The ‘Brittle’ System of Incarcerated Firefighters
California is low on firefighters at a really bad time, in part because of how it's relied on prison labor for decades.
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Show Notes
California is low on firefighters at a really bad time. It’s partially because the state released thousands of incarcerated firefighters to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
But it’s also because this system of relying on incarcerated people to help fight fires — which we’ve had since after World War II — isn’t sustainable.
Guest: Kevin Stark, KQED science reporter
Recommended reading:
- Rare Honors This Weekend for Inmate Firefighters Killed on the Job
- Let's Talk About Wildfires and Prisons
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