As wildfires rage across southern California, displacing thousands and killing 24 as of this publishing, the state draws on the labor of nearly 1,000 incarcerated firefighters to help quell the blaze. Over the weekend, Twitch streamers Hasan Piker and Caroline Kwan interviewed a crew of those firefighters in person, who revealed, among other things, that they are hideously underpaid and that simple pleasures like video games help make their lives more bearable. This led to a call for video game donations from well-meaning Piker fans and collaborators. In the days following, they have “inundated” that specific fire camp, Washington Ridge #44, with video games. But there are still other ways you can help out.
Speaking with Aftermath, a representative of Washington Ridge #44 noted that the streamers’ conversation with incarcerated firefighters had a big impact. The camp is now swimming in games for its PlayStation 4.
"We've been inundated with calls on that, and we've got all we need here,” the representative told Aftermath. “Donations are always welcome, but be careful as to what type of things are donated to a camp. I mean, ping-pong paddles and pool sticks and stuff like that are fine, but then you get into video games and stuff, and then you get inundated. We don't have the capability or the need for all that stuff."
But Washington Ridge #44 is just one camp, and there are 36 in total under the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s umbrella – all of which have contributed at least one strike team to the wildfire-fighting effort, according to the Washington Ridge #44 rep. Aftermath called several to get details on their specific needs.
Alder #20 has an Xbox (version unspecified), and a rep added that “We only have so many TVs,” so the camp is “pretty set” on games for now. But, he continued, it’s “one break away from not having one.” He noted, for example, that $7,000 in gym equipment succumbed to the ravages of wear and tear after just a month, so there’s no guarantee that game consoles will remain functional indefinitely. All this in mind, if you’ve got a spare Xbox, feel free to send it.
Those incarcerated at Deadwood #23, like their counterparts at Washington Ridge #44, have access to a PS4, and they’re “always looking for games,” according to a representative of the facility. The only restriction is that games have to be playable offline. Otherwise, games of any age rating are fine.
Growlersburg #33 is also “good” on games, while Norco #0 and Cuesta #24 use a different system than all the other camps, going through the CDCR instead of fielding donations directly. The big takeaway? If you’d like to send your spare games – or anything else – to incarcerated firefighters, call ahead. Each facility has different needs, and you want to be sure your donations are reaching their intended recipients.
There’s also the option to donate money to incarcerated firefighters either via organizations like the Anti-Recidivism Coalition or to specific individuals by way of JPAY if you can find their information online. These people are saving lives for pocket change, and yet they face a future in which they might be denied a proper, adequately-compensated job doing the exact same thing after they’ve served their time. They’ve more than earned whatever you can give.
