PHOTO: President meets rescuers participating in Türkiye post-quake operations

President Katalin Novák has received members of the Hungarian teams that participated in rescue operations in Turkiye and Syria shaken by last week’s devastating earthquakes.

At a ceremony held at the presidential palace Novák called her guests heroes and thanked them for “being there and helping after the tragedy, saving lives day and night”. Novák noted that Hungary had been among the first countries to volunteer when Türkiye asked the international community for help, thanks to the readiness of its rescue teams.

“It is good to say that Hungary and its people can be relied on in trouble; we can be proud that Hungarians started the fight the minute after the tragedy happened to save lives,” she said. “It is good to know that at such times divisions are not in the focus; all of us pray and keep our fingers crossed together for the rescue teams to return unharmed.”

Katalin Novák and the members of the rescue teams:

Gulsen Karanis Eksioglu, Türkiye’s ambassador to Hungary, thanked the teams and said February 6, the day of the earthquake, would be “a very important day in the history of Turkish-Hungarian brotherhood”. He noted that 167 Hungarian volunteers had gone to Türkiye and saved 35 lives, “giving back hope and a miracle for 35 families”. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the rescue teams of Hungary’s disaster management, the Reformed and Baptist charities, Pest County, Budapest, and the Életjel team.

• Read also: PHOTOS: Hungarians saved more than 30 lives in Türkiye

József Kulcsár and his dog, Lendon, worked in the Reformed charity and rescued several lives. Their team saved six lives in Türkiye, two of them on the seventh day after the earthquake, a military officer and his wife. Surviving that long beneath the rubble was a wonder, they believe.

Mr Kulcsár talked about his experiences with Pesti Srácok. He said the most difficult was to tell the relatives and friends that their loved ones could not make it. Once, for example, he and his dog found the corpses of a mother and her four children.

Few know that the members of the Hungarian rescue teams, including Mr Kulcsár, are not employees who receive a regular salary for their work. Instead, they are volunteers who train their dogs using their and their families financial resources. Mr Kulcsár regularly takes part in such rescues both in Hungary and abroad.

First, he wanted his dog, Lendon, to serve in special police operations. 2014 was the turning point in their lives. A boy disappeared in Ajka and died because he was found too late. He created a foundation and cooperates with multiple charities, including the Reformed charity. He and Lendon worked 10-12 hours each day in Türkiye to find as many survivors as possible.

HERE you can check out their work, while you can send donations for them here: 10400810 – 50526753 – 57801000

The Hungarian rescue teams saved almost 40 lives.

Read alsoPHOTOS: Hungarian rescue team returns home from Türkiye

Source: MTI, Pesti Srácok