'It's about the firefighters'

Francis Ndeleva is the Chief Fire Officer at the Kenya Airports Authority, where he has spent over three decades protecting lives at one of Africa's busiest aviation hubs. He is a pioneer in the transition away from firefighting foams containing PFAS, or "forever chemicals," across Africa, through the Fortifying Infrastructure for Responsible Extinguishments “FIRE” project. In a GEF Voices interview, he shared what makes this work personal for him.

What do you do, and what are you currently focused on?

I am the Chief Fire Officer at the Kenya Airports Authority, overseeing firefighting and rescue operations across Kenya's airport network, including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport [JKIA] — one of the busiest aviation hubs in Africa. My work sits at the intersection of aviation safety, environmental health, and the protection of the men and women who run towards burning aircraft.

Right now, much of my focus is on supporting the FIRE project which is rolling out across airports in Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Kenya was the first country on the continent to transition away from PFAS-containing foams, and we have spent years building the evidence and institutional buy-in to do it well. Now the work is about sharing what we have learned, so that firefighters across Africa no longer have to pay with their health for doing their jobs.

How did you get into this line of work?

If my dreams were horses, I would have been a military pilot. When I couldn't get the grades required to join the Air Force, I was devastated and out on the streets, unsure of where to turn. Then somebody saw my desperation, grabbed my hand, and brought me to the airport. During induction, I was told I would be fighting aircraft fires. So instead of being in the air, I'd be chasing aircraft on the ground — and I was excited. Then I saw the trucks. The speed. The jets of water and foam. And I got stuck. That was November 1988. If we had to roll time backwards, I would still choose this job.

How did the science change the way you saw your work?

Around 2004 and 2005, I started noticing inconsistencies in our foam stockpiles. This discovery led me to begin researching about better foam products available in the market. Then, after the 2006 aircraft crash at JKIA, where the foam did not perform as expected, it became clear that we had a serious problem. Later, around 2013, I also began reading more about firefighters in America suing foam manufacturers over harmful chemicals in their products, which added another layer of concern.

Then in 2014, I came across a UNEP publication that stated with clarity that AFFF and FFFP foams contain chemicals that are extremely harmful to human beings. I read that article 10 times, reflecting on the foam I had personally been using for years. It was a difficult pill to swallow. But it became clear: from this point forward, we can do two things — reduce contamination for those already affected, and ensure those who join afterwards never come into contact with these chemicals.

That UNEP publication became our instrument of change. We used it to convince management to procure fluorine-free foam instead. I was promoted to Chief Fire Officer at JKIA in 2015, partly because of that research. We sent officers to the United Kingdom, visited the Angus Fire factory, witnessed tests of safer foams against ICAO [the International Civil Aviation Organization] performance requirements, and we knew it was good. Without that UNEP research, I would not have had the language or the credibility to make the case. Science gave us the mandate.

Is there a GEF-funded project or program that is close to your heart?

The FIRE project. Because it's about the firefighters.

Airport firefighters interact with these foams constantly. It is in their boots; it is in their coffee. I was stunned when the project preparation grant report confirmed that Kenya was the only country in Africa to have made the transition to fluorine-free foam. That means every other firefighter on the continent was still in danger. The effect on women firefighters is particularly concerning. I came across a recent paper showing these chemicals can be transferred to a baby through breastfeeding. 

I remember speaking to representatives from one of the project airports. They knew there was a problem, but didn't know where to start. When the project came in and said: we will bring you new foam at no cost, collect your fluorinated foam, and clean your trucks — the response was simply, "thank God." We would have had to do all of that ourselves and we simply didn’t have the budget for that.

The vision goes further too — beyond the current project countries, to the rest of Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean. We also need to think about aquifers and rivers contaminated by these foams. In a recent meeting with ICAO, UNEP, and the GEF, they said they need Kenya's experience to anchor campaigns in Asia and South America. I told them I would like to be appointed as an ambassador for that work.

What life lessons has your job taught you?

Before I got promoted, I used to wonder why my boss wasn't fixing things. Then in 2015, I got promoted and there was no one else to point the finger at. Things are not black and white. I learned that a firefighter's kit costing approximately $11,500 is not for show. In an aircraft fire, we are talking about temperatures that can reach around 800 to 1,000 degrees Celsius. Water boils at 100. If that person does not have the right equipment, they will die. That changes how you see everything.

I also learned that stakeholders are everything. In some neighboring countries, donated equipment sat unused because people didn't understand why it was there. Ownership is so important. And lastly, as you grow older, you turn your attention from yourself to others. The future is not you. I am at the apex of my career, and most of my time now goes towards the young people coming up. Qatar recently hired 15 of our trainees at once. I called the chief there. He said they are setting a good example.

What advice would you give a young person interested in a career like yours?

First, passion. You must sleep, drink, and wake up for the job you choose. My daughter had excellent grades and could have done anything. She chose to become a psychologist to help people who have lost loved ones, because she lost her own sister. That grief became her purpose. I could not tell her no. That is passion.

Second, read. Get your degrees, yes — but read beyond them. I started wearing glasses because of reading UNEP reports, ICAO manuals and IATA [International Air Transport Association] publications. You cannot get knowledge through osmosis.

Third, interact. Go beyond your own circle. Because of that curiosity, we started an Emergency Medical Technician program at the Kenyan Airports Authority with training and certification by the American Heart Association. With that training, graduates can work in American Emergency Medical Services with no additional certification. Our village is not the streets of Nairobi. The globe is our village.

All photos courtesy of Francis Ndeleva.