Burbank Firefighters Post Public B-Shift Calendar

Why it matters

- The Burbank Fire Department utilizes a 48/96 schedule, which consists of 48 hours on duty followed by 96 hours off. This model is a change from their previous "Kelly day" schedule. - Many fire departments traditionally use a three-platoon system with A, B, and C shifts working 24 hours on and 48 hours off to ensure constant staffing. - To manage overtime and comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), some departments incorporate "Kelly Days," which are scheduled paid days off that occur during a shift cycle. - The Seattle Fire Department, in contrast, operates on a four-platoon system. Their schedule is a repeating cycle of one 24-hour shift on, 48 hours off, another 24-hour shift on, followed by 96 hours (four days) off. - A primary reason for fire departments to make calendars and scheduling information public and accessible online is to streamline the process of filling overtime shifts and managing shift trades among firefighters. - Public shift calendars also offer transparency and allow firefighters' families to better plan around the demanding and often irregular work hours inherent in the profession. - The transition to different work schedules, such as Burbank's move to the 48/96, is typically a subject of negotiation between the city and the firefighters' union, documented in Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs). - Staffing shortages can strain existing schedules, leading to firefighters working significant overtime, which was a point of concern for the Burbank Firefighters Union in late 2022.

Key numbers

• The Burbank Fire Fighters union published its B-Shift calendar for public view, showing scheduled workdays for February 12.
• - The Burbank Fire Department utilizes a 48/96 schedule, which consists of 48 hours on duty followed by 96 hours off.
• Many fire departments traditionally use a three-platoon system with A, B, and C shifts working 24 hours on and 48 hours off to ensure constant staffing.
• Their schedule is a repeating cycle of one 24-hour shift on, 48 hours off, another 24-hour shift on, followed by 96 hours (four days) off.

What happens next

• To manage overtime and comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), some departments incorporate "Kelly Days," which are scheduled paid days off that occur during a shift cycle.
• Public shift calendars also offer transparency and allow firefighters' families to better plan around the demanding and often irregular work hours inherent in the profession.
• The Burbank Fire Fighters union published its B-Shift calendar for public view, showing scheduled workdays for February 12.

Sources

• union published
• The Burbank Fire Department
• Many fire departments
• The Seattle Fire Department
• Their schedule is a repeating
• A primary reason for
• Staffing shortages

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