When my son was incarcerated at Sierra Conservation Center in Jamestown last year he went through the training for fire camp. However, his time got short, he had some other troubles and was transferred to Folsom.

I was wondering with the huge fires going on in SoCal if there are prisoners helping in the fire fight. I'm sure there are, but I haven't seen one mention of them in the media despite all the talk of the heroes battling the blazes.

This would sure be a good time to get some positive pub for prisoners if the public were to made aware of the hard fight they are putting up out there on behalf of the people of California.

Anybody know anything?

My fiance is in CCC in susanville and he said that they pulled alot of guys to come down here to So. Cal. and fight the fires. Unfortunally he hasn't finished the last part of his training so he was not able to go. If he would have he would have only been a couple miles from me, but I guess I am glad he didn't cause I wouldn't want him to get hurt.

Our stupid and retarded out going governor Davis said today "we could have used many more firefighters on the lines" but duhhh he has 160,000 inmates sitting on their hands because of his perversed love affair with the CCPOA.

I'm sooooo glad he's history.

I did see one quick clip the other night on the news that showed several prisoners fighting the fires. But it was like a 30 second clip in ALL that news coverage.

Boom.. tell us how you really feel about the nearly departed Mr. Shades of Gray...LOL !

Their are many prisoners whom are on the fire lines in southern california at present, working on hand crews, and at the ICP preparing 3 meals a day for literally 1000's of firefighters.

They are hard working men and women, who give it their all and take pride it what they do, despite the fact they are inmates. It should be known that they are treated with the utmost respect, by all other fire agencies, and never go unappreciated. Kudos to our inmate hand crews- God bless each and every one of you!

It sure would be nice if some "reporter" would do a nice, positive news article on those prisoners fighting those fires. That kind of publicity certainly couldn't hurt!!!

This state might have to rethink how it manages its assets.
The new governor should think about expanding fire camps to accomodate 3-5,000 prisoners. They are cheaper than prisons and the inmates could be used inbetween seasons for fire control, cutting away chapparal and dead trees.

They would become latter-day Boy Scouts and learn how to work in teams and earn bigger credits and pay in order to get them out sooner. This solves two problems for the state overcrowding in prisons and the build up of a natural disaster.

The Channel 4 news (KNBC-Today in LA) this morning filmed one of the inmate fire crews and spoke a little bit on how they earn a dollar a day and a dollar an hour while they are fighting the fires.


KellyA.

Well, others who volunteer to fight fires get really good pay for doing it. You'd think they'd give the prisoners some extra for risking their lives.

Boomer!

Well said.. I think you should write to Gov. Arnold and suggest that to him. I agree 100% !

As Ever
MsClever

Ya i also saw last night them shwoing a bunch of inmates in orange walking in a line to go fight the fire, they get paid a dollar a hr. and i think there taking them out of san bernardino county jail, not sure if west valley to. But they gotta be the very low offenders im assuming or they could just take the F**K off and thats be pretty funny. But hey at least they get to get out for a while and do something productive instead of nothing in jail. good idea to whoever thought of them helping, they should get more to help to. ktc:)

boomslang,

You have some very intelligent, wonderful ideas! I agree with MsCleaver. I agree 100% and our soon to be Governor should hear your ideas on this. Especially since it's fresh in his head.

I saw him on the news yesterday, giving his thanks to all the fire fighters. Just once, I would like the news to show the positive side of what inmates can do (and are doing), instead of all the negative.

I would love to see some 20/20 or 48 hour reports on these prisoners.

For the record.. inmates whom fight fires Do Not come out of County Jail facilities. These inmates come from conservation camps-fire camps, for which they have been fully trained in fire supression, fire control/containment, fire behavior.

Some of our So. Cal hand crews are: Norco 1, 2, 3 4,..Rainbow 1, 2, 3, 4 (the women- yeah!!=0) Buatista 1, 2, 3, 4, ...Glen Avon 1, 2, 3, 4...and others that I cant remember right now of the top of my head...at any rate there are a pile of them.

If more prisoners had been out clearing brush before the fires began there would have been much less damage. California has an untapped resource of men sitting around doing nothing.

The inmates get two days off their sentences now for each day in fire camp, so it also reduces the number of prisoners the taxpayers pay to have incarcerated. Even when my son was at Jamestown last year and they only got half-time for fire camp there was a long, long waiting list to get trained a go to the fire camps.