It may come as a surprise, but many inmates have been called from the day-to-day routine of life as a prisoner to don the task as fire fighter in California’s latest blaze. When a person is convicted of a crime, one of the main goals of incarceration is to have that person pay their debt to society. However, when a grand scale crises ensues, inmates are often called upon to serve. In the past week, over 4,000 inmates have been doing just that.
There are certain qualifications that inmates must meet before they are selected to fight fires. First, both male and female inmates may be selected. Second, they must have no violent prior arrests or charges. They also must be in prime physical condition and able to handle the rigors of the job.
The California program that uses inmates to fight fires began after World War II. The prisoners receive a shorter sentence for the days spent fighting fires. The inmates are supervised by guards and are easily identified by wearing bright orange jumpsuits and protective gear. Regular firefighters wear yellow suits. The experience has a lasting impression on those who participate and many inmates report that they are changed for the better due to the experience.
Firefighters are also quick to sing the inmates praises, as they know how difficult it is to fight fires as well as work as a team. Many of the inmates have never worked traditional jobs and are taught on the job skills such as teamwork and partnership to ensure that everyone is working in unison to extinguish the fires. The professional fires usually select a foreman who is in charge of the prison crews, however there are financial bonuses and incentives given to those who manage the inmate firefighters.
Using inmates to fight fires is not without its risks. In fact, throughout the years inmates have suffered injuries including death. Two inmate firefighters lost their lives during 1999 and 2000 and already one firefighter has lost their life in the California wildfires.
Many people wonder if the inmates try to escape when they are selected for fire duty. Surprisingly, the inmates do not try to make a get a way. This is usually attributed to the fact that due to the extreme serious nature of the wildfires, there is no place to run to. Many of the inmates are set to secluded locations that are on fire and the situation is dire.
Most of the time the inmates are handed tasks such as removing brush and debris from burning zones in an effort to help contain the fire. There are also rewards in store for those who successfully fight fires and work with their teams as opposed to stiff sentences and penalties for those who try to escape.
In addition to adult inmate crews, juvenile offenders are also often selected for fire duty. Like their mature counterparts, juveniles must not have any violent offenses and earn the privilege to participate with the teams.
wonderful idea! this needs to be further publicized!
Comment by j — December 30, 2007 @ 8:38 pm