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This is an article from the Fresno Bee by Charles McCarthy
Attacks sideline firefighters
Assaults on fire-line supervisors, including two involving Mt.Bullion in Mariposa County have taken more than 200 California Youth Authority firefighters offline statewide. California Department of Forestry spokeswoman said Tuesday that because of concerns for public safety and that of the CDF captains who supervise the young firefighters they will be kept off fires and community projects "untill further notice."
"We want to get the firefighters back on line...,but we have to resolve the safety issue first."
The stand-down includes wards at camps in Amador, Nevada,and Santa Cruz counties as well as Mt. Bullion in Mariposa County.
At Mt. Bullion a CDF captain said tuesday that the fire-line supervisors refusal to work withCYA crews began two weeks ago. A CDF captain got "beat up pretty bad" in June. A second CDF captain was assaulted after that. The spokeswoman said that CDF officials are also concerned about public safety because there have been several walk-aways by CYA wards assigned to the minimum security 17 ward fire crews.
Each crew is under the supervision of one CDF supervisor. The crews have won praise in the past for their performance and endurance working with hand tools facing the hottest flames.
CDF and CYA officials are evaluating the long-standing program of using youths on fire lines and on public projects in rural communities. But the stand-down remains in effect.
Attacks sideline firefighters
Assaults on fire-line supervisors, including two involving Mt.Bullion in Mariposa County have taken more than 200 California Youth Authority firefighters offline statewide. California Department of Forestry spokeswoman said Tuesday that because of concerns for public safety and that of the CDF captains who supervise the young firefighters they will be kept off fires and community projects "untill further notice."
"We want to get the firefighters back on line...,but we have to resolve the safety issue first."
The stand-down includes wards at camps in Amador, Nevada,and Santa Cruz counties as well as Mt. Bullion in Mariposa County.
At Mt. Bullion a CDF captain said tuesday that the fire-line supervisors refusal to work withCYA crews began two weeks ago. A CDF captain got "beat up pretty bad" in June. A second CDF captain was assaulted after that. The spokeswoman said that CDF officials are also concerned about public safety because there have been several walk-aways by CYA wards assigned to the minimum security 17 ward fire crews.
Each crew is under the supervision of one CDF supervisor. The crews have won praise in the past for their performance and endurance working with hand tools facing the hottest flames.
CDF and CYA officials are evaluating the long-standing program of using youths on fire lines and on public projects in rural communities. But the stand-down remains in effect.