Prof. Dr. Abdurrahman Kılıç

Prof. Dr. Abdurrahman Kılıç (3 November 1952 – 7 July 2021) was one of Türkiye's most distinguished fire safety experts, a professor of Heat Transfer and Thermodynamics, an academic, public administrator, and the Founding and Honorary President of the Turkish Foundation for Protection Against Fire and Education (TÜYAK).

Throughout his career, he played a pioneering role in establishing fire safety as a scientific discipline in Türkiye. His contributions to fire protection engineering, fire regulations, firefighting services, education, and public awareness have had a lasting impact on the country's fire safety culture.

Academic Career

Prof. Kılıç graduated from Kahramanmaraş High School in 1969 and earned both his bachelor's degree (1974) and master's degree (1976) in Mechanical Engineering from İstanbul Technical University (ITU). Following his graduate studies, he joined the Department of Heat Transfer at ITU as a research assistant and completed his Ph.D. in Solar Energy in 1982.

He was appointed Associate Professor in 1991 and Professor in 1997 at the ITU Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, where he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Solar Energy, Numerical Analysis, Fire Safety Engineering, Heat Conduction, and Thermal Radiation until his retirement in 2018.

Prof. Kılıç introduced the first university-level undergraduate and graduate courses on Solar Energy in Türkiye in 1978. He also conducted research on solar tracking and steam generation technologies and developed an innovative integrated solar collector system.

In 1995, he established the first dedicated university course on Fire Safety Engineering in Türkiye, helping transform fire safety into a recognized scientific and engineering discipline.

Fire and Emergency Services

Prof. Kılıç began his fire safety career in 1987 as the coordinator of the İstanbul Fire Safety Research Project at İstanbul Technical University. During this period, he received advanced firefighting training in Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

From 1989 to 1994, he served as Director of the İstanbul Fire Department, leading firefighting teams during hundreds of emergency incidents while modernizing operational procedures based on international best practices.

His major achievements include:

• Introducing Firefighters Week in 1990 to increase public awareness of firefighting services.
• Re-establishing the İstanbul Fire Museum in 1992 with nearly 2,000 historical artifacts documenting Türkiye's firefighting heritage.
• Establishing international cooperation programs with the fire departments of Japan and Hungary.
• Creating İstanbul Fire Department's first professional rescue team in 1993.
• Modernizing firefighting and rescue operations by adapting advanced Japanese emergency response systems.

Contributions to Fire Safety Legislation

Prof. Kılıç was one of the architects of modern fire safety legislation in Türkiye.

His most significant contributions include:

• Preparing the first Fire Protection Regulation for İstanbul in 1992.
• Leading the committee responsible for drafting the Regulation on the Protection of Buildings from Fire, which became Türkiye's national fire safety regulation in 2002.
• Promoting scientific, engineering-based approaches to fire prevention, fire protection systems, and life safety throughout the country.

These milestones established the foundation of today's fire safety regulations in Türkiye.

TÜYAK and Professional Leadership

In 1992, Prof. Kılıç founded the Turkish Foundation for Protection Against Fire and Education (TÜYAK) and served as its Founding and Honorary President.

Under his leadership, TÜYAK became one of Türkiye's leading organizations dedicated to fire safety education, scientific research, technical publications, professional training, and international collaboration.

He also served as a trustee of several foundations and actively participated in numerous professional and non-governmental organizations.

Publications and Academic Contributions

Prof. Kılıç authored more than 300 scientific and technical articles on thermodynamics, solar energy, fire safety engineering, smoke control systems, and fire protection technologies.

He edited numerous technical journals and symposium proceedings while publishing a wide range of books that have become essential references for engineers, architects, researchers, firefighters, and industry professionals.

His publications cover subjects including:

• Thermodynamics
• Solar Energy Systems
• Fire Protection Engineering
• Smoke Control Systems
• Fire Suppression Systems
• Tunnel and Car Park Ventilation
• Fire History of İstanbul
• Industrial Fire Safety
• Building Fire Protection
• Risk Management

A Lasting Legacy

Prof. Dr. Abdurrahman Kılıç devoted his life to advancing fire safety science, improving firefighting services, and promoting a culture of prevention throughout Türkiye.

His pioneering work in education, legislation, engineering, and public service continues to shape the development of fire safety standards and professional practice, inspiring future generations of engineers, researchers, firefighters, and safety professionals.

References

1. YANGIN.ORG Prof. Dr. Abdurrahman Kılıç – Fire Safety Measures. Archived on 1 February 2020.
2. Demirören News Agency (DHA). Former Director of the İstanbul Fire Department, Prof. Dr. Abdurrahman Kılıç, Passed Away. Published on 8 July 2021. Archived on 11 August 2021. Accessed on 11 August 2021.
3. UZMANTV. Archived on 30 November 2019. Accessed on 6 March 2020.
4. Cumhuriyet Newspaper. Firefighters Week. 23 September 1990, p. 9.
5. Milliyet Newspaper. Mustafa Bakacak, A Treasure of History. 22 September 1992, p. 3.
6. Cumhuriyet Newspaper. Rescue Training from the Japanese. 3 June 1993, p. 3.
7. Kılıç, A. The Development of the Fire Protection Regulation. In Hands That Held the Fire – Heroes of Fire, Teknik Publishing, pp. 87–118, 2010.
8. Cumhuriyet Newspaper. Remzi Gökdağ, Fire Protection Through Regulations. 13 June 1990, p. 8.
9. Fire and Safety Magazine. Preparation of the Fire Protection Regulation. Issue 48, p. 8, 2000.
10. Regulation on the Protection of Buildings from Fire. TÜYAK Publication, p. 6, 2007.
11. Ayşegül Özbek. İstanbul's Great Fires and Fire Watch Towers. bianet, archived on 16 April 2019.