INTRODUCTION – Who? Why? Where? When? How? How long?

Hello everybody,

I guess most of you already know me but I will introduce myself, just in case any new friend wants to know about my trip in Sardegna and my stepts over the fire world.

My name is David Merenciano; I am twenty-four years old. I got my Forestry Engineering degree at Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, my first Master’s degree – MásterGIFF, at Universitat de Lleida (Prof. Domingo Molina) and know I am running through MásterFUEGO at Universitat de Lleida, Universidad de Córdoba y Universidad de León (Prof. Domingo Molina and others). I work as a firefighter in Aragón since two hundred seven and I recently extended my fire experience doing a two-month stage in Florida, collaborating with the University of Florida at Gainesville (Prof. Leda Kobizar, Kobziar Fire Science Lab) and taking the Prescribed Fire Training Center 20-day Course. Now, I just returned from a new fire experience in Sardegna, where I learnt and shared great stuff with Corpo Forestale e di Vigilanza Ambientale della Regione Sardegna crew (specially with Dr. Giuseppe Mariano Delogu).

(it is not actually an italian pizza; it is an american one, 'american size', 24'' diameter)

I will try to report in this blog every single interesting & learning moment happened during the eight days I spent collaborating with the Corpo Forestale e di Vigilanza Ambientale della Regione Sardegna (CFVA). I was invited by General Commander Dr. Giuseppe Delogu, who gave me an amazing opportunity for sharing my knowledge with his comrades and for learning about Sardegna’s forest and fire management and many other things.

Even though acknowledges are commonly set at the end of the documents, I want to break the rule and start by them. I feel totally grateful not only with Dr. Giuseppe Delogu, but with all GAUF crew as well. Working with them was one of the best experiences in my life, not far from Florida’s one. I will always remember those days and that great people: Renato Angioni, Stefania Murranca, Livio Peluffo, Salvatore Cabiddu, Leandro Usai, Adriano, Valentina, Roberto Murgia, Paolo, Silvio Cocco,... and specially Ettore Deiana, with whom I closely fought fires and from whom I learned many things. E’ stato un assoluto piacere!

 

I cannot forget Dr. Delogu’s family, who received me lovingly, as if I was another member of them. We had fun and we’ll hopefully meet again. Thank you all guys! And about Dr. Delogu, I have nothing to say, because every single word I am going to write is because of him, because of everything he taught me in those days. If you want to know more about him, about CFVA and about Sardegna, just keep on reading!

It will be worth every minute!