Author: Unknown
Published on: 31/01/2025 | 00:00:00

AI Summary:
California’s firefighting programme has long been criticised for its reliance on imprisoned workers, who face low pay and dangerous conditions. But proponents point out that, in recent years, the state has taken steps to expand opportunities for incarcerated firefighters to pursue careers in the field upon release. Incarcerated firefighters can make up as much as 30 percent of the state’s wildland firefighting force. Supporters of the programme note that it is voluntary and those who participate can shave time off their sentences. Spend time outdoors is an attractive alternative to the banal routines of prison life. Critics point to the discrepancy in pay as one of the firefighting programme’s downsides. Incarcerated workers are paid just a fraction of the wages that non-incarcerated crews receive. Daily wages only amount to about $29.80 for 24 hours of work. At least 17 people have been killed in the Eaton blaze, along with 11 in the Palisades. “The devastation is a very hard pill to swallow for anyone who has been doing this for a long time,” Conroy says. Governor Gavin Newsom signed bill AB 2147, which allowed incarcerated firefighters with histories of nonviolent offences to have their records expunged. That opens them up to opportunities to pursue careers that their criminal records might otherwise hinder, including professional firefighting and emergency services. Senator Eloise Gomez Reyes said the legislation seeks to make sure that once firefighters are developed that they are then offered an opportunity to continue to serve their community as full time firefighters.

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