Inmates Could Staff Fire Stations in Ga. County

[firedude 985]

Inmates Could Staff Fire Stations in Ga. County

The Associated Press

Posted: Mon, 10/10/2011 - 11:58am

Updated: Mon, 10/10/2011 - 11:59am

ST MARYS, Ga. -- Officials in southeast Georgia are considering a money-saving program that would put inmates in fire stations.

Full Article

This seams a little to dangerous.

[JohnnyOV 2]

Full Article

This seams a little to dangerous.

hopefully they "stitch" up a safer remedy

edit: man, I can't believe no one got a chuckle out of this

Edited October 11, 2011 by JohnnyOV

[ex-commish 490]

Not only is this totally crazy and unsafe, I see a major union issue with this. You are adding duties to firefighters that I do not believe to be in thier job descriptions and you are taking away duties from correction officers...I hope the unions that represent both ( assuming that they are union) fight this hard not only for job protections but for public safety. And just because thier present crimes they are doing time for are minor doesn't mean they could of have more severe convictions in the past.

[voltage1256 42]

I love when my town convicted serial killer comes to check my C O Symptoms, and the Pedophile gets to go in my little sisters room to check for fire extension in her dresser.... wait what was that last part?

[ny10570 745]

I love when my town convicted serial killer comes to check my C O Symptoms, and the Pedophile gets to go in my little sisters room to check for fire extension in her dresser.... wait what was that last part?

Woah, ease up on the hyperbole there big guy. While I don't agree with placing these convicts into the firehouse these programs are generally for non-violent offenders. No one is letting pedos and murders into these programs.

[antiquefirelt 994]

This is an extremely bad idea. Let's hope this doesn't get any traction. I see trust as being the main issue here. Supervising line firefighters at a job is much different than supervising criminals while they're in someone's home. How about the personnel assigned with the criminals? Can you trust them? In the station, on a job? This is far different than using wildland teams made up of criminals. How about being able to pass a fire academy? Or are they dumbing this down to just the strong like bull, smart like tractor?

[FirNaTine 370]

What's the big deal there's Career Depts. in Westchester that already have this. Many Depts. have been dumbing down the Job for yrs. Doesn't make it right but that's what has happened to the Fire Service. FDNY is seeing it now more then ever.

Edited October 10, 2011 by FirNaTine

[voltage1256 42]

Woah, ease up on the hyperbole there big guy. While I don't agree with placing these convicts into the firehouse these programs are generally for non-violent offenders. No one is letting pedos and murders into these programs.

Just throwing in my twisted sense of humor, sorry to offend....

[INIT915 1,119]

Not only is this totally crazy and unsafe, I see a major union issue with this. You are adding duties to firefighters that I do not believe to be in thier job descriptions and you are taking away duties from correction officers...I hope the unions that represent both ( assuming that they are union) fight this hard not only for job protections but for public safety. And just because thier present crimes they are doing time for are minor doesn't mean they could of have more severe convictions in the past.

Do you know how much influence unions have in GEORGIA?

On a quasi unrelated note, when I was sent to Louisiana after Katrina, you guys wouldn't believe the types of jobs that inmates did for the State. It's a whole different mindset down there.

Here's an example. There was one inmate, a convicted murderer (some kind of love triangle thing), who lived in the motor pool. He had his own apartment there. His full time job was vehicle repairs. He had been doing that for them for years. He was the nicest guy and he had a great relationship with the guys who worked out of that facility.

Not saying that would work up here, but you have to understand, things are done differently in the south. They've been done like that for a long time, and it seems to work for them. They see it as a "win-win". The State gets free, skilled labor, and the inmates get a cushy gig that brings with it a lot of perks.

To each his own, in a way.

[helicopper 1,050]

Do you know how much influence unions have in GEORGIA?

On a quasi unrelated note, when I was sent to Louisiana after Katrina, you guys wouldn't believe the types of jobs that inmates did for the State. It's a whole different mindset down there.

Here's an example. There was one inmate, a convicted murderer (some kind of love triangle thing), who lived in the motor pool. He had his own apartment there. His full time job was vehicle repairs. He had been doing that for them for years. He was the nicest guy and he had a great relationship with the guys who worked out of that facility.

Not saying that would work up here, but you have to understand, things are done differently in the south. They've been done like that for a long time, and it seems to work for them. They see it as a "win-win". The State gets free, skilled labor, and the inmates get a cushy gig that brings with it a lot of perks.

To each his own, in a way.

I have to echo INIT's point. I don't believe that unions are very strong in the south and almost all municipal workers are "at will employees" - that is, they have no union protection.

[LTNRFD 266]

How about being able to pass a fire academy? Or are they dumbing this down to just the strong like bull, smart like tractor?

Do you think that maybe these individuals that are eligible may already be fire academy graduates??? As you stated that they may have already dumbed down the job and this is the results.

[Bull McCaffrey 162]

Sounds like a cost saving measure to me. If it works for them then it works for them. I don't see what the big deal is, we have our share of thieves, coke heads, robbers, wife beaters and racketeers disgracing our job everyday.

With the lowering of standards, I fear the worst is yet to come.

[grumpyff 1,159]

IIRC Georgia and other states already use inmate firefighters for wild land fires, however that is totally different than responding to peoples homes. Not sure the firefighters feel about taking on additional duties/training (to supervise the inmates). As mentioned unions are not real strong in the South, just remember that the next time someone bad mouths the unions up here, I have a feeling that the guys down there will have no choice bu to go along with it, or be told "there's the door "

[99subi 121]

Want to be a fireman in GA, commit a felony!.... what a fereakin joke. hey why not let the inmates guard the prison too? Could save the taxpayers tons of loot

Edited October 11, 2011 by 99subi

[efdcapt115 1,511]

On a lighter note; DO NOT SPEED THROUGH GEORGIA. You just might end up working for a fire department...for free.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Woah, ease up on the hyperbole there big guy. While I don't agree with placing these convicts into the firehouse these programs are generally for non-violent offenders. No one is letting pedos and murders into these programs.

Generally non-violent offenders are in these programs but it doesn't make them less of a risk based on their offense. One article I saw stated that those with burglary and robbery convictions were going to be eligible. Just what I'd want in my house or business. Not saying as one brother pointed out that there aren't those out there already in FD's but that's like to taking a sex addict to a cat house.

[grumpyff 1,159]

Generally non-violent offenders are in these programs but it doesn't make them less of a risk based on their offense. One article I saw stated that those with burglary and robbery convictions were going to be eligible. Just what I'd want in my house or business. Not saying as one brother pointed out that there aren't those out there already in FD's but that's like to taking a sex addict to a cat house.

Maybe they could teach us a thing or two about "forcible entry".

On more serious note, I agree they should not be used for structural firefighting. Wildland I really do not have a problem with , or things like hydrant maintenance, work in the stations, with little or no contact with the public. We already have people out there who think public servants are already stealing the money that is in our pensions

[gamewell45 258]

I have to echo INIT's point. I don't believe that unions are very strong in the south and almost all municipal workers are "at will employees" - that is, they have no union protection.

You are correct. Georgia is a right-to-work state (right-to-starve) and as such is reflected in feeble strength of unions in that state. The Taft-Hartley Act of 1948 did more damage to this country then most can imagine.