LOS ANGELES, CA – As Los Angeles suffers from thousands of acres ablaze this week, nearly 400 prisoners are being used to fight at the front lines, risking their lives.
According to the Guardian, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) confirmed it has “deployed 395 imprisoned firefighters.”
It has also been estimated by the Guardian that the crews of the CDCR firefighters have accounted for nearly 30 percent of the state’s firefighting force at times, leading to ethical concerns about the use of such individuals to battle these blazes.
Additionally, CDCR firefighters only earn between $5.80 to $10.24 a day, and an additional $1 per hour if they are responding to active emergencies, such as the active Palisades, Kenneth, Hurst, Eaton and other fires, based on the Guardian’s reporting.
The Guardian also explains the CDCR operates over 30 “fire camps,” also known as conservation camps, across the state that are considered minimum-security facilities, and this is where the incarcerated firefighters are trained and help authorities respond to the blazes.
Speaking to the work of these firefighters, Jeff Macomber, CDCR secretary, said in a statement Wednesday, “The work of our incarcerated firefighters and staff is an essential part of this effort, and their commitment to protecting lives and property during these emergencies cannot be overstated,” according to the Guardian.
In speaking to the work of the CDCR firefighters, Amika Mota, an advocate who served with the fire camps from 2012 to 2015 while incarcerated said, “It’s horrific to see what’s unfolding, but I know the firefighters inside have a desire to take part and are walking into these horrible conditions proud to be there.”
However, Mota continues in the Guardian, “We’re doing this heroic, crucial work, but many people inside cannot support their family, can barely afford to just get hygiene for themselves. Nobody is saving money with wages for when you go home.”
In terms of who qualifies to be a CDCR firefighter, the Guardian states that “participants must have eight years or less on their sentence, and some convictions, including sex offenses and arson, are disqualifying.”
Additionally, the Guardian notes many former CDCR firefighters have had trouble being hired in new firefighting jobs after their release, despite their extensive work history and training in the fire camps.
Mota added, “We always had this reputation on the fire ground of being the ones who did the dirtiest work, the hardest work, got there the earliest, stayed there the longest. There was a lot of respect we’d get from other fire crews. But that also takes its toll.”
