The Pagosa Fire Protection District (PFPD) is pleased to have recently hosted a group of firefighters from Beaumont, Belgium.
The firefighter exchange program occurs every five years. In 2020, a group of firefighters from the PFPD will venture to Belgium to gain knowledge of the fire service in Europe.
The group of Belgian firefighters and their families visited Pagosa Springs from June 30 through July 5. During their visit, they participated in a welcome dinner of American-style barbecue, fire apparatus familiarization, a wildland fire class, white water rafting, the Red Ryder Roundup Rodeo, the Fourth of July parade and they watched the fireworks display.
PFPD presented the group with a traditional American-style structure fire helmet signed by members of the department. In a return gesture of friendship, the Belgian firefighters presented a plaque, made from Belgian oak, depicting a European-style helmet and tools.