Upper Pine Fire District hosts an intern from France each year. Thomas Ventunini is just finishing his two months here.
He's from Bordeaux in the south of France. The internship is part of his studies in France, a health aand safety program that includes fire science. Improving his English skills is part of the deal.
"I am a volunteer fireman in France, but it's not the same as here," he said.
Chief Bruce Evans elaborated. "It's more like our residency programs. They stay in the station overnight."
Ventunini continued, "I aam here because in France, each time you finish an IUT (unit of study), you have to do an internship. A lot (of students) do that in France. Some can go to another country."
His project here has been a community wildfire protection plan (CWPP) for the Ticolote subdivision off the west end of County Road 223. The subdivision has around 45 homes and 100 residents, he said. It's piñon-juniper forest with some Ponderosas.
Evans said Ventunini has to write the plaan, and he had to conduct a community meeting in English. "They surveyed all the houses, did a risk assessment. He followed up with the local Firewise (which oversees the CWPPs), did some mapping with the county GIS (geographic information system) and state fire predicting models that are based on aerial photos. He spent time with Ken Grant from the Colorado State Forest Service learning about beetles, tree sap, climate."
"It's really good," Ventunini said. "I learn a lot about protection of house against wildfire. I spend a lot of time to write this report - one in English and one in French, and (back in France) I will have to do a speech in English to explain what I do here. The chief will give me a mark for my internship. My English teacher (in France) will give me a mark."
He also has been on some fire and small mitigation calls and worked with a fire mitigation crew. In France, he said, "We have forests, but not a lot of people live directly in the forest."
Evans commented, "They take risk a lot more seriously there."
So what about American food? "The food here is really different," he said without getting into details. He said he misses the bread in France.
Evans added, "He's been to the crepes wagon downtown (in Durango)."
Ventunini showed off the tattoo he got here, a plant with the leaves symbolizing family members. Tattoos are a lot cheaper here than in France, he said.
Evans said Ventunini will get a good assignment back in France. He's heading to the southwest coast between Spain and Normandy.
