重庆⼭⽕救援，这个美国⼈也去了

CD君 CHINADAILY 2022-08-28 10:33 发表于北京

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近⽇，⼀位外国⼈乘坐摩托⻋、⼿持汽油锯，参与重庆北碚⼭⽕救援的视频引发⽹友
关注。

这位外国⼈名叫Francis Stonier，42岁，来⾃美国弗吉尼亚州，是⻄南⼤学教育学部
课程与教学专业副教授。他和⻄南⼤学的朋友们⼀起报名当了志愿者。“我听说需要会
⽤汽油锯的⼈，就去做了志愿者。”那天，⼤家分⼯协作，他主要负责组装汽油锯。
他说⾃⼰被当地⼈倾尽所能参与救援的热情深深感动。

他说：“北碚是我的家，重庆也是我的家，我将来会⼀直⽣活在这⾥，甚⾄退休后也可
能留在这⾥。所以遇上问题时，我毫⽆疑问会去当志愿者。”

The example of a foreign teacher who volunteered to help fight the raging wildfires
in Chongqing's Beibei district with other local residents has touched many.

CHINADAILY

In the scorching heat and drought conditions, multiple wildfires ravaged parts of
Chongqing recently. On Sunday night, a forest fire broke out and spread in Beibei.

The local government issued an urgent call for volunteers with certain skills and
experience, such as chain saw operation, to join in the firefighting. Chain saws are
used to create fire barriers.

▲ Francis Stonier (right) is ready to join firefighting volunteers on Tuesday in Chongqing. Photo
provided to CHINA DAILY

"I was happy to help," said Francis Stonier, 42, associate professor in the Education
Department of Southwest University. He said he used to cut trees around his yard
and neighborhood in the state of Virginia in the United States.

He said he had volunteered many times in the US in the past－for example, building
houses for homeless people after big storms.

Stonier found a translator－50-year-old He Wu, a professor in the university's

college of foreign languages－who also signed up to fight fires.

On Tuesday, a group of six college teachers, including Stonier and He, went to the
volunteer venue in the district's Xiema town, the epicenter of the local blazes.
Soon, the pair were assigned to one of the chain saw groups－inspecting and
adjusting chain saws.

"Francis is responsible and focused, and is doing a really good job," said He,
adding that Stonier checked each chain saw carefully, to see if it was too tight or
too loose.

After two hours of work, their group of five people had checked out some 50 chain
saws, which were delivered to fire and rescue workers.

"Wherever I went, the volunteers and local residents gave me a big thumbs-up. It
was an unforgettable experience," Stonier said.

At 3 pm, the pair was taken to a mountainous area by a volunteer motorcyclist,

preparing for the next job－cutting wood. Stonier said he had a large backpack of
camping gear, as he fully expected to be on the mountain all night.

But he was persuaded to return home, as nonprofessionals are not encouraged on

the front lines.

"They were concerned about our safety, and I totally understood," he said.

Thanks to the joint efforts of fire and rescue workers, as well as volunteers and
residents, the local government said the raging wildfire in Beibei had been
extinguished as of Thursday night.

"It was great to see such an outpouring of help in the extreme heat," he said,
noting that he was impressed with the number of locals who came to help.
Motorcyclists gave up their jobs to convey materials and people up and down the
mountains. Others gave their time to carry heavy supplies, prepare and serve
meals or help organize.

In 2017, Stonier came to Chongqing and joined Southwest University the next year.

"It's been a really hot, tough summer. But other than that, I'm really enjoying my
life here," Stonier said, adding that the city seems to be a good place to raise his
family, and the local people are friendly.

"Beibei is my home, Chongqing is my home, I'm planning to live here for the
foreseeable future, possibly even retire here," he said.

记者：谭英姿 邓蕊

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