(NewsNation) — Royal Ramey, co-founder and CEO of the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program, says he turned a “negative into a positive,” leading to a career he loves.
Ramey previously worked as a firefighter while incarcerated and now wants to help others follow a similar path.
“My experience was a roller coaster emotionally and physically,” Ramey said during an appearance on “Banfield.” “Now, I’m trying to help others find that path as well.”
Incarcerated firefighters earn between $5.80 and $10.24 per day, according to CDCR. Overall pay can depend on their skill level. Wage levels doubled in 2023, up from between $2.90 and $5.12 per day, CBS News reported.
The California conservation or fire camp program, which has been around since the 1940s, has drawn criticism for its low pay and the high risks involved.
As of Friday, over 900 prison inmates have been deployed by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to help contain the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires, the department confirmed to CBS News. The crews of incarcerated firefighters include several graduates from the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program.
At least 24 people have died in the Los Angeles area wildfires that have been blazing since last week.
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said Monday there are 23 active missing persons cases in the county. Seventeen are in the Eaton Fire area, and six are in the Malibu area. All of those reported missing in the county are adults, Luna said. Los Angeles police said they are also working to look for six people unaccounted for in the city.
As the sheriff’s department continues grid-searching the Altadena area, Luna said at a press conference that they are “running across the remains of individual community members.”
“That is not easy work, very sad to report, and I believe that work is not only going to continue, but I believe we’ll continue to find remains,” he said.
