EMS With Felonies

[DesertMedic66]

:huh: Convict Fire Crews in California? If you don't mind please explain, I've never heard of this haha, do we pay these convicts? and where do they work from

From what I understand they are from minimum security prisons and are deemed "low risk". There can be up to 20-25 on a crew.

They are paid the normal prison pay but it's supposed to shave time off of their sentencing.

They are used only for wildland firefighting (cutting line in non dangerous areas) and are also used to do general stuff around fire stations. This last year they were painting all the fire stations in my area.

They are transported around in a special fire engine that just pretty much acts as a prison transport vehicle. It's got the flashy lights and the sirens..... And armor over the windows.

 

[JPINFV]

:huh: Convict Fire Crews in California? If you don't mind please explain, I've never heard of this haha, do we pay these convicts? and where do they work from

Here ya go.

http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Conservation_Camps/


I'm not going to complain about having an extra 1500 people available to cut fire lines to save some jackwagon's home who couldn't clear a defensible space around their property while living in the middle of no where.



You know... it's always amazing when people assume that everyone in prison is some hardened dangerous criminal who's guilty of murder and rape. Similarly, people forget that "rehabilitation" is so important to the correction's system that, at least in California, it's even in the name.

 

[Aidey]

:huh: Convict Fire Crews in California? If you don't mind please explain, I've never heard of this haha, do we pay these convicts? and where do they work from

He is talking about Wildland Fire crews for the most part. I've worked with a couple and found them extraordinarily polite. I chatted with one of the guards about it. The inmates selected have to earn their way onto the crew and meet certain requirements, like no violent convictions and stuff like that. The guard said they almost have never had any issues because the guys like being outside and know that and misbehavior can lead to added time on their sentence.

Although I do remember reading something about inmates staffing their own fire station, but I don't remember where that was.

EDIT: California isn't the only state that uses inmates as wildland fire crews. I believe most of the western states do it.

 

[JPINFV]

Although I do remember reading something about inmates staffing their own fire station, but I don't remember where that was.

EDIT: California isn't the only state that uses inmates as wildland fire crews. I believe most of the western states do it.

My understanding is that there's a lot of prisons which have their own fire departments. There was an incident about 5 or so years ago up in San Francisco where a prison fire crew made a water rescue.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/04/20/man-dies-after-boat-capsizes-near-san-quentin-prison/

 

[DesertMedic66]

I've never had time to talk to any of the inmates. My only times seeing them was as I was putting my bunker gear on to go to a call.

According to Cal-Fire's policy the "con crews" inmate workers are supposed to do quite a lot of stuff. From firefighting to community service stuff.

All I know if they wear orange jump suits while outside and are not on a chain gang haha.

And this is their ride:

 

[Aidey]

My understanding is that there's a lot of prisons which have their own fire departments. There was an incident about 5 or so years ago up in San Francisco where a prison fire crew made a water rescue.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/04/20/man-dies-after-boat-capsizes-near-san-quentin-prison/

That was the same article that I read. Someone posted it here a while back.

 

[PaddyWagon]

You can take and pass the class with a felony in CA. But getting NREMT and/or state certified is a different story.

During my SoCal EMT basic class if you had a dirty background check you couldn't get into the hospital ER (and presumably the ambulance for ride along) for clinical hours and therefore failed out of the class. Other classes may be different, I can only share what I've seen first hand.

 

[DesertMedic66]

During my SoCal EMT basic class if you had a dirty background check you couldn't get into the hospital ER (and presumably the ambulance for ride along) for clinical hours and therefore failed out of the class. Other classes may be different, I can only share what I've seen first hand.

Most hospitals require a background check, there are some that don't. Most ambulance companies do not require a background check and the same with fire departments.

 

[mycrofft]

Based upon what? It is a fairly common question posted here, and I have seen nothing from the OP to suggest trolling.

OK so I'm crochetty. However,

I was being kind, the alternative is that the OP has severely deficient reality-testing skills.

"However, I have two felony convictions. One for threatening someone and another for possession of a large amount of marijuana with alleged intent to distribute."

Not bondable. I'm not sure if an insurance company would want him on board. These weren't some high school kid in the restroom thing, these were deemed felonious.

I chose to think someone was having a spoof with us.

Or the OP only thinks they were felonies, maybe he assumes so and they weren't?

 

[mycrofft]

I've never had time to talk to any of the inmates. My only times seeing them was as I was putting my bunker gear on to go to a call.

According to Cal-Fire's policy the "con crews" inmate workers are supposed to do quite a lot of stuff. From firefighting to community service stuff.

All I know if they wear orange jump suits while outside and are not on a chain gang haha.

And this is their ride:

Looks like their training area outside Ione! Almost went to work there.

They do one heck of a lot and have had their share of injuries too.

 

[JoshMM]

Most hospitals require a background check, there are some that don't. Most ambulance companies do not require a background check and the same with fire departments.

I must work in an unusual state. Both in Mississippi, and here in GA a background check was 100% for any fire dept. Polygraphs are often routine during the process too.

 

[9D4]

I must work in an unusual state. Both in Mississippi, and here in GA a background check was 100% for any fire dept. Polygraphs are often routine during the process too.

I believe its the same in az, most, if not all, do background checks. We're moving away from poly's though, from my understanding. Too inaccurate.

 

[DesertMedic66]

I must work in an unusual state. Both in Mississippi, and here in GA a background check was 100% for any fire dept. Polygraphs are often routine during the process too.

My post was about EMT students who do ride alongs. For actual employment everybody (that I know of) does background checks.

 

[JPINFV]

My post was about EMT students who do ride alongs. For actual employment everybody (that I know of) does background checks.

I wouldn't think that most companies in California require a background check... considering that one is required both by the state AND the DMV.

 

[9D4]

Guess I shoulda read it all first :blush:
I didn't have to do a back ground check for class. When they did clinicals, they did checks. They got rid of clinicals, because they weren't giving the high school EMT-B classes enough responsibility in the ERs. Was a waste of time.

 

[DesertMedic66]

I wouldn't think that most companies in California require a background check... considering that one is required both by the state AND the DMV.

I know it's in some companies contracts. If they actually do it, I have no idea. I know most fire departments do a full background check.

 

[chaz90]

Guess I shoulda read it all first :blush:
I didn't have to do a back ground check for class. When they did clinicals, they did checks. They got rid of clinicals, because they weren't giving the high school EMT-B classes enough responsibility in the ERs. Was a waste of time.

They got rid of clinicals for the EMT class? That seems ridiculous. EMT students don't need any responsibility in the ED, but they absolutely need exposure and patient contact.

 

[9D4]

They got rid of clinicals for the EMT class? That seems ridiculous. EMT students don't need any responsibility in the ED, but they absolutely need exposure and patient contact.

Yeah, we were "encouraged" to do them, but they weren't necessary to pass. It was also a financial issue for most of the high school students.
I agree, but from my understanding none of the community colleges around me with EMT programs do clinicals, excluding paramedic programs (EMT-Advanced is not recognized in Arizona).

 

[Sandog]

I wouldn't think that most companies in California require a background check... considering that one is required both by the state AND the DMV.

That would be kinda redundant, by default if you have the state card you have the background check. So I agree with you here.

 

[PaddyWagon]

They got rid of clinicals for the EMT class? That seems ridiculous. EMT students don't need any responsibility in the ED, but they absolutely need exposure and patient contact.

Clinicals for me involved shadowing an ER tech and helping set up leads a time or two, room prep and moving patients. The rest of the times in ER I hung out with a nurse student doing triage, I did a ton of vitals for him and helped patients in and around the staging area. I started nervous as all get out but by the time it was over it was going smoothly and I felt confident. I can't imagine not having this experience even as brief as it was. Vital indeed.