Fenner Camp

[Nolena]

Isn't there a lecture on the history of Fenner Camp at the Old Firehouse at 1:00 today?
Sounds very interesting.

[Chuck]

Didn't you used to be one of the convicts that worked Fenner Camp?  What were  you convicted of?

[RobertW]

All I know is that those guys had all the trash from Jackson Lake to Vincent Gap picked up and bagged by about 9:30 am the day after New Years Day.

We saw two or three crews of about 15 doing the pickup.

I know it is a minimum security detention center.  I don't know what those guys must have done to be there, but it seems like a "cushy" assignment compared to prision.  Hummm, Prison or working in the Angeles National Forest high country....  Seems like a no brainer to me.

[Nolena]

Didn't you used to be one of the convicts that worked Fenner Camp?  What were  you convicted of?

Braining a smart aleck. 

[GRAHAM_RANCH]

yup, today at 1pm at the museum

[All Day, All Night]

All I know is that those guys had all the trash from Jackson Lake to Vincent Gap picked up and bagged by about 9:30 am the day after New Years Day.

We saw two or three crews of about 15 doing the pickup.

I know it is a minimum security detention center.  I don't know what those guys must have done to be there, but it seems like a "cushy" assignment compared to prision.  Hummm, Prison or working in the Angeles National Forest high country....  Seems like a no brainer to me.

Inmate billy goats. These guys have less than 3 years to serve and were convicted of non-violent crimes. They have to have a perfect record and get paid $1 a day... I think. They actually bust their a$$e$, because if they dont, they go back to the slammer and any time spent out in the camps gets added to their stay at the Gray Bar Motel. In the winter, they fill sand bags and cut trees that have fallen on houses or on the road due to weather related incidents. Spring is pretty easy mopping up grass fires and the summer and fall is when they earn their keep. These are the guys that help bring that magic "containment" word the media likes to use at brush fires. Agenciea all across CA use these guys. USFS, CDF, LACoFD to name a few. Recently, there was an altercation at LACoFD Camp 16. One had to be flown out. All involved were sent back to jail and the remaining crew members were spread out to other camps. I know that in the LACoFD, there is one CDC officer always attached to each camp. There are 10 camps in the LACoFD. 4 are paid staff Fire Suppression Aide camps (airborne units), 4 are CDC male inmate camps, 1 CDC female inmate camp and 1 juvenile corrections camp (cold trailing only).

[K9luvr]

The guys at Fenner are Cal Fire crews.  There is a special use permit that allows them to occupy the National Forest lands/facilities.  I think it used to be an old Job Corps camp.  They have to provide free labor to the Forest Service as part of the agreement.  They are the ones that refurbished the Big Pines historic building.  They do a lot of work and are happy to do it.  They are very respectful and know if one person blows it, they all get punished.  Needless to say, there is a lot of peer pressure to behave!

[Breezymtns]

I have worked with the inmates & captains from Fenner & I enjoyed every single minute of it!   I do not know what condition our forest would be in without them... although, I do know it would be UGLY!  I prefer working with the State facility as compared to the few times I worked with county.  County seemed to have chips on their shoulders & lead in their boots.  Including some of the captains.  But that's just my opinion.  What I really like about these work camps as it gives the inmates job skills.  There are no rehabilitation programs.  Some inmates go on to get jobs at fire departments when they are released & become productive members of society. 

Also k9luvr is absolutely right.... the inmates were instrumental in the rehabbing of Big Pines.  I was there & a part of that reconstruction along with several other key players.  One name I would like to mention is Bill Cone.  He even put alot of his own money into that big project.  Bill Cone is an amazing person.  I saw him work at Big Pines daily all the while enduring major health problems.  He even performed mobile dialysis (sp?) in order to make sure Big Pines was done completely & properly.  Another name I would like to mention is Jim Rough... he also made this mile stone possible & worked incredibly hard at getting Big Pines rehabbed. Without them I am sure Big Pines would have been condemned & demolished.  He also worked on restoring Miner Vincent's cabin as the roof was caving in & vandals were destroying it.  I remember times Bill was so ill the inmates had to carry him in as he was too ill to make the hike. 

One thing that upset me before I transferred to Northern Idaho was the landing at Big Pines.  Bill Cone & the inmates started working on that area as it was falling apart & was a hazard to the public.  Someone in the Forest Service whom was from out of the immediate area put the Kabosh on it   I am hoping since I left they were able to finish it.  I know it had insulted Bill Cone greatly & I was very embarassed how it all came about!  If someone could let me know that project was finished I'd really appreciate it

[All Day, All Night]

County seemed to have chips on their shoulders & lead in their boots.  Including some of the captains. 

Some inmates go on to get jobs at fire departments when they are released & become productive members of society. 

Oh, C'mon now! County's not that bad! You must be talking about San Bernadino County LOL!

Although, I would find it hard today with so many homeland safety issues that any inmates would get hired to any FD, especially in Southern California. I did my backgrounds years ago and they checked my whole life inside and out. Anything wrong and we were out! I could imagine that today it would be even tougher. I know for a fact that if you are a felon (State inmates included) you have NO chance of getting hired today.

[Chesslike]

If someone could let me know that project was finished I'd really appreciate it

Sorry Breezy, it pretty much looks the same as before you left, including that really nice hand-painted warning sign.

[Nolena]

I know for a fact that if you are a felon (State inmates included) you have NO chance of getting hired today.

Not true.
CalFire does hire former crew members from camps. There are limits on the positions they can hold. But they can be firefighters.
I believe the same is true for some other departments.
And Breezy was right. Those hired often do go on to become productive members of society.

[All Day, All Night]

I stand corrected. I do know for a fact that if you are are a CDC crew, you have a felony record. If that is the case, it states very clearly on every background packet I've seen that felons need not apply. Now, not all camp crews are state inmates. There are a lot that are paid hot shot crews. CalFire, USFS and LA County have them and those guys are shoe-ins to get hired with a big department.

I personally would have an issue with an ex-felon sharing a dorm with me due to the integrity issue in his past. One things for sure, they wont get a job with the LACoFD.

[Nolena]

CalFire crews are made up of state inmates. The crews are in cooperation with CDC.
Some of these inmates do become professional firefighters when they get out.
I never had a problem sharing a dorm one of these firefighters.

[K9luvr]

I personally would have an issue with an ex-felon sharing a dorm with me due to the integrity issue in his past.

Well, I can tell you there is someone rather high up in the food chain on the ANF that is an ex-con, ex gang banger and he has the highest level of integrity of any of my ex employees on that forest.  I'd rather work with him than some of the folks that have no records and lousy work ethics.  Just goes to show that people CAN change and become productive members of society.  You probably have worked with this individual and didn't even know it....

[All Day, All Night]

I probably have!!!   LOL

Sorry if a struck a nerve to some of you. I just stated the facts of the agencies I have worked with and their hiring process. Maybe I'm a little callus. I currently work and have always been in assignments in tough neighborhoods and should really see the past all the bad in these guys and have hope that they too can be rehabilitated and serve our community.

[RobertW]

If someone could let me know that project was finished I'd really appreciate it

Sorry Breezy, it pretty much looks the same as before you left, including that really nice hand-painted warning sign.

Breezy, I do know that Jim Rough had them replace the roof this past summer.