While CDCR firehouses and camps are battling fires across California, Inside CDCR caught up with Fire Captain Robert Ries, a 24-year department employee.
He began his career with the department as a correctional officer. After 13 years, when the opportunity came open at the Central California Women’s Facility firehouse, he took it and has no regrets.
Watch the video (story continues below):
“I was afforded the opportunity to come out to the firehouse back in 2015. I’ve been here for 11 years. To me, there’s job satisfaction,” he explained.
While based at the Central California Women’s Facility, the firehouse also serves the community through mutual assistance calls.
“We are providing a service to the community. We’re also providing a service to incarcerated persons, population on the inside,” he said. “We’re taking (incarcerated) females and we’re putting them into an environment empowering them to carry on (this) tradition and lifestyle of the fire service.”
For Ries, he said he takes satisfaction in knowing he’s made a difference in the community as well as the incarcerated population.
Video by Chris Medina, Director, TV Communications Center (Specialist)
Story by Don Chaddock, Inside CDCR editor
Office of Public and Employee Communications
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