Imagine the EMS service they can provide. "Hi I'm inmate 23425 and I'm an EMT. What is your chief complaint and is that Rolex gold?

Inmates comprise county's new fire service ROBIN FITZGERALD THE SUN HERALD GULFPORT - State inmates housed at the Harrison County Work Center and Work center inmates busy State inmates housed at the Harrison County Work Center provide a variety of community services at no cost to taxpayers. For example, the 90 inmates housed at the center on Cowan-Lorraine Road worked 18,600 hours in October. The value of their labor, at minimum wage, was over $97,000. Some of the jobs inmates perform:Preparing meals for the Feed My Sheep soup kitchen in Gulfport and meals for inmates. Assisting city and county animal control officers. Performing landscaping, grounds work, maintenance and labor for 24 county and state agencies; assisting Biloxi and Long Beach parks and recreation crews. Auto mechanics work for the Gulfport Police Department and Harrison County Sheriff's Department. Growing vegetables and working with animals at the Harrison County Farm. Roadside drainage work, road and asphalt jobs, picking up litter. Carpentry, painting, electrician work, and all types of maintenance. sheriff's deputies who have completed volunteer firefighting classes are now known as the Harrison County Fire Services Team. Sheriff George H. Payne Jr. announced the formation of the fire team Monday during a ceremony honoring the 30 inmates and five deputies who have completed their first level of certified training. The team will provide manpower to help the county's volunteer fire departments and also will help the Mississippi State Forestry Service battle woods fires. "It's a give-back to the community," Payne told the graduates and nearly 100 relatives and city and county fire personnel who attended the ceremony at the Handsboro Community Center on Switzer Road. State Fire Marshal and Insurance Commissioner George Dale spoke at the ceremony, and said the inmate program "will do much to help the manpower shortage in rural firefighting. It's a great idea." Graduates wore their fire helmets, official red fire service team T-shirts, and wide grins while accepting their diplomas on a stage lined with oxygen tanks. Relatives and fellow firefighters cheered and applauded. The inmates, who are serving time for nonviolent crimes, were accepted for the training program following a stringent screening process, said Lt. Mark McGowin, who runs the work center. As part of their training, the inmates have fought actual or practice fires. Some of them helped fight two recent structural fires. "When we got one of the fire calls, we had more volunteers trying to get in the van than would fit," said Deputy Christopher Smith, who trained with them. William Faulk, an instructor with the Harrison County Fire Service, said the class had better attendance than others he has taught. "The guys have really surprised me with their willingness and teamwork," Faulk said. Inmate Carl Hampton of Meridian said the training provided him the basic knowledge to handle his first fire. "It was real exciting," said Hampton, who is serving time for possession of marijuana. "I felt good about it because my training prepared me for what I needed to do." The inmates surprised Sheriff Payne and Lt. McGowin with plaques bearing a picture of the class. "We really appreciate what you're trying to do for us and your trust in letting us do something to help the community," said William Prine of Gulfport, who's serving time on a felony DUI charge. Robin Fitzgerald can be reached at (228) 896-2307 or at rfitzgerald@sunherald.com