Abstract

When disaster strikes, first responders must be not only operationally and logistically but also psychologically prepared. Psychological preparation for a potential adverse event can have a critical impact on the success of responses, and recovery efforts. The aim of this paper is to analyze the psychological preparedness of rescuers and volunteers from Bosnia and Herzegovina who were assigned to the mission of minimizing the consequences of the earthquake in the Republic of Türkiye in February 2023. As a module in the training of the organizations that engaged them, the existence of psychosocial assistance provided to rescuers and volunteers (psychological first aid) in the circumstances of natural disasters was analyzed. The psychological readiness of the rescuers sent from Bosnia and Herzegovina to perform the assigned tasks, their status and condition during the mission were analyzed. The research was conducted in the period March – June 2023 using an anonymous questionnaire with combined questions. The results of this research determined that the majority of respondents believe that training aimed at protecting mental health and preventing the harmful effects of stressful situations in their work organization does not meet the challenges they encountered during the rescue mission in the Republic of Türkiye in February 2023. The results of this research highlight the need to find practical solutions – the inclusion of psychosocial assistance activities. It is therefore vital that psychological preparedness be included in emergency response plans.