SECURITYCALMATTERS
Why California prisons are using their own employees as human fire alarms
California prisons are using employees as human fire alarms due to outdated fire alarm systems, costing nearly $50 million between 2020 and 2025. Replacing all fire alarm systems would cost $1.5 billion, leading the state to rely on 270,000 hours of prison staff monitoring for fires. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is exploring lower-cost roles for fire watch coverage.
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