan municipalities should be evaluated financially, personnel and technically and supported in necessary matters. In addition, greater authority and responsibilities should be given to metropolitan municipalities related to disaster management and their roles should be clearly defined. The aim of this study is to evaluate the disaster services of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality from the perspective of professionals working in the province of Kocaeli and working on disasters. The phenomenological approach, one of the qualitative research methods, was adopted in the study. Using the criterion sampling method, the participants were determined as professionals working in Kocaeli, working on disasters and having relations with Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve selected participants and audio recordings were made. Content analysis was applied to the obtained data using the MAXQDA 2020 qualitative data analysis program. From the content analysis, 33 categories were obtained and these categories were gathered under 7 themes. As a result, evaluations were made under the themes of general perception, risk management, crisis management, communication and cooperation, education, community participation and trust, institutional structure for disaster services. After evaluation, it has been seen that Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality's services for disasters are partially successful, but these services need to be improved.