Firefighter Shift Schedules Explained: 24/48, 48/96, Kelly Days, and More

Ask any firefighter what they love about the job and they will mention the schedule within the first three sentences. Ask them what is hardest about the job and the schedule comes up again.

The fire service does not run on a 9 to 5. It runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and the shift structures designed to cover that time are unlike anything in the civilian world.

The 24/48 Schedule (Most Common)

Work 24 hours, off 48 hours. Three shifts, A, B, and C, rotate through. Day 1 you work from 0700 to 0700. Days 2 and 3 you are off. Day 4 you work. Days 5 and 6 you are off. Then it repeats. The average work week is 56 hours before Kelly days.

The 24/48 is simple, predictable, and you always know your schedule far in advance. You get two full days off between every shift and can pick up overtime or work a second job on off days. The cons are that 56 hours is a long work week and you will work every third holiday, birthday, and anniversary.

The 48/96 Schedule

Work 48 consecutive hours, off 96 hours, which is 4 days. You work from 0700 on Day 1 to 0700 on Day 3, then you are off for 4 full days. The average work week is still 56 hours.

The 48/96 gives you 4 consecutive days off, which feels like a mini-vacation every week. You commute half as often. It is better for departments where firefighters live far from the station. The downside is that 48-hour shifts are exhausting, especially on high-call-volume stations, and it is harder on families with young children.

Kelly Days

Based on the standard 24/48, but every several shifts you get an extra day off called a Kelly day to bring your average work week closer to 48 to 50 hours. Named after Chicago Mayor Edward Kelly, who negotiated the reduced work week for Chicago firefighters in the 1930s.

Standard 24/48 averages 56 hours per week. Adding one Kelly day every 7 to 9 shifts brings the average down to 48 to 52 hours per week. The Kelly day rotates through the cycle so it falls on different days.

What a 24-Hour Shift Actually Looks Like

0700 is shift change. The incoming crew checks out apparatus, equipment, and the station. 0800 is morning duties with apparatus and station cleaning, equipment checks, and supply restocking. 0900 to 1100 is training, company-level drills, continuing education, or multi-company exercises. 1100 to 1200 is lunch, cooked together, which is a fire service tradition and critical bonding activity.

1200 to 1600 is the afternoon with building inspections, pre-incident planning, public education, station projects, and physical fitness. 1700 to 1900 is dinner, again cooked together. The kitchen table is where crews are built. 1900 to 2200 is the evening with lighter activities, station maintenance, studying, or additional training. 2200 to 0600 is overnight. You are available for calls but sleeping when possible. On a busy station you may not sleep at all. On a slow station you might get 6 uninterrupted hours.

Throughout all of this, you respond to all emergency calls. Fires, EMS, hazmat, MVCs, rescues, alarms, public assists. On a busy station you may run 15 to 25 calls in a 24-hour shift. On a slow station, 2 to 5.

Impact on Family Life

The honest truth nobody puts in the recruiting brochure is this. You will miss holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries on a rotating basis. Your partner handles bedtimes, morning routines, and emergencies alone on your shift days. Sleep disruption from busy night shifts affects your mood and energy on off days.

What works is communication, planning ahead, and making the time you have count. The strongest fire service marriages are ones where both partners understand the schedule and build routines around it.

On the positive side, you are home more days than you work. You are available for school events, appointments, and activities on your off days. Many firefighters successfully run side businesses, coach teams, or pursue education.

Getting ready for the job? First Due Co. helps you prepare for every step of the hiring process, from written exam prep to oral board coaching to certification study. Start training at firstdueco.com before you start the career.