A list of eligibility requirements shall be maintained by Fire Camp personnel and shall be met prior to an inmate's participation in the Inmate Fire Camp Training program.
Eligible inmates shall be screened for criminal and medical history prior to being transferred to the Inmate Training Facility at Pitchess Detention Center (PDC). The Fire Camp Training Unit shall mentor inmates assigned to the training camp and shall be responsible for assisting them with their training, in accordance with an approved Los Angeles County Fire Department physical conditioning program. Upon conclusion of their training, inmates shall complete a physical agility test. Inmates who are unable to achieve an acceptable score on the physical agility test shall be remediated at least one time. Inmates who are unable to achieve a passing test score after a second conditioning period may be disqualified from the program.
Qualified inmates shall proceed to the Fire Training Course conducted by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Per Penal Code section 4019.2, upon completion of training, inmates shall begin receiving a credit reduction of two (2) days for every one (1) day served. This shall occur while awaiting assignment to one of five Los Angeles County Inmate Fire Suppression Camps.
During their incarceration in the fire camps, the inmates will be the sole responsibility of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). All fire camp inmates in the custody of CDCR shall adhere to, and be governed by, the policies and procedures of the CDCR. All inmates assigned to the fire camps will retain their Los Angeles County booking number. Prior to their release, the Fire Camp Training Unit shall transport the inmates back to PDC for housing pending release.
Routine medical care such as the dispensing of over-the-counter medications and bandages will be the responsibility of CDCR. Anything other than routine medical care shall be considered non-routine medical care, and shall be the responsibility of Correctional Health Services (CHS).
After notification from CDCR to the respective fire camp that an inmate requires non-routine medical care, a deputy(s) shall be dispatched to assume custody of the inmate, and transport the inmate to PDC. After a medical evaluation has been conducted, CHS shall determine if the inmate is still eligible for a fire camp assignment. If the inmate is eligible, they shall be transferred back to the Fire Camp Training Facility for reassessment.
When an inmate leaves either CDCR or a fire camp due to injury or illness, credit reduction shall be suspended. If the inmate returns to a fire camp, the credit reduction shall resume.
When CDCR returns an inmate to the custody of the Sheriff’s Department for disciplinary reasons, CDCR shall transport the inmate to the PDC-North County Correctional Facility (NCCF). A Discipline Review Board (DRB) hearing shall be conducted per Custody Division Manual (CDM) section 5-09/040.00, "Disciplinary Review Process," and Title 15 regulations by either the Fire Camp Training sergeant, or NCCF supervisors. The severity of the incident will determine if the inmate may be eligible for reassignment to a fire camp. Per Penal Code section 4019.2, any inmate found not eligible to be reassigned to a fire camp will only receive credits up until the time of his/her transfer out of a fire camp.
CDCR personnel shall conduct inmate counts per CDCR policy and procedure. All inmates assigned to the fire camps will be included in the total Sheriff's Department inmate count and will be classified as "Out of Counts."
In the event of an escape, it shall be the responsibility of CDCR to notify the PDC-East Facility/Inmate Fire Training office within one hour of the incident. Fire Camp Training Facility personnel shall make all required Sheriff's Department notifications.
CDCR shall be responsible for the first twenty four (24) hours for implementing CDCR's "Escape Pursuit Plan" and maintaining investigative jurisdiction regarding the escape. LASD will assist as requested by CDCR mutual aide. If the inmate has not been located within the first twenty four (24) hours, CDCR shall transfer the investigation to the Sheriff's Department, Major Crimes Bureau - Fugitive Detail. When the inmate is located, he/she shall be transported to the Sheriff's Department Inmate Reception Center (IRC) for booking and shall remain permanently ineligible to participate in the Fire Camp program.
Female inmates who meet the above criteria shall be allowed to participate in the Fire Camp Training Program. However, once they are determined eligible, female inmates shall be transported by Court Services Transportation - Statewide personnel to the California Institution for Women, Frontera (Chino, CA) for training and assignment to Los Angeles County Fire Camp #13, Malibu. All other aspects of this policy, except those pertaining to the Fire Camp where female inmates are not housed, are in effect for female inmates.