The California firefighter prison program helps prisoners and the general public.
(1)原文 (2)词汇掌故 (3)小测试 Welcome to American Mosaic from VOA Learning English.
I’m June Simms.
Today on the show we play summery music suggested by listeners. We also look a New York City program that provides information to immigrants interested in American citizenship. But first we go to California to learn about a program that helps prisoners and the public at large.
California Prisoners Fight Fires
The western state of California is known for wildfires. This year the fire season has been extremely active. California has some of the most experienced firefighters in the country because of its high risk of fire. Prisoners in California also take part in firefighting efforts. Mario Ritter tells us how and why.
Every morning prisoners in orange clothing go to their jobs as fire fighters. If there is no fire at the time, they carefully clean all the tools needed to make firebreaks. Firebreaks are barriers made of grass or land that slow or stop the spread of fire.
In California, prisoners who have no history of violent crime and are in good physical condition may train and work as firefighters. They may get their prison sentences reduced in exchange for their help fighting fires. But that is not the only appeal of the work program, says Louie Orozco, who was sentenced to prison for robbery.
“It’s pretty exciting. It’s an adrenaline rush, it’s fun at the same time. You’re expected to go out there and fight fires. Climb thousands of feet up hills, rocky terrain, and sometimes sandy terrain, with tools you got anywhere between30 and 50 pounds of gear on your back.”
Prisoners in California have been working as firefighters for more than 60 years. They also serve the community in other ways, says Captain Mike Mahler of the state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
“Our crews are used during floods, search and rescue operations. They put in about 2.5 million hours a year just in emergency response alone.”
More than 4,000 California prisoners work as firefighters. California is not the only state that uses prisoners this way. But, the state’s program is seen as a national model.
The prisoners often work side-by-side with professional firefighters. Captain Kevin Krauss has been supervising prisoner firefighters for seven years.
“I treat them like firefighters. I demand they act like firefighters and I tell them if they want to be heroes, they can be out here, if they want to be zeroes they can go back and they can be incarcerated inside. It’s their choice.”
Captain Krauss says most of them choose to stay with the difficult and often dangerous job, instead of spending their days behind prison walls.
“They get baptized by the devil out on the line. It’s hot, it’s dry, it‘s physically demanding. (There is) Sleep deprivation.”
The prisoners receive a small wage. The program began as a way to reduce the cost of fighting fires. Now, however, the program helps rehabilitate prisoners, providing them with skills helpful in ways beyond firefighting.
Louie Orozco says this experience has helped him believe in himself.
“Mentally I see that I can do things I never thought possible. Climbing thousands and thousands of feet up a mountain with gear on your back.”
The prisoner firefighter will turn 40 this year. He will be released from prison in six months. He says he is too old to keep fighting fires. But Mr. Orozco also has some graphic design skills he learned from another prison program. He plans to use that skill to start a new life.
And he will know that after fighting wildfires, he can face any problems that might come with life after prison.
Call Center for Citizenship Questions
Every day in America immigrants become citizens. Last year, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service swore in almost 700,000 new citizens. 84,000 of them became Americans in the state of New York.
And the United State Congress continues to struggle with an immigration reform bill. Steve Ember tells us about one New York City program that tries to clear up questions about citizenship.
“There’s no law yet…it’ll be months before the legislation passes.”
That’s a volunteer operator at the City University of New York’s immigration call center. It is receiving thousands of calls, many about the latest on the immigration bill.
Volunteers from all cultures and backgrounds have stepped up to help answer the phones.
“I’m handling Spanish calls and Brazilian, too. People who speak Portuguese. And we are handling calls from all over New York, but even from Idaho.”
The country-pop artist Taylor Swift also sings about being young on her song “22.” Swift sings about staying up all night, dancing and ignoring responsibilities. The lyrics go like this: we're happy free confused and lonely at the same time /
It's miserable and magical oh yeah /
Tonight's the night when we forget about the deadlines, it's time.
Another listener suggested “I Love It” by the two-member Swedish electronic band Icona Pop. This song is on American radio a lot right now. Who knows? It might become this year’s summer anthem