Blackpool Airport has appointed Paul Lake as its new Senior Airport Fire Officer (SAFO), reinforcing its commitment to operational excellence, emergency preparedness and long-term airport development.
Lake joins the airport with more than 40 years of aviation firefighting and rescue experience, having built an extensive career across military, civilian and international airport fire services. His appointment comes as Blackpool Airport continues implementing its long-term growth strategy while maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety and operational resilience.
In his new role, Lake will oversee the airport’s fire and rescue service, leading emergency response operations, firefighter training and safety management programmes that support the airport’s expanding operations.
His aviation firefighting career began at Farnborough Airport before progressing into senior operational and training positions at Boscombe Down, RAF Leeming, the International Fire Training Centre (IFTC) in Teesside, where he trained aviation firefighters from around the world, the International College of Engineering & Management in Oman and Falck Fire.
Most recently, Lake served as Chief Fire Officer at King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest airport by land area. There, he managed a team of approximately 150 firefighters operating across four fire stations, overseeing emergency response readiness and airport fire safety operations.
Commenting on his appointment, Lake said he was delighted to return to the United Kingdom after four decades in the fire service, describing it as an exciting opportunity to contribute to Blackpool Airport’s future development while working alongside a highly experienced team.
Blackpool Airport Director Steve Peters welcomed the appointment, noting that Lake’s extensive operational knowledge, leadership experience and international expertise would play an important role in supporting the airport’s continued growth while ensuring the highest levels of safety and resilience.
As airports continue expanding across Africa to accommodate increasing passenger numbers and cargo operations, experienced aviation fire and rescue leadership remains essential for maintaining regulatory compliance, strengthening emergency preparedness and protecting critical aviation infrastructure. Investments in highly skilled personnel, ongoing firefighter training and modern emergency response capabilities are becoming increasingly important as the continent’s aviation sector continues to develop.
The appointment of Paul Lake reflects the growing recognition that strong operational leadership is fundamental to building safe, resilient and future-ready airports capable of supporting sustainable aviation growth.
