First all‑female cohort graduates Future Fire Academy

January 9, 2025

Five women made history as the first all-female cohort to graduate from the Future Fire Academy (FFA). This groundbreaking program provides individuals impacted by incarceration with the skills and certifications needed for careers in firefighting.

Graduates Britaney Gomez, Chelsey Sylva, Jamie Vaughn, Brooklyn Hill and Johanna Knighten participated in CDCR’s Female Community Reentry Program (FCRP) in Sacramento. The reentry program supports incarcerated individuals as they transition back into society.

“I’m doing this for my victims,” said Gomez. “So, their lives didn’t go in vain.”

FFA was founded by Anthony Pedro, a formerly incarcerated firefighter who turned his experience into a transformative opportunity for others. FFA provides a comprehensive pathway for participants to rebuild their lives while addressing California’s growing demand for skilled firefighters.

Breaking barriers: Female cohort’s path to graduation

A female graduate of the Future Fire Academy takes her certificate.

Britaney Gomez holds her certificate of achievement after graduating the fire academy.

The rigorous fire training program is geared to incarcerated people who are completing the last of their sentences in the supervised FCRP or Male Community Reentry Program. (MCRP). To be considered, individuals must complete 70 hours of online coursework from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, commonly known as FEMA.

Once this prerequisite is fulfilled, applicants are required to write a 1,500-word essay detailing why they want to become firefighters and the obstacles they’ve overcome. Those who pass this stage undergo a mini-boot camp, which includes a physically demanding challenge. The final selection process identifies candidates who can leave their reentry facilities for training, meeting stringent eligibility requirements consistent with CAL FIRE and U.S. Forest Service standards.

Upon acceptance, participants undergo intensive training that includes classroom instruction and field exercises in fire suppression, emergency medical response, and equipment operation.

Empowering reentry programs

The female and male reentry program play a pivotal role in preparing participants for success. These programs provide housing in supervised community facilities and offer access to employment, education, healthcare, family unification and vocational training. Participants are carefully vetted and must demonstrate a commitment to rehabilitation.

Incarcerated individuals with two years or less remaining on their sentences are eligible to transition into these programs, where they receive wraparound services to aid their reintegration.

Future Fire Academy career path beyond graduation

A graduate speaks to those attending the ceremony.

“When you are gone so long, you don’t even know what’s out there anymore,” said Hill. “Anything that involves part of the community I want to do.”

She hopes to become a paramedic.

Graduating from the FFA opens doors to meaningful careers. FFA assists graduates in securing employment with CAL FIRE, private firefighting companies, or other emergency response roles.

Programs like the FFA and other community reentry initiatives demonstrate the power of rehabilitation and skill-building. These efforts reduce recidivism while providing a pathway to self-sufficiency.

With their certifications in hand and a newfound sense of purpose, these graduates have broken barriers. Their accomplishment demonstrates what’s possible when opportunity meets determination.

“I trained for hundreds of hours in blood, sweat and tears literally for the honor of being a first responder,” Gomez said. “I had the honor to not be viewed as a horrible inmate, but as a firefighter.”

Story by Todd Javernick, information officer
Office of Public and Employee Communications

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