AWAY FROM HOME FOR 48 HOURS
Being away from home for 48 straight hours is one of the biggest concerns voiced by personnel considering this schedule. However, the majority of firefighters already working this schedule have found their concerns to be much less significant than they originally thought. Most believe that the benefits provided by the 48/96 far outweigh this issue.
WORKING 48 HOUR SHIFTS
Another big concern for firefighters regarding this schedule is that of continuous 48 hour shifts. Many firefighters fear that fatigue will present a safety hazard while others simply don't like working 48's. While fatigue is a valid concern, especially for the busier companies, it's important to point out that firefighters assigned to busy stations routinely work overtime or subs resulting in 48 hour shifts, and there's been only minor-to-no issues with fatigue. I'm 2021 alone, there were almost 1000 instances where firefighters worked a 48. If a fatigue issue does arise, these are easily handled by the company officer.
Firefighters who work the 48/96 schedule report that any increase in short-term fatigue during working hours is countered by the decrease in long-term fatigue by having a 4-day recovery period and an increase in the number of "sleep-in days". In fact, many firefighters state that they feel more rested on the 48/96 than they did on their previous schedule, including firefighters at busy stations.
This study verifies those feelings of increased sleep as well by showing that firefighters on a 48/96 schedule increase their annual sleep time by over 100 hours.
Please visit the fatigue section for more information.
ADJUSTMENT OF PERSONAL SCHEDULE
Any change in personal schedules can be difficult to manage and may cause an increase in stress and anxiety. Firefighters with unique family situations such as child custody schedules and/or care for sick/dependent family members are likely to face challenges, especially during the transitional period.
However, many families have found that the 48/96 actually improved their situation. Many firefighters have expressed concern about childcare. Firefighters work the same number of weekdays on the 48/96 as they do on the 24/48. Therefore, there is very little effect regarding child care issues. Firefighters with young children, whose spouse works Mon-Fri will still be required to find 1-2 days of childcare each week.
If the concern is regarding children's visitation schedules, please see the FAQ's section for an a more in-depth answer.
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