Blog

By Eve Muganga

Historically, firefighting has been a predominantly male dominated profession throughout the world. However, since the 1970s, women have made broken barriers in both professional and volunteer fire departments across the world.
In modern times, women have served in a various fire service roles such as fire chiefs, although they comprise less than 20 per cent of firefighters, even in countries where they are best represented.

At 9.7 per cent, Joseph Mugisha the Director of Police Fire Prevention and Rescue Services says Uganda’s female firefighters form an even smaller fraction than what can be found at the global stage. Mugisha says Uganda has a total 601 fire fighters and of these, only 58 are female.
The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCCA) has only nine women in the firefighting department and one female in marine department. Just like medics, their role is to save lives and they go where everyone wouldn’t dare to go.

Her dream was to become a lawyer but her parents could not afford to pay for a law course at university. Zainab Kampi, a mother of three, has been firefighter with experience spanning nine years at Entebbe International Airport.
She pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Education at Makerere University on government sponsorship and graduated in 2007. Just like other graduates, Kampi started searching for teaching jobs in various schools and her first salary as a teacher was Shs100,000, an amount that could hardly pay even a quarter of her monthly bills.

“In 2009, after several failed attempts at getting reasonably good jobs, I landed on a job advert at UCCA in the Newpapers and I applied. Luckily, I got the job,” she says.
Although she was excited about the new and a better paying job, Kampi harboured some fears. First, she was putting her life at the frontline and she had to be on duty anytime of the day or night.

“After my first training in basic rescue and firefighting course, I came to terms with the fact I was signing up for a strange job. I was introduced to new technology, new equipment, appliances and driving of a fire truck,” she recollects.

Duties of a firefighter
According to Kampi, firefighters are the first respondents to a disaster call. “Our duty is to save lives and people’s property. We provide rescue in dangerous situations,” she says.
She added that firefighers also respond to emergency calls by extinguishing fires. Seh says: “We sensitise people about fire safety, inspect building for fire safety and enforce safety standards.”
Other duties include performing varied maintenance tasks on apparatus, equipment and facilities, providing first aid to injured persons on board including ambulance transportation.
Firefighters also carry out physical, academic trainings and offer practical drills. “Knowing your equipment or appliance leads to effectiveness and efficiency during operations. This job warrants alertness combined with remarkable physical and mental strength,” she says.

Challenges encountered
Over the years, Kampi has found passion in firefighting and she enjoys her job. She, however, says lack of familiarisation of the aircrafts,which land at the airport is one of the challenges she has encountered.
She says: “It’s not easy to get access to aircrafts, yet as a fire fighter, I must know hazards that may present during an aircraft emergency.”
Firefighting is technical skill that requires hands-on training. As a firefighter, she says she constantly finds herself rushing to places where she might get injured or killed.
“It is the world of the unknown but we are trained to be optimistic about saving lives and minimising destruction of property,” she says.

Worst moment 
“During a night duty, two of my colleagues got an accident at about 10pm. They were delivering fire cover to the aircrafts that were refueling at Apron 1. No sooner had they reached than their fire truck got stuck in a trench,” she says.
When she rushed down stairs, she says she found her colleague kneeling, sweating profusely and could not walk. “He was only pointing at the fire truck. He lay down but seemed lifeless. Blood was oozing out of his mouth and nose, he got a deep cut on his head and lost his teeth. They were rushed to hospital and thankfully, they survived,” she narrates.

Incidents she has handled 
“In January 2019, in the wee hours of the night, an Ethiopian Airlines, B737-800 from Addis Ababa to Entebbe overshot the runway, skidded off the runway by a few metres. The passengers on board were 139 including the crew.
The alarm rang, the crews mounted the fire trucks and ambulance to the scene which were strategically positioned just in case of a fire. The passengers and the crew safely disembarked off the plane and were taken to the terminal. There was no damage to the aircraft but the fire crew was on standby until the aircraft was towed to the apron,” she says.
The second incident happened when she was manning tarmac duties for night shift. “Fuel was leaking out of an aircraft uncontrollably. The fuel filled the ground where the aircraft had parked. This aircraft was ready for takeoff when this incident happened. I informed the duty officer and flashed the spillage with foam to prevent any fire outbreak,” she recalls.

Adapted from; https://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/Full-Woman/firefighting-Zainab-Kampi-male-profession-Police-Fire-Prevention/689842-5540536-t4l19hz/index.html

The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCCA) held an Air service Licensing Public Hearing where Companies that applied to obtain Air service Licenses in Uganda defended their applications and intentions in business before approval by the UCAA board

The public hearing that was held at Mestil Hotel Nsambya saw three companies, Grand Air services, Zone 4 International Airlines and Jet ways Airlines Limited defend their applications, explain their capabilities and intentions in business

Mike Ndawula the UCAA Board Chairperson said the public hearing where members of the public are in attendance, companies do present and defend their abilities followed by questions from the public for clarification on some contentious issues

Ndawula added, “We also look at the opportunities the applicants are to provided and contribute to the Aviation industry, our economy, tourism sector among others and within 7daysb after the boards decision the companies will know their fate”.

According to the manager Public Affairs UCCA Vianney Luggya, The Airlines that appeared for the hearing, Jetways Airlines Limited applied for Non-scheduled Passengers and Cargo services license while Grand Air Services and Zone 4 International limited applied for non-scheduled Cargo Service licenses.

On the same event, UCAA launched an Online Air Service Licensing portal that allows air operators to easily apply for the Air service License.

The Head of UCT at UCAA James Mubiru said the portal will improve on service delivery as applicants can track their applications and also cut on costs as it is flexible and requires limited movements.

Adopted from: The Sunrise March 5, 2020

KAMPALA – The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) announces the operationalization of the new e- Air Service Licensing system portal which can be accessed at caa.go.ug

The development has been introduced following the long and tedious manual process where the applicant has been required to obtain and fill a form, attach associated documents, and finally present the file to the UCAA for manual processing.

UCAA is optimistic that the new development will work well as it has pass-through thorough check and interaction with other government agencies relevant to applicant verification.

The development is a result of the engagement meeting held between UCAA and aviation stakeholders in September 2019 where a decision was reached to introduce an online portal that allows air operators to easily apply for the air service license.

Mr. James Mubiru, the Head of ICT at CAA said the automation process is aimed at improving service delivery and cutting costs on the operators as compared to the old system of manual application and physical handing in of applications.

Mr. Mubiru said the applicant can easily track the time the application was submitted among other advantages.

The portal was launched during CAA’s Air Service Licensing Committee meeting held at Mestil Hotel in Nsambya where three air service providers defended their applications to operate in Uganda.

The applicants included Zone four International Airlines Ltd, Grand Air services and Jetways Airlines Limited.

Eng Edward Mike Ndawula, Chairman Board CAA said the public hearing was meant for the air service applicants to defend their applications and clearly highlighting their intentions while in business.

“It is a strong recommendation that they come before the board for a public hearing where members of the public are invited; they make a presentation on their capacities and capabilities, then questions asked for clarification. Many times on our part as a board, we want to find out that what was presented is exactly what these guys presented.

Adopted from: PML Daily March 5, 2020

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Entebbe International Airport has been re-modified to ease travel needs and clearance for dignitaries coming to Uganda for the G77 + China summit in April.

The G77 is the largest intergovernmental organization of developing countries in the United Nations, used as a platform to articulate and promote their collective economic interests and enhance their joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic issues. The coalition which was started by 77 countries, now has 135 member countries.

Uganda was confirmed as the host of the summit in October, last year making it the first African country to host the event, which brings together heads of state of the Group of 77 coalition and more than 300 other high-level dignitaries from the member states and the United Nations. The meeting which will take place at the Commonwealth Resort in Munyonyo from April 17 to 19, 2020.

Last month, a delegation from the Secretariat of the G77 + China in New York visited Entebbe International Airport to assess the readiness of Uganda for the summit. The officials, among other places, visited the Immigration, the arrivals and departure terminals of Entebbe International Airport and the VIP Lounge.

Eng. Ayub Sooma, the Director for Aviation Safety and Security at Entebbe International Airport told URN that measures have been taken to ensure that dignitaries coming for the summit do not go through the lengthy queues like other travelers and that the airport is not congested when they arrive.

Sooma says that some of the immigration stalls will be solely reserved for G77 delegates and that these will all use the VIP section at the airport.

Adopted from: The Independent February 8, 2020

The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) Director Airports & Aviation Security Mr Ayub Sooma has said the new extension to the arrivals and departures lounge will help to reduce congestion at the Airport.

“The remodification of the passenger building is intended to solve issues of arrival and departure, today our rivals and departures are congested and also don’t give a good feeling to both arriving and departing passengers” he said.

Mr Sooma made the remarks during a tour of ongoing expansion works at Entebbe international Airport by state minister for transport Ms Joy Kabatsi on Thursday.

Minister Joy Kabatsi touring the new clearing counters
“We have put up a remodification on the terminal building to put up an elegant feeling for passengers. Many of the passengers have been carrying their luggage from very far points to reach the terminal building, now this terminal building is to purposely solve security issues which the current format was not solving@ he said.

Mr Sooma said although the new building is not complete the Authority will use the top floor to facilitate departures of delegates in the upcoming G77 + China Summit from 17th to 19th April 2020 that is to be hosted in Uganda.

Min. Joy Kabatsi leaving the new terminal building at Entebbe International Airport
“We are going to make the departures it will not be complete but it will be in a usable form for the delegates to use in the departures areas only, we are almost completing once they finish putting in air conditions they are going to put the ceiling and its done. We are targeting the end of this month at least March for the usable space and after carry out the second phase of the completion” he said.

The UCAA chairman board of Directors Mr Mike Ndawula said the authority is working closely with the national organizing committee (NOC) for the summit which is expected to be attended by over 100 Presidents and 1000 delegates to ensure that the airport related needs for the delegates are met.

“Entebbe International Airport will be a major entry and exit point for all the delegates, which calls for meticulous attention to detail in order to ensure smooth facilitation on arrival and departure” he said.

The state minister for transport Ms Joy Kabatsi said UCAA has to be mindful of it’s expected facilitation role to execute as the country hosts international conferences to avoid prolonged inconveniences to passengers and users of the services and facilities at the airport.

“Conferences of this nature contribute to growth in passenger traffic figures which ultimately translate into increased revenue for UCAA. Ongoing infrastructural upgrade projects that are expected to be delivered to facilitate this and similar conferences in future ought to be expedited” he said

Adopted from: Entebbe Post (Focus) on February 12, 2020 

ENTEBBE – State Minister of Transport Joy Kabatsi, visited Entebbe International Airport on Thursday, February to stand on the latest preparations of receiving the G77+China delegations slated to come to Uganda in April.

Uganda Civil Aviation Authority officials led by the Managing Director, Dr. David Kakuba, guided the minister on a tour of the new departure immigration counters, passenger terminal building expansion works, Terminal Operations Control Center and new Cargo Center.

Minister Kabatsi flanked by journalists and ministry officials also inspected the new departure and arrival halls at the airport and checked on all the security measures inside and outside the airport including the UCAA’s readiness to provide the necessary parking for over 100 presidents and thousands of delegates expected to participate in the major event.

Kabatsi gave directives to officials to ensure early preparations-warning of possible consequences in case of shoddy work.

Kabatsi, however, defended the delay in completion and handing over the new cargo terminal centre which was due for completion in December 2019 citing unforeseen circumstances but urged the engineers to speed up the work to reduce congestion of people and their baggage.

Eng. Ayub Sooma, the Director and Aviation Security explained that the alternation with the expansion plan and change in weather conditions affected the scheduled completion time but “we are taking necessary measures to have them completed very soon”

“Our arrivals and departure sections do not give a good feeling to the arriving passenger when entering the country and those departing….we have put up remodification and the terminal building to give a good feeling and elegance,” he said assuring the minister that “we have eased the ways people depart and arrive”

He said the new terminal building is purposely to solve security issues that the current format was not solving.

Dr. Kakuba also gave updates on the progress and timelines.

Works for modification and expansion of the passenger terminal building are also on-going and are over 80% level of completion.

The Entebbe International Airport upgrade involves improving the airspace management and flight procedure designs, implemented the Air Traffic Services (ATS) Message Handling System and a computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) and Airport Operational Database (AODB) system.

Other works include improvement of flight procedures efficiency through Air Traffic Management, establishment of a modern terminal operations control center that has already been installed at the airport and a training facility at the CAA Head office.

He divulged that the authority has expanded the long term car parking from 240 to 410 parking slots and increased departure immigration counters from 6 to 11 and improved the area ambiance.

The upgrade and expansion project forms part of a 20-year National Aviation Master Plan (2014-2033) unveiled by the Civil Aviation Authority of Uganda (CAA) in January 2015.

Adopted from: PML Daily on February 9, 2020