By Kate Wolffe
The Sacramento Bee
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Two organizations that help incarcerated firefighters find related work after they’re released from prison are celebrating the receipt of $5.5 million in state funds.
During a news conference Monday, leaders of the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program and Future Fire Academy thanked Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, D- Jefferson Park, for helping them secure $4 million and $1.5 million respectively.
“We live in a state that doesn’t have enough firefighters, period, and we have thousands of people trained inside fire camps who get out and hit a dead end,” said Royal Ramey, CEO of The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program.
Ramey’s organization helps people navigate the maze of certifications and applications that formerly incarcerated people need to fill out to find outside work, while providing wraparound “support services” like transportation and mentorship. Ramey said the new funding would help his organization double the number of former inmates it moves through its program to about 200 people annually within the next three years.
More than 1,800 California inmates are stationed at fire camps throughout the state, according to a December report from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Incarcerated firefighters have played a role in California for decades, and have traditionally been paid a nominal wage. They’ve also struggled to find work in firefighting after they leave prison due to barriers for people with criminal records.
Bryan has been a strong advocate for incarcerated firefighters, spearheading a “Firefighter to Freedom” bill package during the recent legislative session. Of the seven bills he introduced, five passed, including bills to raise the wage people receive to $7.25 per hour, and one that would help streamline the process for formerly incarcerated firefighters to have their records expunged.
“This is a smart investment for the people of California,” Bryan said. “It is investment in our planet. It is an investment in human capital and in this investment towards the future.”
The funding for the organizations came from Proposition 4, a $10 billion climate bond that was passed by voters in November 2024. It included $1.5 billion for wildfire and forest resilience. An analysis from the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office said 40% of that spending will be allocated during the ‘25-‘26 budget year, with the rest saved for future years.
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