Ottoman Istanbul today from a local fire department as a public service

The subject of this thesis, whose title can be called as "Istanbul's test with fire", studies the technical aspect of the "burning" incident and outcomes, costs, tangible and intangible effects of the "fire" which is an undesired form of the 'burning' in the urbanization process in Istanbul specifically. In this master thesis' limitations, it was unavoidable to touch conceptual framework of urbanization process. However, at the same time, to not to bore the readers it is not detailed very much. On the contrary, we found it useful to reveal the general features of the historical background of the story of the Istanbul's experience with the 'fire's from past to present. With this perspective, I was benefited from being as an active employee of the fire department with insight knowledge, but knowing there is a risk to fail to have an objective lense on the matter. It may not be much of a problem in investigating the past, however, it was required to be careful and precautious as it may well be the case that my professional/corporate belonging may fail to develop scientfic-objective comments when looking critically at the present my workplace Istanbul's Fire Department. I believe I can have this concern about being scientific/objective can be compatible very much with my professional knowledge, and practical information of 'going to the fire place after it happened'. We wanted to move forward on a very critical and conceptual foundation and exhibit solid and practical knowledge, we can analyze the present-day fire department, with the past information we have and the comparison with examples of practises of the developed countries. It would be very attractive for those who involve in the subject that a staff in the fire department studies on the fire and fire-related incidents with his critical and scientific approach on his professional experience and knowledge. Under the light of the findings in Ottoman Empire and Turkish Republic's sources that are briefly summarized in this study, it was targeted to inform the stages and evolutions of the fire department from the Istanbul Conquest to our present day with the support of the historical documents. In brief, this work in general is aimed to explain the evaluation of the present Turkish Fire Department's current status, and in particular, to stress the value and importance of my institution in regards the Istanbul's test with the fire and the required and possible masures that were done and will have to be taken for Istanbulites to live without any concerns and in peace. To sum up, we revealed Istanbul Fire Department's today situation and its deficiencies and the numerical comparison figures of the policies between Istanbul and the fire departments in other countries. The negative and positive aspects of the results of this comparison and its evaluations are aimed to be used in offering better service in fire departments and to construct for the better public benefit, to continue an uninterrupted process of reform in public services.