YouTuber sheds light on conditions of California prisoner firefighter program amid L.A. wildfires

>> YEAH. SO GRIM. ELLISON BARBER PRAYING FOR A MIRACLE.

THANK YOU PRAYING FOR A MIRACLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPORTING. SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPORTING.

MEANWHILE, AS WE TALK ABOUT ALL MEANWHILE, AS WE TALK ABOUT ALL THESE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR HOMES, THESE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR HOMES, THERE ARE SOME VERY IMPORTANT THERE ARE SOME VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE ON THE FIRE LINES WHO ARE PEOPLE ON THE FIRE LINES WHO ARE FINALLY GETTING TO SHARE THEIR FINALLY GETTING TO SHARE THEIR VOICES AS WELL, IN PART THANKS VOICES AS WELL, IN PART THANKS TO A PRETTY BIG TWITCH STREAMER, TO A PRETTY BIG TWITCH STREAMER, HASAN PIKER. YOU MIGHT HAVE HASAN PIKER. YOU MIGHT HAVE ALREADY SEEN SHOTS OF INMATES ALREADY SEEN SHOTS OF INMATES OUT THERE ON THE FIRE LINES.

OUT THERE ON THE FIRE LINES. RIGHT NOW THEY'RE LIKE 900 TO RIGHT NOW THEY'RE LIKE 900 TO 1000 OF THEM. IT'S A PROGRAM 1000 OF THEM.

IT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE HERE IN CALIFORNIA. BUT WHAT IS HERE IN CALIFORNIA. BUT WHAT IS CATCHING PEOPLE'S ATTENTION?

CATCHING PEOPLE'S ATTENTION? WELL, PART OF IT IS, IS THE PAY. WELL, PART OF IT IS, IS THE PAY.

IT'S LIKE $10 A DAY. THEY CAN IT'S LIKE $10 A DAY. THEY CAN EARN A LITTLE BIT MORE WHEN EARN A LITTLE BIT MORE WHEN ACTIVELY FIGHTING FIRES, AN ACTIVELY FIGHTING FIRES, AN ADDITIONAL DOLLAR AN HOUR DURING ADDITIONAL DOLLAR AN HOUR DURING EMERGENCIES.

AND WORKING IN THAT EMERGENCIES. AND WORKING IN THAT PROGRAM CAN ALSO GET THEM SOME PROGRAM CAN ALSO GET THEM SOME TIME OFF THEIR SENTENCE. AND FOR TIME OFF THEIR SENTENCE.

AND FOR SOME RECORD EXPUNGEMENT. BUT SOME RECORD EXPUNGEMENT. BUT JOINING US NOW IS TWITCH JOINING US NOW IS TWITCH STREAMER AND YOUTUBER HASAN STREAMER AND YOUTUBER HASAN PIKER.

HE LIVES OUT HERE IN LA. PIKER. HE LIVES OUT HERE IN LA.

HE HEADED OUT TO WHERE THEY'VE HE HEADED OUT TO WHERE THEY'VE BEEN STAGING HELP SHED SOME BEEN STAGING HELP SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHAT THEY DO TO HELP LIGHT ON WHAT THEY DO TO HELP THE REST OF US OUT HERE. HASAN, THE REST OF US OUT HERE. HASAN, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH YOU.

BUT BEFORE WE GET INTO YOU. BUT BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS, I DO WANT TO PLAY A CLIP THIS, I DO WANT TO PLAY A CLIP OF THIS INTERVIEW FOR VIEWERS. OF THIS INTERVIEW FOR VIEWERS.

IT WAS FASCINATING INTERVIEW. I IT WAS FASCINATING INTERVIEW. I THINK YOU TALKED TO A MAN BY THE THINK YOU TALKED TO A MAN BY THE NAME OF WILLIAMS.

LET'S TAKE A NAME OF WILLIAMS. LET'S TAKE A QUICK LOOK. QUICK LOOK.

>> RIGHT NOW. THEY'RE ON. >> RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE ON. >> THEY'RE ON BREAK RIGHT THERE >> THEY'RE ON BREAK RIGHT THERE DOING 24 HOURS OFF. DOING 24 HOURS OFF.

>> BUT WHEN YOU'RE BACK OUT >> BUT WHEN YOU'RE BACK OUT THERE YOU SLEEP OUT THERE. THERE YOU SLEEP OUT THERE. >> YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY. RIGHT. SO >> YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY. RIGHT. SO YOU'RE SO THEY GIVE YOU LIKE YOU'RE SO THEY GIVE YOU LIKE WHAT.

WHAT. >> LIKE THEY GIVE YOU GEAR AND >> LIKE THEY GIVE YOU GEAR AND THEN THEY GIVE YOU LIKE SLEEPING THEN THEY GIVE YOU LIKE SLEEPING GEAR. GEAR.

>> PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU GOT >> PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU GOT RIGHT HERE. AND THEN YOU GOT RIGHT HERE. AND THEN YOU GOT YOUR NOMAX YOU NOMAX SHIRT ON.

YOUR NOMAX YOU NOMAX SHIRT ON. >> THAT'S IT. >> THAT'S IT.

>> YEAH. >> YEAH. >> THAT'S ALL THEY DON'T GIVE >> THAT'S ALL THEY DON'T GIVE YOU LIKE THEY DON'T GIVE YOU ANY YOU LIKE THEY DON'T GIVE YOU ANY SLEEPING GEAR?

NO, NOT ON THE SLEEPING GEAR? NO, NOT ON THE MOUNTAIN. MOUNTAIN.

>> AND, HASSAN, WE'VE BEEN WITH >> AND, HASSAN, WE'VE BEEN WITH INMATE CREWS. I'VE NEVER SEEN INMATE CREWS. I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM GIVE SUCH INSIGHT AS THEY THEM GIVE SUCH INSIGHT AS THEY DID WITH YOU.

IF YOU GET A DID WITH YOU. IF YOU GET A CHANCE, ANYBODY THAT'S WATCHING, CHANCE, ANYBODY THAT'S WATCHING, THEY SHOULD CHECK OUT YOUR YOUR THEY SHOULD CHECK OUT YOUR YOUR WHOLE CLIP. WHAT WAS YOUR WHOLE CLIP.

WHAT WAS YOUR IMPRESSION OF WHAT IT'S LIKE FOR IMPRESSION OF WHAT IT'S LIKE FOR THEM AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE THEM AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW? DOING RIGHT NOW? >> I HAD AN INCREDIBLE >> I HAD AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO TALK OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO THESE GUYS DIRECTLY, TO THESE GUYS DIRECTLY, UNINTERRUPTED, IN A VERY REAL UNINTERRUPTED, IN A VERY REAL SETTING, WHEN THEY WERE ON THEIR SETTING, WHEN THEY WERE ON THEIR 24 HOUR BREAK BECAUSE OF THE 24 HOUR BREAK BECAUSE OF THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT SCOTT WONDERFUL WORK THAT SCOTT BUDNICK, HE'S A HOLLYWOOD BUDNICK, HE'S A HOLLYWOOD PRODUCER, AND HE STARTED THE PRODUCER, AND HE STARTED THE ANTI-RECIDIVISM COALITION IS ANTI-RECIDIVISM COALITION IS DOING SPECIFICALLY WITH THE DOING SPECIFICALLY WITH THE INCARCERATED FIREFIGHTERS.

INCARCERATED FIREFIGHTERS. >> AND IN THAT PROCESS, I, I >> AND IN THAT PROCESS, I, I FOUND THEIR EXPERIENCE TO BE FOUND THEIR EXPERIENCE TO BE VERY DIGNIFIED FROM THEIR OWN VERY DIGNIFIED FROM THEIR OWN ASSESSMENT. ASSESSMENT.

>> THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ABLE >> THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE BACK TO THEIR TO CONTRIBUTE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES WAS SOMETHING THAT COMMUNITIES WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY TRULY APPRECIATED IN TERMS THEY TRULY APPRECIATED IN TERMS OF THE OPPORTUNITY, ALTHOUGH THE OF THE OPPORTUNITY, ALTHOUGH THE CONDITIONS ARE STILL OBVIOUSLY CONDITIONS ARE STILL OBVIOUSLY VERY GRIM, AND ONE OF THE MAJOR VERY GRIM, AND ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS THAT THEY BROUGHT UP WAS, THINGS THAT THEY BROUGHT UP WAS, OF COURSE, THE WAGES, AS YOU OF COURSE, THE WAGES, AS YOU GUYS ALSO POINTED OUT TO RIGHT GUYS ALSO POINTED OUT TO RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE IT'S AROUND $24 A NOW, I BELIEVE IT'S AROUND $24 A DAY WHEN THEY'RE ACTIVELY DAY WHEN THEY'RE ACTIVELY FIGHTING WILDFIRES. FIGHTING WILDFIRES. >> AND I THINK THAT THAT IS ONE >> AND I THINK THAT THAT IS ONE AREA THAT THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS AREA THAT THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.

ANOTHER THING THAT IMPROVEMENT. ANOTHER THING THAT I WAS ALSO SHOCKED BY WAS THE I WAS ALSO SHOCKED BY WAS THE FACT THAT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO FACT THAT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO VOLUNTEER FOR THIS PROGRAM, YOU VOLUNTEER FOR THIS PROGRAM, YOU ACTUALLY LEAVE PRISON AND GO TO ACTUALLY LEAVE PRISON AND GO TO A CONCENTRATION CAMP TO GET A CONCENTRATION CAMP TO GET TRAINING, AND THEN YOU REMAIN TRAINING, AND THEN YOU REMAIN THERE WHEN YOU'RE NOT ACTIVELY THERE WHEN YOU'RE NOT ACTIVELY OUT IN THE FIELD OF FIGHTING OUT IN THE FIELD OF FIGHTING FIRES. AND ONE THING THAT THEY FIRES.

AND ONE THING THAT THEY MENTIONED WERE THE COMPARABLY MENTIONED WERE THE COMPARABLY MUCH MORE HUMANE CONDITIONS AT MUCH MORE HUMANE CONDITIONS AT CONSERVATION CAMPS. SOME OF THE CONSERVATION CAMPS. SOME OF THE INMATES AT SOME OF THE INMATES INMATES AT SOME OF THE INMATES REPORTED THAT THEY HAD ACCESS TO REPORTED THAT THEY HAD ACCESS TO WEIGHT TRAINING FACILITIES.

AND WEIGHT TRAINING FACILITIES. AND LIKE ACTUAL REAL WEIGHTS, LIKE ACTUAL REAL WEIGHTS, APPARENTLY IN CALIFORNIA APPARENTLY IN CALIFORNIA PRISONS, YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS PRISONS, YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO REAL WEIGHTS ANY LONGER. AND TO REAL WEIGHTS ANY LONGER.

AND LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT, I LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK, GO A VERY LONG WAY IN THINK, GO A VERY LONG WAY IN MAKING INMATES FEEL HUMAN AGAIN MAKING INMATES FEEL HUMAN AGAIN AND MAKING INMATES FEEL LIKE AND MAKING INMATES FEEL LIKE LIKE REAL PEOPLE RATHER THAN LIKE REAL PEOPLE RATHER THAN COGS IN A MACHINE. AND I THINK COGS IN A MACHINE. AND I THINK THAT IS TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL IN, THAT IS TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL IN, IN REHABILITATION AND THE IN REHABILITATION AND THE REHABILITATIVE PROCESS AND ALSO REHABILITATIVE PROCESS AND ALSO HELPING THEM REINTEGRATE BACK HELPING THEM REINTEGRATE BACK INTO SOCIETY AFTER THEY'RE DONE INTO SOCIETY AFTER THEY'RE DONE SERVING THEIR TIME.

I WANT TO SERVING THEIR TIME. I WANT TO BACK UP AGAIN. BACK UP AGAIN.

>> RIGHT? >> RIGHT? >> YEAH.

ONE OF THE MOST >> YEAH. ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING PARTS OF THE FASCINATING PARTS OF THE INTERVIEW, I THOUGHT, WAS WHEN INTERVIEW, I THOUGHT, WAS WHEN YOU STARTED TO ASK THEM ABOUT YOU STARTED TO ASK THEM ABOUT WHAT THIS WAS LIKE COMPARED TO WHAT THIS WAS LIKE COMPARED TO WHAT IT'S LIKE IN LOCKUP. IF WE WHAT IT'S LIKE IN LOCKUP.

IF WE HAVE SOME OF THAT, CAN WE PLAY A HAVE SOME OF THAT, CAN WE PLAY A LITTLE QUICK CLIP THERE? LITTLE QUICK CLIP THERE? >> IT'S BETTER THAN BEING IN >> IT'S BETTER THAN BEING IN PRISON OR NO, IT'S WAY BETTER PRISON OR NO, IT'S WAY BETTER BECAUSE I WAS IN A PRISON YARD.

BECAUSE I WAS IN A PRISON YARD. I'M SEEING GUYS GET STABBED, GET I'M SEEING GUYS GET STABBED, GET JUMPED, GET BEAT UP. THE COPS JUMPED, GET BEAT UP.

THE COPS TREAT US LIKE, SHOOT US LIKE. TREAT US LIKE, SHOOT US LIKE. BUT HERE WE GET BETTER BUT HERE WE GET BETTER TREATMENT, RIGHT?

THEY THEY TALK TREATMENT, RIGHT? THEY THEY TALK TO US LIKE HUMANS. THEY TALK TO TO US LIKE HUMANS.

THEY TALK TO US LIKE HUMANS. WE GOT A JOB. US LIKE HUMANS.

WE GOT A JOB. WE'RE. WE'RE UNDERPAID, BUT WE WE'RE.

WE'RE UNDERPAID, BUT WE GOT A JOB. YEAH. FEEL ME?

AND GOT A JOB. YEAH. FEEL ME?

AND THEN THE COMMUNITY COMES OUT AND THEN THE COMMUNITY COMES OUT AND SHOWS US ALL KINDS OF LOVE. WE SHOWS US ALL KINDS OF LOVE. WE NEVER.

WE NEVER RECEIVED THAT NEVER. WE NEVER RECEIVED THAT GROWING UP. WE NEVER RECEIVED GROWING UP.

WE NEVER RECEIVED THAT KIND OF LOVE, THAT KIND OF THAT KIND OF LOVE, THAT KIND OF RECOGNITION OR ANYTHING WE'VE RECOGNITION OR ANYTHING WE'VE DONE. SO NOW DOING THIS KIND OF DONE. SO NOW DOING THIS KIND OF STUFF AND ALL THIS LOVE COMING, STUFF AND ALL THIS LOVE COMING, THAT'S LIFE CHANGING.

THAT'S LIFE CHANGING. >> YEAH, WE NEVER RECEIVED THAT >> YEAH, WE NEVER RECEIVED THAT GROWING UP. I MEAN, LIKE, AGAIN, GROWING UP.

I MEAN, LIKE, AGAIN, THIS INTERVIEW IS ABSOLUTELY THIS INTERVIEW IS ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING. DO YOU THINK IT'S FASCINATING. DO YOU THINK IT'S WORKING?

WORKING? >> I THINK THE INCARCERATED >> I THINK THE INCARCERATED FIREFIGHTER PROGRAM IS PRETTY FIREFIGHTER PROGRAM IS PRETTY SUCCESSFUL IN TERMS OF FINDING A SUCCESSFUL IN TERMS OF FINDING A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SLATED FOR REHABILITATION, AND SLATED FOR REHABILITATION, AND IT SEEMINGLY HAS BEEN VERY IT SEEMINGLY HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AS AS FAR AS WHAT SUCCESSFUL AS AS FAR AS WHAT THEY HAVE REPORTED. ANOTHER THEY HAVE REPORTED.

ANOTHER THING THAT I ANOTHER THING THAT THING THAT I ANOTHER THING THAT THEY KEPT REPEATING OVER AND THEY KEPT REPEATING OVER AND OVER AGAIN WAS THE FACT THAT OVER AGAIN WAS THE FACT THAT INSIDE OF THE INSIDE OF THE CAMP INSIDE OF THE INSIDE OF THE CAMP STRUCTURE, THERE'S A LOT MORE STRUCTURE, THERE'S A LOT MORE UNITY. THERE'S NO RACIAL TENSION UNITY. THERE'S NO RACIAL TENSION OR ANIMOSITY OF THE SORT.

OR ANIMOSITY OF THE SORT. THERE'S NO VIOLENCE BECAUSE THEY THERE'S NO VIOLENCE BECAUSE THEY DESPERATELY DO NOT WANT TO GO DESPERATELY DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK TO THE REGULAR PRISON BACK TO THE REGULAR PRISON STRUCTURE. AS AS KIMBO ALSO STRUCTURE.

AS AS KIMBO ALSO POINTED OUT RIGHT THERE, BECAUSE POINTED OUT RIGHT THERE, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF VIOLENCE IN THERE'S A LOT OF VIOLENCE IN REGULAR PRISON. AND I THINK THAT REGULAR PRISON. AND I THINK THAT IT IS NOT ONLY AN EXAMPLE OF THE IT IS NOT ONLY AN EXAMPLE OF THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF, SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO A BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO A CRITICISM OF THE CURRENT CRITICISM OF THE CURRENT CARCERAL STATE IN A STATE LIKE CARCERAL STATE IN A STATE LIKE CALIFORNIA, WHERE THE PRISON CALIFORNIA, WHERE THE PRISON STRUCTURE NEEDS DESPERATE REFORM STRUCTURE NEEDS DESPERATE REFORM SO THAT THE ENTIRETY OF THE SO THAT THE ENTIRETY OF THE CALIFORNIA PRISON SYSTEM COULD CALIFORNIA PRISON SYSTEM COULD LOOK CLOSER TO THE CAMP.

LOOK CLOSER TO THE CAMP. CONDITIONS THAT EXIST RIGHT NOW CONDITIONS THAT EXIST RIGHT NOW THAT THAT HELP, I THINK, THAT THAT HELP, I THINK, TREMENDOUSLY IN THE TREMENDOUSLY IN THE REHABILITATIVE PROCESS. REHABILITATIVE PROCESS.

>> YEAH. >> YEAH. >> IT'S SO COOL TO SEE THE SENSE >> IT'S SO COOL TO SEE THE SENSE OF PRIDE IN GIVING BACK TO THE OF PRIDE IN GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

I MEAN, WE ALL OWE COMMUNITY. I MEAN, WE ALL OWE THEM A HUGE THANKS AND THANKS TO THEM A HUGE THANKS AND THANKS TO YOU FOR HELPING SHED LIGHT ON YOU FOR HELPING SHED LIGHT ON WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH. I WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.

I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN ON THE FIRE MEAN, WE'VE BEEN ON THE FIRE LINES, AND FIRE LINES ARE HELL. LINES, AND FIRE LINES ARE HELL. SO KUDOS TO ALL THOSE GUYS THAT SO KUDOS TO ALL THOSE GUYS THAT ARE OUT THERE DOING THE WORK.