What type of shift do you work?

[4iron]

I know this has probably been on this forum before,forgive me I'm fairly new here.Re:Firefighter work schedules:

1)What's your ave.work week?(ie:42hrs/week,56hrs/week,ect.
2)What's your schedule?(ie:Chicago=24/on,48/off -or-California=24/on,24/off,24/on,24/off,24/on,96/off-or-10/14.
3)Have you ever worked more than 1 schedule?Which one do you like the most?

This is a hot topic within our Local right now,the younger FFR's would like to change our 24/on-48/off=56hrs./week.

[Kyle Wickman]

42 hour week
10/14
Hate it, I want 24/72

[ffnbs]

We work the California schedule and it works just fine for us. We respond an ave. of 7-8 calls a shift and 80% of those are EMS related.
53 hour work week. Our department has run with this schedule since the late sixties to the best of my knowledge.

[allhands]

We work a 42 hr week. 24 on 24 off 24 on 5 days off. We used to work the 2-10's 2-14's and 4 off. I like the new schedule better.

[pyroknight]

We work the Kelly schedule (1 on, 1 off, 1 on, 1 off, 1 on, 4 off) and that's all I've ever worked. The department I have my sights set on works 24 on, 48 off. ALLHANDS, how many platoons does it take to make your schedule work?

[RS-1Alum]

I worked the 24 on 24 off,72 hour week, for
Uncle Sam and thought it was brutal even for
a young kid.
When I came to D.C. we were working 3 days of day work then 3 nights and 3 days off with a Kelly day which came to a 48 hour work week. We switched to 24 on 48 off with a Kelley for the same amount of hours. In the early nineties we hired a fouth platoon and went to 24 on 72 off. A 42 hour work week and I love it as well as just about every other person in the country does who is working it.
We have come a long way...from 1871 to 1933 our guys worked a one shift assignment. You got to go home for meals a couple of times a day so most everyone lived within walking distance of the firehouse. Only 1 day off a month and that was cancelled if some one was off sick. They had to be some tough dudes.

[Da Sharkie]

Pyro,

To answer your question, it takes 4 groups to work the 1 on, 1 off, 1 on and 5 off schedule. I work it as well.

------------------
I didn't do it, nobody saw me do it. You can't prove anything.

[MFFJoe]

"5 on, 6 off" (1 on, 1 off, 1 on, 1 off, 1 on, 1 off, 1 on, 1 off, 1 on, 6 off.)It equals a 56 hour workweek with 3 hours of overtime built in each week. The guys seem to like it. The 56 hour week is most common in this region.

[FFE3BFD]

24/72
42 hour work week
Love it!! Every work day is Monday, Every work day is Friday.

We did at one time work 10/14's, hope we never go back to it.

[FireLt1951]

Here we work a 24 on, 24 off, 24 on and 72 off. We also get a one time 120 off once a month and a 196 off one time in a 6 month period. Average work week is 48hrs.We have a 2 unit system.The city once tried to change to 3 platoon system which was 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 24 off, 24 on and 96 off. The problem was, they found out they would have to hire around 400 more firefighters. We've worked this system for the 28 years I've been on.We gained one extra day off during this time when we went from 52 hours to the 48 hour schedual.Personally I like our system.

[This message has been edited by FireLt1951 (edited 02-07-2001).]

[dr inferno]

We work 10/14 but its a different shift then previously mentioned. It goes like this:
Work 5 10 hour days (50 hours) off for 6 days work four nights (56 hours) off for 5 days work 2 days and then 3 nights (62 hours)off for 4 days then the cycle starts again with the day shift. Averages out to 42 hours a week over the course of a year. It works well and runs on the 4 platoon system

[MPreb362]

work 3(10 hr days) then off 3, 3(14 hr nights) then off 3. then start all over. most of the guys seem to like it. but not everyone's always happy.

[HarleyGump]

We work a fairly common schedule for Canada. 4 days on (4 x 10 hrs - 8 am -6 pm) then 4 days off, 4 nights on (4 x14 hrs. - 6 pm - 8am ) then 4 days off. There is an interest from some of our members to go to a modified 24 hr schedule where you have to work only 2 weekends per month . It is hotly debated around the halls as some vets don't see the need. I would like to try the 24 hr.

[FitzBFDT2]

I am with FFE3BFD, working the 42 Hour workweek with 24 hours on then 72 hours off. 4 platoon system is employed here.

Always have at least 2 weekend days off(I count Friday), quality time at home and plus I only have to see FFE3BFD once every four days(hahaha).

Be safe


------------------
Kevin M. Fitzhenry, bfdt2@fitzhenry.com
Firefighter, Truck Co. 2
City of Bayonne (NJ) FD
www.bayonnenj.org/fire/

[firecat1524]

My department only staffs for fire protection during working hours, we work from 0730 - 1700, Monday - Friday. 47.5 hours a week....95 hours a pay period. And before anybody else says it...yes it $ux. LOL

[LisbonTrainingOfficr]

24/24 72hr work week. Then a kelly every 8th shift. Its not all that bad once you get used to it. It does make it kind of hard to work a part time job though.

[troll911]

Leave it us to be different! Our department works a 56 hr. week with three shifts. Schedule is as such:W-O-W-O-O-W-O-W-O-O-O-O. Strange, but we have been working it since about 1982. Used to be: W-O-W-O-O-O. I personally like the 96 off instead of the 72 off. Actually, I'm a 40 hour week training field trash guy and the schedule we have are 4-10 hour days with a 96 every other weekend (2 crews alternating, leaves 3 people there on M & F).

------------------
Peace,
TROLL

Just my opinions, not my departments. If they are alike, it usually means somethin's gonna happen!

[15hoseman]

I currently work 24/72, pretty cool, but my first day off, i drag *****. We usually make about 15 runs a day, usually at night. Plus everyone hauls tail out of the station when they're relieved.

I know a guy who works in a chemical plant, not as a firefighter, but he has an interesting schedule. 4 platoon, 42 hours:

M-T-W-H-F-S-S
-------------
D-D-O-O-D-D-D
O-O-D-D-O-O-O
N-N-O-O-N-N-N
O-O-N-N-O-O-O

I might have it mixed up a bit, I think he might alternate groups of days and nights rather than two weeks of days, and then two weeks of nights. Regardless, he gets Friday through Sunday off every other weekend.

[E_man9RFD]

We work 24 on, 48 off. I lkie it. Every day is Friday. I used to work 12's at a nuke plant in CT.. friggin hated it! In the winter when I worked nights, When I got up it was dark, and when I went home it was dark. It sucked.

-------------

[14Rescue1]

We work 2 - 10 hour days followed by 2 - 14 hour nights with 4 days off.
Used to work 24 hour shifts and hope this department doesn't adopt it.