Firefighters prisoners can get an easier time to new careers

From Deborah BrennanCalmness

This story was originally published by CalmattersS Register about their ballots.

As the fires in Los Angeles raged in January, about 1,000 prisoners of firefighters worked on hand crews along with professional firefighters struggling with the flames.

In payment for this dangerous work, the participants in the California Protection Program won $ 5.80 to $ 10.24 a day, plus $ 1 per hour, and they will get a chance to clear their record and seek a job as a professional firefighter on release.

But prisoners of firefighters say it is difficult to move from a prison crew to a fire service work, as their criminal files make it difficult to obtain the necessary certificates.

State Senator Eloise Gomez Reyes He wants to make it easier. In January the introduced Democrat from San Bernardino Senate Bill 245Which would require the Ministry of Justice to help deprived firefighters to receive their criminal files and prevent their sentences from being used.

The bill is expanding to a Law 2020 This Rayes is an author who enables the former prisoners who have worked on fire crews to continue their careers in the fire department.

“This bill is specifically for the removal of barriers before the expiration that former prisoners have dealt with,” Reyes told Calmatters. “We want to provide access to opportunities that are provided to those who have put their lives on the line to protect the Californians.”

Firefighters prisoners have Fight with local and state fire crews and other emergency reactors Since 1915S Today, over 1800 lives throughout the year in minimum security bearings, known as fire camps, in 25 counties in California.

This experience can prepare them for jobs with agencies such as Cal Fire where firefighters at Entrance Level win a $ 4,296 to $ 5.432 Basic salary per month. But legitimate obstacles often inhabit the road.

“During the La Fires, Incarcerated Fire Crew Members Emerged As True Heroes, Bravely Protecting Homes and Communities from Destruction,” Said Sam Lewis, Executive Director of the Anti-Recision “But Upon Reentry, Many Formerly Incarcerated Fire Camp Participants Still Have Difficulty Obtaining An Expngement.”

Former fire crew prisoners often do not have legal support to clear their records, Reyes said.

“They are also struck into the bureaucratic licensing and certification process, even after they meet the eligibility,” Rayes said. “Our public defenders have said they are ready and can help with these expands, but if our prisoners are not aware that this is an option, connecting to the right agency becomes a problem.”

The bill will require the Ministry of Justice to contact people who have the right to relieved and initiate demands to expand their criminal records. And this would ensure that the sentences cannot be used against them when they seek certification of an emergency medical technician or other powers needed to work in the fire services.

The bill will not open the door to abusers to serve as civil firefighters; He excludes people convicted of rape, murder, abduction, arson and other serious crimes.

The measure will also follow data on former prisoners who receive extensions and chase a career in the fire department, which Reyes said is currently missing for most cities in California.

“Let’s make sure we have the data to make sure that the courts do what they need to do and people are receiving the necessary help is much of this bill,” said the head of the flight headquarters Matthew Hamlet.

The bill adopted the Senate Public Safety Committee in California with 5-1 votes, with Senator Kelly SyrtoRepublican from Muruta, no vote. ACLU, the California Association of Public Defenders and other justice organizations supported the proposal and no one was stated against it.

Robert Wynn has served seven and a half years in prison and spent two and a half years at the State Prison Fire Services in the Valley of Chucklala. He told the committee that he was now captain at the Call Fire Training Center and worked for the agency since 2019, but the journey “is everything but easy”.

“The process is discouraging and takes a long time for someone trying to restore their whole life from Earth,” he said. “I started the process and quickly realized that I had to spend considerable time and navigate complex legal procedures. I still have no recordings recorded.”

By accelerating this process, the bill will allow him to compete for jobs with urban and district fire services, Win said, and this will increase the opportunities for those who complete the fire camp program of his institution.

This article was Originally Published on CalMatters and was reissued under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Noderivatives License.