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'Forging Heroes': Formerly incarcerated individuals train to become wildland firefighters

Watch the new ABC7 Originals documentary "Forging Heroes" wherever you stream ABC7.

BySilvio Carrillo KGO logo

Thursday, January 11, 2024

'Forging Heroes': Training for a better future

'Forging Heroes' tells the story of a California-based nonprofit that helps formerly incarcerated individuals train to become wildland firefighters.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Forestry & Fire Recruitment Program is a California-based nonprofit that helps formerly incarcerated individuals train to become wildland firefighters.

The program is the brainchild of two men who received training and gained experience fighting fires while incarcerated at fire camps, but couldn't get hired anywhere in California due to the stigma of having a criminal record.

Yet, they didn't give up.

This is the story of how this revolutionary program became a reality and how the first Bay Area cohort of formerly incarcerated men and women took on the challenge in hopes of a better future despite overwhelming personal and societal obstacles.

Watch the new ABC7 Originals documentary "Forging Heroes" in the video player above or by downloading the ABC7 Bay Area App to watch on Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple and Google TV.