By Amika Mota | Special To The Observer
“When you are entrusted with saving lives, that changes you. That gives you purpose. That pushes you towards rehabilitation.” said Andrea Stewart, a formerly incarcerated advocate. This statement resonated deeply with me, as my experience as an incarcerated firefighter changed me.
Which is why I hope Governor Newsom will sign Assembly Bill 812. This bill, authored by Assemblymember Lowenthal, would authorize the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to recommend individuals who served as incarcerated firefighters to be considered for resentencing.
As firefighters, we are willing to put our lives on the line. First responders are heavily relied upon by the community in times of crisis. We are trained and highly skilled individuals who run into the line of danger.
At the start of the year, our frontline firefighters were put to the ultimate test as California experienced its third most destructive wildfire on record spanning 24 days and burning 23,448 acres.
First on the scene to the Palisades Fires, the most destructive wildfire ever experienced by Los Angeles county, was a crew consisting of all incarcerated women who were living at Malibu Conservation Camp #13. This is a rehabilitative program operated jointly by CDCR and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. I had the opportunity to meet with this incredible crew last May. The visit reminded me that it’s a gift to be outside and see trees. The women shared with me how serving their community in this program has transformed their lives for the better.
To breathe some fresh air and not sleep in an eight-person cell with no windows that open. And yet, the reality is they are still not free.
There are currently 35 fire camps located across California, two of which house incarcerated women. This highly sought after program allows incarcerated individuals the opportunity to serve their community by responding to emergencies and natural disasters. The women at Malibu Camp #13 were also one of the first crews on the scene of the Calabasas helicopter crash, which took the lives of nine people, including LA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter.
After an extensive screening process conducted by CDCR to participate in the fire camps, individuals also have to commit to the CAL FIRE Firefighting certification training program, a physical fitness test, classroom training, and field training taught by CAL FIRE staff.
And it is a huge trade-off. They are doing really risky work. They are still separated from their families, don’t have access to phone calls when dispatched on fires or regular family visits, and the pathways to employment, although they are getting better, are not where they should be.
Over 1,000 of the frontline first responders to the Palisades Fires were incarcerated individuals participating in the fire camp program. They received about $1 an hour for their service. Many were unable to access mental health support while at the camp and instead had to leave and go back to prison in order to receive the support they needed. Despite this, these firefighters proudly serve their communities and continuously put their lives on the line.
AB 812 would ensure that incarcerated firefighters who have served the California community, while serving time, can have their case reconsidered. If incarcerated firefighters are considered safe enough to protect the community from devastation, they should have the opportunity for a judge to reconsider whether they are safe enough to be home. Incarcerated firefighters achieve milestones that CDCR and the state consider to be key indicators of “rehabilitation”. That should translate to a tangible step forward towards freedom.
Governor Newsom, I urge you to sign Assembly Bill 812 (Lowenthal). It would honor the work of thousands of incarcerated firefighters across the state who risk their lives in service to their communities.
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Amika Mota is the Executive Director of the Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. She has spent over 25 years advocating for reproductive justice and the rights of incarcerated women and girls. During her own incarceration, she served as a jailhouse lawyer, paralegal, firefighter, and mentor, and today leads statewide efforts to shift power and drive systemic change.