Firefighters who are housed in California county jails and state prisons earn wages of up to $19 under laws considered by state lawmakers.
Congressional Bill 247 will increase hourly wages for prison prisoners assigned to work in active fire scenes.
“They put themselves on the forefront,” Congress member Isaac G. Bryan (D-Los Angeles), vice-chairman of Congress’ Black Caucus, said at a press conference Tuesday. “We were thanked to them, given their thoughts and prayers, visited and tweeted, but we didn’t pay them fairly or justly.”
More than 1,100 prisoners from the Department of State Amendments and Rehabilitation (a group that historically accounted for 30% of California’s wildfire forces) helped fight the Pallisard and Eton fires. According to the department’s website, they currently make between $5.80 and $10.24 per day.
Supporters, politicians and celebrities, including John Legend and Kim Kardashian, are seeking higher wages for prisoner firefighters on the frontlines of wildfires.
Those who are incarcerated in state or county jails fighting fires can shorten their sentences by earning one or two days of credit for daily work and training. They are trained and employed through the Department of Corrections and the Rehabilitation Conservation Fire Department program. There are 35 firefighters operating statewide.
Paying these high wages under the bill to inmates costs tens of millions of people a year in the state, Brian said. It may differ based on the intensity of the fire season and the need for labor.
California Sheriff’s Assn. He opposes the bill and says it could put a lot of financial pressure on the counties needed to pay higher wages.
At a press conference Tuesday, the former prisoner spoke about his experience working and training with the fire crew. They said their work goes beyond fighting fires and is also dealing with car accidents and medical emergency situations.
“We worked in dangerous situations as much as our other first responders for a long time, but we pay low wages,” said former inmate firefighter Rakisha Johnson.
Adam Cain, another former prisoner who worked for the California Forestry and Fire Prevention Department while incarcerated during the 2020 wildfire, said he experienced wildfire smoke and breathing difficulties because he “helped others survive.”
Cain said higher wages will help prisoners save money after food and sanitation payments, reparations owed to the victim and their families, or money after being released.
“People deserve to be paid for their dedication, whether you’re in jail or not,” he said.
The bill passed the Congressional Public Safety Commission with bipartisan support. I head to the Congressional Approximate Budget Committee for consideration.
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