California lawmakers, fire officials, and community advocates gathered on the morning of August 22 at Stentorians Inc. in South Los Angeles to uplift the voices of incarcerated firefighters and rally support for the Firefighting to Freedom Bill Package—a sweeping set of seven bills designed to recognize the courage of incarcerated fire crews and open career pathways upon release.
The press conference and reception honored formerly incarcerated firefighters from the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program, who received certificates of recognition for their service. Their stories of resilience underscored the urgency of reform as the legislation faces critical votes in Sacramento.
Assemblymember Sade Elhawary (D-Los Angeles), author of AB 952 and AB 1380, emphasized that incarcerated firefighters deserve to be treated as heroes, not forgotten workers.
“When someone makes a mistake, they deserve another opportunity,” Elhawary said…