Georgia County Considers Using Inmates as Firefighters
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Firefighters control a house fire in Washington in this file photo. A county in Georgia is considering using inmates from a local prison to fill out its fire department ranks.
A Georgia county looking to save some money is considering using inmates from a local prison to fill out its fire department ranks rather than hiring trained firefighters.
Camden County Administrator Steve Howard told ABC News today that the Board of Commissioners is looking at a proposal that would use inmates from a nearby prison for firefighting, though he noted that no official proposal had been made nor any vote taken.
The plan, according to the Florida Times Union, would include putting two inmates in each of three existing fire houses, which could allegedly help save the town $500,000 in fire insurance costs by boosting the town’s fire coverage. Howard declined to discuss the specifics of the proposal with ABC News.
Under the model used by neighboring Sumter County, the inmates would not be guarded by prison staff while at the firehouse, but instead would be overseen by fire department supervisors who would receive “correctional training.”
“I’ve been told these inmates are very enthusiastic about being a firefighter,” Commissioner Jimmy Starline told the paper. “It’s an opportunity to break that cycle. This is not like a chain gang. Life at a fire station could be a whole lot more pleasant than life in jail.”
But the firefighters are not as happy. Stuart Sullivan objected to the commission’s plan, telling them it would tarnish the department.
“If you vote to bring these inmates into our working environment, you jeopardize not only the employees’ well-being, but the safety of our citizens,” he said.
Mark Treglio, a spokesman for the National Association of Firefighters, said the proposal could compromise the safety of firefighters, the trust between the department and the community it serves, and the privacy and safety of homeowners.
“I’m totally against it,” Treglio said. “As firefighters, people put their trust in us. We see them at their worst, having trouble breathing, or three in the morning when they might not be fully clothed and not at their best, we have that trust.”
Treglio contends that introducing prisoners into their operations would violate that trust.
“Now you’re going to be bringing people that have been before judges, convicted of crimes, and all it takes is for someone to say, ‘Oh I’m missing something out of my house and the only other people here were firefighters.’ They’re not going to differentiate between prisoner and firefighter, and the distrust in community, it’s just not a good equation.”
Treglio, based in Jacksonville, Fla., said the firefighters in Camden County are against the proposal, but have not spoken out about it in order to protect their jobs.
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Life at a fire station IS a lot more enjoyable than in jail…and the firefighters have trained hard and earned the position and the benefits that come along with that life. This is possibly the worst short sighted “money saving” idea yet. All that it is going to take is one incident where, as mentioned in the article, something is stolen or a prisoner is not properly trained and people are injured/killed as a result and the county is going to have a lawsuit on it’s hands far exceeding any perceived savings. People are in jail for a reason, they could not follow the rules. Do you want a firefighter who can not follow the rules, that’s a recipe for a tragic disaster? Why are you making the fire officers jail wardens with prisoner safety training? They should be concentrating on being first responders, not playing jail warden (which is ITSELF a difficult job). Bad call, you’re putting your citizens at risk.
Posted by: Elly | October 11, 2011, 6:21 pm 6:21 pm
We already have a very good prison fire department attached to a number of state prisons in Georgia, and they are used to put out fires in their areas and not just on the prison grounds. So why not? This is not new, there is already a very successful model that can be tweaked.
Posted by: Barbara | October 11, 2011, 6:28 pm 6:28 pm
This is the first time the inmates will be living in unsecured facilities with no supervision. They will be responding to all calls, not just fires. They will go on medical calls, wrecks, public assistance and fires. They will be “supervised” by a firefighter making $27,000. Aside from the safety aspect, do you really want to trust an inmate to be dedicated enough to come get you? When you’re trapped in your bedroom and there’s flames rolling out the front door and you’ve got seconds to be rescued, do you want someone who’s not 100% dedicated to saving you no matter the cost? Who signed up for a low paid job knowing full well he may have to die one day so that someone else may live? I don’t.
Posted by: USER | October 12, 2011, 10:08 am 10:08 am
Elle, why not you ask; becuase it is slave labor pure and simple. Secondly, it is quite potentially a slippery slope – what other professions might be next?
Posted by: Lee | October 12, 2011, 12:21 pm 12:21 pm
Since when is robbery a “low level crime”. Last time I checked, robbery involved the use of a weapon.
Posted by: Peggy | October 12, 2011, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
You’ve GOT to be kidding!? Inmates?! That is an absolutely HORRIBLE and offensive idea. Men and women spend YEARS training intellectually and physically just to compete with hundreds of other candidates for just one prized structural firefighter position and you want to give it to someone who serving time for committing a crime!? A criminal record is usually the first thing to ELIMINATE one from a hiring process. What the hell is going on in the Southeast!? I think this demeans the honor of the position. Even if a department allows a criminal record for candidates, one should at least have to finish repaying their debt to society before they are given a highly prized and competitive career position.
Posted by: Allen | October 12, 2011, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm
I think its a great ideal to put them to use becaue sooner or later there going to get out so why not train them for a new life in the publics eyes?? i know if a vol.fire deptment does this there iso rating would drop two to three points, in turns lowering the insurance of home owner.. and besides there going to be watch by a full time firefighter..
GREAT IDEAL GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!
Posted by: buckie | October 12, 2011, 4:36 pm 4:36 pm
I currently work as a fireman!! Ive seen things and done things that not many have! We live a life setting an example and roll model for the future of this trade! Now it’s like look I can go to jail and get free training to be a fireman/women and have a job when I get out… Not to mention free food. They are not paying me extra to baby sit these inmates nor is the training free! You the tax payer will pay and provide. Also the commissioner lied about the cost to train firefighters. I got my training through hard work and dedication and with my own money! Not a cent from this county and many of my fellow brothers or sisters have training from this county except our recert. Classes that is mandated to keep our certifications that we hold that helps us save peoples lives This is bogus and I am a fireman and I am against this!!
Posted by: Unknown | October 12, 2011, 5:32 pm 5:32 pm
As a mother and a wife of a Firefighter/Paramedic, I am thoroughly appalled by the potential of this program becoming a reality. I am sickened by the fact that Camden County would even consider this program to begin with. Not only would my husband along with his brothers and sisters have to stabilize fire scenes, fight fires, respond to EMS calls, and treat patients (these are just a few duties among many others), but everyone in the department would have to basically become a corrections officer (babysitter) on top of all of their other critical responsibilities! I care about my fellow firefighters SAFETY. I DO NOT CARE WHAT IT COSTS ME OR THE COMMUNITY TO PROTECT THEM AND KEEP THIS PROPOSAL FROM EVER BECOMING A REALITY! Not to mention they would be allowing inmates to enter homes in the community and jeopardizing the safety of our citizens. Camden County, why don’t you care about our Public Safety? And what about the safety of the citizens in our community? Being a Firefighter is already a dangerous job, add inmates to the mix, and you are only adding more danger. This is a major liability issue!
Posted by: Jen | October 12, 2011, 8:38 pm 8:38 pm
Here in Ohio you must pass a background check to become a firefighter; seems in Georgia you will be required to fail one instead.
Posted by: Sam L | October 13, 2011, 8:51 am 8:51 am
OMG!!! I am a firefighter, and i have worked very hard to get my job, and would not trade my job for anything else in the world. It takes a special person to do this job…..i don’t do it for the money. If i would have wanted to be a baby sitter i would have become a cop…. hey that’s a good idea lets save some more money and train these same inmates to be cops!!! think they would “protect and serve”?
This has got to be the worse idea i have ever heard!
Posted by: Seth W. | October 13, 2011, 10:32 am 10:32 am
My God, what’s next? Criminals as lobbyists or politicians? Oh, wait. We already have that. :(
Posted by: Doug Smith | October 14, 2011, 3:29 am 3:29 am
Well, why stop there? Why not use them as Police Officers as well? Think of the savings!
Posted by: george orwell | October 14, 2011, 4:00 pm 4:00 pm
Why not use inmates to be the county administrator and Bord of Commissioners. Think of the money you can save there. Plus I doubt if they would ever come up with an idea as stupid as this.
Posted by: Roger | October 16, 2011, 2:42 pm 2:42 pm