48-hour firefighter rotation
What Is a 48/96 Work Schedule?
A 48/96 schedule runs three crews in a 48-hour on, 96-hour off rotation.
How the 48/96 rotation works
Each crew works a continuous 48-hour shift, then takes 96 hours off. Three crews stagger their tours so one crew is always on duty. Over the 6-day cycle, each crew reports to the station once.
Departments adopt the 48/96 schedule to cut how often crews commute and to give longer blocks of recovery. The obvious cost is the long two-day shift, which is demanding and not right for every station.
| Crew | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | D | D | O | O | O | O |
| B | O | O | D | D | O | O |
| C | O | O | O | O | D | D |
48/96 schedule: pros and cons
Pros
- ·Four full days off between shifts
- ·Cuts commuting in half
- ·Longer recovery between tours
- ·Three crews cover the station
Cons
- ·A 48-hour shift is very demanding
- ·Needs three crews
- ·Not right for every station
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Frequently asked questions
What is a 48/96 schedule?
A 48/96 schedule is a firefighter rotation where each crew works a continuous 48-hour shift, then has 96 hours off. Three crews rotate the coverage.
How many crews does a 48/96 schedule need?
Three crews. Each crew is on duty for 48 hours, then off for 96 hours, over a 6-day cycle.
Why do departments switch to 48/96?
Crews get four full days off between shifts, which cuts commutes and gives longer recovery. The trade-off is a tiring 48-hour continuous shift.
How does 48/96 compare to 24/48?
Both use three crews. 48/96 doubles the shift length and the time off, so crews report to the station half as often.
Which departments use a 48/96 schedule?
Fire departments and EMS agencies, often in rural or spread-out areas where longer tours reduce travel.