County Fire, Sheriff’s Departments Announce County Inmate Hand Crew

Last Wednesday, June 26, San Bernardino County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig and Sheriff John McMahon announced another partnership between County Fire and the Sheriff’s Department—the first County Inmate Hand Crew Program. The 15-member inmate hand crew began training in May and is ready to respond this week. The hand crew curriculum consists of five weeks of initial training in wildland fire suppression techniques, along with the basic Incident Command System, first aid, CPR, chainsaw training, small engine, and facility repair. “With the implementation of AB109 (inmate realignment), many inmates are receiving longer sentences and are good candidates for this program.” stated Sheriff John McMahon. “This program teaches the crew member skills that they can use to gain future employment.” The hand crew’s main objective will be response to fire suppression incidents. The hand crew will also respond to other emergency operations such as sand bagging, as well as assist with local fuels reduction programs and chipping operations. This program has the potential to be very beneficial, with San Bernardino County facing an elevated fire season this year. “The groundbreaking pilot program is a valuable local resource readily available in San Bernardino County,” stated Chief Mark Hartwig. “We hope this hand crew is the first of many more to come and plan to continue expansion of the program.” To be considered for the crew, an inmate must be a low-level offender (with no criminal history of violent, sexual, or serious violations); must have 15–18 months of the sentence left to serve; no documented gang affiliation; no prior discipline; and must not be a flight risk. Crew members will not be electronically monitored due to the remote areas they may be working in, as well as the gear the inmate must wear; however inmates will remain under constant supervision. “Firefighters train extensively and make countless preparations to be ready for a wildfire. Residents need to do the same. Successfully preparing for a wildfire requires residents to take personal responsibility for protecting themselves, their family, and their property,” said Chief Hartwig. “The Inmate Hand Crew Program is yet another tool in are arsenal of firefighting resources.”