Hopefully, I am not the only one who is saddened by the death of inmate firefighter Shawn Lynn Jones — a 22-year-old woman who lost her life battling last week’s Malibu wildfire with less than six weeks until her release.
Malibu is ranked one of the most fire-prone areas in the country, and a prison camp up Encinal Canyon houses a fire crew of over 55 women. I met some of these women when I volunteered at a correction facility. I learned that the women train five days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are carefully evaluated to ensure they have the right temperament and attitude. They have a medical examination to prove that they are physically able to do the work. They have to be able to run a mile in under eight minutes, do 50 sit-ups in one minute, 25 push-ups in one minute and seven pull-ups in one minute.
All fire crewmembers train on a five-story building with steps on the outside that they must be able to carry a 120-pound dummy up and down and run up and down in one minute and 30 seconds. They have been trained in CPR and First Aid and have 64 hours of fire fighting classes.
They have been trained in brush clearance and creating fire breaks which is a three-part process. They chainsaw at least a 12-foot wide swath, use a Pulaski to clear the stubs and use a McCloud which clears down to the mineral soil to be perfectly smooth.
They can lay a hose accurately, connect it to a fire hydrant and use it properly. Their training includes many projects for the community.
State Corrections Secretary Scott Kernan said inmate crewmembers volunteer to confront fires to save homes and lives. Their pay off is reduced time to serve.
Corrections department spokesman Bill Sessa said that they are, for all practical purposes, professional firefighters.
I think inmate labor equals modern day slavery. If our Malibu community wants to honor the memory of Jones, we should make sure that these women are getting a salary comparable to the work they are doing.
Valerie Sklarevsky