“They get baptized by the devil out on the line. It’s hot, it’s dry, it‘s physically demanding. (There is) Sleep deprivation.”
The prisoners receive a small wage. The program began as a way to reduce the cost of fighting fires. Now, however, the program helps rehabilitate prisoners, providing them with skills helpful in ways beyond firefighting.
Louie Orozco says this experience has helped him believe in himself.
“Mentally I see that I can do things I never thought possible. Climbing thousands and thousands of feet up a mountain with gear on your back.”
The prisoner firefighter will turn 40 this year. He will be released from prison in six months. He says he is too old to keep fighting fires. But Mr. Orozco also has some graphic design skills he learned from another prison program. He plans to use that skill to start a new life.
And he will know that after fighting wildfires, he can face any problems that might come with life after prison.
Call Center for Citizenship Questions
Every day in America immigrants become citizens. Last year, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service swore in almost 700,000 new citizens. 84,000 of them became Americans in the state of New York.
And the United State Congress continues to struggle with an immigration reform bill. Steve Ember tells us about one New York City program that tries to clear up questions about citizenship.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25