The 48-96 schedule originated on the West Coast where the cost of housing skyrocketed in the densely urban areas limiting access to affordable housing for firefighters. Firefighters were able to take advantage of the 48/96 schedule which reduced commuting and allowed them to live in a more rural settings with more economical housing. Since then, many other benefits of the schedule have been realized by both labor and management, and the schedule has been growing rapidly across the United States. Over 200 fire departments have now switched to this schedule with extremely high satisfaction ratings.
This schedule is not a theoretical experiment but a valid and proven schedule used by professional departments across the country that are diverse in their demographics, management structure, and overall philosophies.
The 48/96 schedule is very similar to our current schedule, the 24/48. It is a tradition of many fire departments to define the rotation of their work schedule as a “tour of duty.” It is important to remember that a “tour” is two 24-hour shifts, not one 48 hour shift.
Many policies, procedures, SOPs, and methods of operation that are already in place for the 24/48 will also apply to the 48/96. (SOP changes will be covered later in this presentation)
See images below for schedule comparison
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