Deer Ridge inmate firefighter crews honored
The Deer Ridge Correctional Institution firefighter crews were recognized for their hard work during the 2014 fire season at a ceremony held on Saturday at the state prison near Madras.
In attendance to show their appreciation of the firefighters were Frank Jones and Alexis Parkhurst from the Oregon Department of Forestry and family members of the inmates who participated on the crews.
During the 2014 fire season, DRCI fielded 101 inmate firefighters organized into 10-person crews.
They worked six different fires including the Squaw Gulch, Two Bulls, White River, Waterman Complex, Donny Brook and Lost Hubcap blazes. The DRCI inmates logged 56.5 crew days in 2014.
Inmates selected to serve on the 10-person hand crews complete the same nationally certified firefighter training course as their civilian counterparts. They learn the essentials of wildfire behavior, firefighting techniques, communication and safety.
Inmates selected for the fire crews are low-risk offenders within four years of release. The deployments during the 2014 fire season were without incident.
Deer Ridge Correctional Institution (DRCI) is a minimum-security prison located east of Madras that houses approximately 770 inmates who are within four years of release. It primarily provides education, alcohol and drug treatment and work opportunities for adults in custody.
