Hundreds of criminals from California have been sent to help put out fires in the Los Angeles area. Some have been working 24-hour shifts for as little as $26.90, which is just over $1 an hour.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation told The Guardian that 395 prisoners had been sent to help put out the fires.
The prisoners who are firefighters and are in “minimum custody” have been working with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which has sent thousands of firefighters to the area.
There are 35 “fire camps” in 25 California counties that are run by the CDCR, Cal Fire, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The camps are thought to have minimal protection. Inmates can use hand tools to help put out fires and handle other emergencies, but they don’t have to.
To keep an eye on and fight the fires, both new and old equipment are used to find and contain them.
Because of the climate crisis, California has had to deal with longer and more destructive fire seasons for a long time. The state has always depended on people who are in jail to help it. In fact, at times, CDCR teams have made up as much as 30% of the state’s brush fire force.
The CDCR says that firefighters make between $5.80 and $10.24 a day, based on how skilled they are. They get an extra $1 an hour for active emergencies.
It said that during emergencies, crews can work 24-hour shifts followed by 24 hours of rest. The least skilled firemen could make $26.90 an hour and the most skilled could make about $34.
To give you an idea, California’s minimum wage is $16.50 an hour, though it’s higher in some places, like West Hollywood.
Prisoners in California don’t always get paid the state’s minimum pay. Some make as little as 16 cents an hour.
The basic rate of $10.24 for the most skilled firefighters who are in jail is one of the best daily rates for people who are in jail in the state.
In addition to getting paid, firefighters who help out in situations like this get “time credits” that let them get two extra days off their sentence for every day they work on the crew.
By taking part, you may also be able to get your criminal record erased and get professional emergency response licenses.
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