Koray Korkut
Koray Korkut is the Fire Department Director (İtfaiye Müdürü) of the Karabük Municipality Fire Department, appointed to the position in 2020. Born in 1984 in Karabük, Turkey, he began his career as a Firefighter with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department in 2007, transferred to the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department in 2010 where he served as Firefighter Sergeant and Fire Officer, and was appointed Fire Department Director at Karabük in 2020. He has responded to 1,000+ structural fires and 10+ major incidents including earthquakes, large wildland fires, and hazmat emergencies. He has been awarded the State Distinguished Service Medal of Turkey (Devlet Üstün Fedakarlık Madalyası). He holds an associate degree in Emergency and Disaster Management (Acil Durum ve Afet Yönetimi) and a bachelor\'s degree in Public Administration from Anadolu University. He is a certified Level 4 Fire Instructor and Level 2 Work at Heights Instructor.
Articles by Koray Korkut
Your House Just Burned Down. Here's Exactly What to Do Next.
The 48 hours after a house fire involve decisions that affect insurance payouts, housing, salvage, and months of recovery — made while you are in shock, with no framework and no preparation. This covers getting the incident report, what to say and not say to your insurance company, documentation before cleanup, ALE coverage, what is actually salvageable, and the post-fire contractor fraud problem.
Most Renters Don't Know These Apartment Fire Survival Rules
Apartment fires kill roughly 2,500 people a year in the U.S. — and most victims are not in the same room as the fire. This covers what renters are responsible for versus their landlord, how smoke travels through apartment buildings, the door-feel test, shelter-in-place versus evacuation, and the specific balcony and kitchen hazards that apartments create.
How Arson Investigators Know a Fire Was Set on Purpose
A fire destroys fuel but leaves evidence. Pour patterns absorb into concrete and subfloor material at concentrations detectable in parts per billion. Multiple ignition points produce burn patterns that cannot be explained by fire spread from a single source. Accelerant detection canines locate sampling points; GC-MS laboratory analysis identifies the specific compounds. This covers the NFPA 921 systematic elimination methodology, burn pattern interpretation, physical accelerant indicators, canine certification, laboratory analysis, common arson mistakes, and how fire investigators work with law enforcement.
The BBQ Mistakes That Send Thousands to the ER Every Summer
About 19,700 people end up in emergency rooms from grill-related injuries every year in the U.S. The injuries are not random — they follow the same patterns caused by the same mistakes. This covers the specific failure points in propane and charcoal grills, the covered-lid ignition problem, why water makes grease fires worse, and when to call 911 instead of reaching for the garden hose.
Your Smoke Alarm Won't Save You from Carbon Monoxide — Here's Why
A smoke alarm cannot detect carbon monoxide. The two devices use completely different technologies — smoke alarms detect combustion particles; CO detectors use electrochemical sensors that react to CO molecules. CO poisoning kills roughly 400 people per year outside of fires, many in homes with working smoke alarms. This covers how detection works, what CO does at different concentrations, every home CO source, detector placement, combination units, and what to do when the alarm sounds.
Candle Fires: The Mistakes People Make Every Single Time
Candles cause nearly 8,000 house fires every year in the U.S. The vast majority happen in exactly the same way — left burning in a room nobody is in, placed too close to something, or knocked over while people are asleep. Here's what actually starts candle fires and the specific habits that prevent them.
Carbon Monoxide Symptoms vs. the Flu: How to Tell the Difference Before It's Too Late
Carbon monoxide poisoning is regularly mistaken for the flu, a virus, food poisoning, or a migraine. The difference matters because CO poisoning kills people who mistake it for something else and go back to sleep. Here's how to tell them apart, which symptoms specifically suggest CO rather than illness, and what to do immediately if you suspect CO in your home.
Cardiac Arrest Response for Firefighter-Medics: High-Performance CPR, Pit Crew Model & ROSC
Evidence-based cardiac arrest guide: high-quality CPR parameters, pit crew model with role assignments, airway management, medications, post-ROSC care, termination of resuscitation, and refractory arrest options.
Christmas Tree Fires Kill More People Than You'd Expect — Here's the Data
About 160 Christmas tree fires occur in U.S. homes each year — but those fires kill at a rate more than ten times higher than other residential fires. A dry tree in a living room can reach flashover in under 30 seconds. This covers why tree dryness is the primary variable, the real vs. artificial risk comparison, how much water a tree actually needs, light string hazards by type, placement mistakes that change evacuation geometry, and why December 26 is the peak day for tree fires.
Confined Space Rescue: Permit-Required Spaces, Atmospheric Hazards & Rescue Operations
Confined space rescue guide: permit-required spaces, atmospheric hazards (O2 deficiency, H2S, CO, flammable gas), atmospheric testing sequence, initial response actions, non-entry vs entry rescue, PPE, and Operations vs Technician-level roles.
Electrical Fire Warning Signs at Home: What Your House Is Trying to Tell You
Electrical fires almost never start without warning. Flickering lights, burning smells from outlets, breakers that trip repeatedly, discolored switch plates — your home gives you days or weeks of signals before an electrical fire starts. Here's what each sign means and what to do about it.