As the LA fires continue to blaze a path of destruction that’s so far decimated a combined 40,00 hectares and killed at least 24 at the time of writing, more than 900 prisoner firefighters have been deployed to assist in efforts to curb its fury.
That number makes up 30 per cent of active emergency units dispatched to battle the fierce wildfires currently raging across California’s Palisades and Eton communities, in what is already being described as one of the deadliest in the state’s history.
Below, we explore the role, challenges, and societal implications of utilising prisoners as firefighters, particularly in response to natural disasters like wildfires.
What Are Prisoner Firefighters?
Prisoner firefighters are incarcerated inmates employed by prison-run programs to attend to, and support members of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) during times of emergency.
Out of the nation’s nearly 2 million people held in state and federal prisons, two out of three inmates are also employed across various sectors as workers.
While there are benefits to running employment programs for incarcerated inmates, a lack of minimal protections that are otherwise guaranteed for workers outside of the prison system, fosters an environment of punitive exploitation.
This is partly due to convicted criminals being excluded the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution which largely offers protection against slavery and involuntary servitude.
The origins of modern-day labour programs, such as those made up of prisoner firefighters, can be traced back to the end of America’s Civil War, when the drafting of the 13th Amendment sought to abolish slavery “except as a punishment for crime.”
According to a 2022 report conducted by The University of Chicago’s Law School Global Human Rights Clinic, the exclusion meant “States in the North and the South turned to incarcerated labour as a means of partially replacing chattel slavery and the free labour force slavery provided.”
And, as prison systems expanded, “so too did the number of state-sponsored incarcerated labour programs.”
The inquiry also found that more than 76 per cent of incarcerated workers report being made to work, for fear of “additional punishment such as solitary confinement, denial of opportunities to reduce their sentence, and loss of family visitation, or the inability to pay for basic life necessities like bath soap.”
Additionally, “they have no right to choose what type of work they do and are subject to arbitrary, discriminatory, and punitive decisions by the prison administrators who select their work assignments.”
The same report highlights the lack of universally recognised protections such as minimal wage laws, the right to unionise, and are denied basic workplace safety guarantees.
Does California Use Prisoners As Firefighters?
California jointly operates 35 conservation camps, otherwise known as fire camps, across 25 counties.
Of the 35 camps run jointly with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, two are made up of women prisoners.
The workers in the minimum-security facilities respond to a host of manmade and natural disasters as support for local and federal government agencies during times of emergencies.
According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, once workers pass a physical fitness test, they are then required to complete CAL FIRE’s Firefighting Training (FFT) program.
The training consists of four days of classroom training and four days of field training, taught by CAL FIRE staff, after which they become certified wildland firefighters.
How Much Are Prisoner Firefighters Paid?
As listed on the CDCR website, camp “participants” earn anywhere between $5.80 and $10.24 (USD) per day.
When the workers are called to an active emergency, they are given an extra $1 per hour, regardless of skill level.
The website also states that “during emergencies, crews can work a 24-hour shift, followed by 24 hours of rest.”
Can Inmate Firefighters Become Real Firefighters?
Despite governments framing prison labour programs are rehabilitative and offering formerly-incarcerated members avenues for employment, the reality of the situation is largely a different story.
“When people leave prison, they face state-imposed barriers to finding employment, such as laws that explicitly authorise discrimination against formerly incarcerated individuals in housing, employment and other areas of life,” notes the A.C.L.U report.
Furthermore, “State occupational licensing restrictions often bar people with conviction records from work in the very fields they trained in while incarcerated,” – a disparity co-founder of Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP), Royal Ramey understands more than most.
Ramey co-founded FFRP after experiencing prison firefighting camps, and the barriers faced by those seeking to be employed in that field upon release -firsthand.
His non-profit now helps previously incarcerated individuals overcome the same challenges he faced, actively recruiting, providing training for, and securing placement for those wishing to pursue a career in the fire or emergency services.
In 2020, a law that sought to make it easier for certain ex-prisoners to clear their records for the purpose of employment, was passed.
Though the intent was there, and many have successfully utilised the law after their release, the process to do so is, according to the A.C.L.U report, prohibitive by design.
“This legislation, while a step in the right direction, still leaves unreasonable barriers in place. Such draconian barriers take a toll on those denied work, the states they live in, and the U.S economy as a whole.”
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