Rethinking the 24/48 Shift Schedule: How One Illinois Fire Department’s Shift Change Could Lead to Better Retention and Health

Starting in January, the Bloomington Fire Department is moving from the traditional 24 hours on / 48 hours off schedule to a 24 hours on / 72 hours off model. According to Fire Chief Cory Matheny, his team was initially skeptical the city could afford the move, however after some scheduling tweaks and a staffing analysis, the department concluded it can work and even improve fire department operations. The department and firefighters are hopeful that by decreasing the number of hours that firefighters are scheduled to work, there will be an overall improvement in firefighter health and less long-term fatigue. In turn, these factors will lead to less burnout, better retention, and increased overall employee satisfaction.

According to WGLT News, the firefighters will be scheduled to work an average of 47 hours per week under the new schedule. The firefighters were scheduled to work around 52 hours per week under the traditional 24/48 schedule. The previous schedule provided firefighters with a Kelly Day [scheduled day off] every six weeks. The new schedule will require firefighters to work one Debit Day—which is an additional 24-hour work shift—every 36 days. The city and firefighters plan to decrease the frequency of the Debit Days in 2028. Once implemented, that will result in firefighters working an average of less than 45 hours per week.

Do you have questions about Kelly and Debit Days, the financial impact of overtime costs associated with a 24/72 schedule as compared to a 24/48? Please join us tomorrow [November 19, 2025] at 1PM EST for the live webinar: Advanced FLSA: Firefighter Work Schedules for the 21st Century. This three-hour webinar highlights a wide variety of firefighter work schedule and work period combinations in conjunction with the FLSA’s overtime requirements. Whether your organization is transitioning from a traditional 56-hour workweek to the more contemporary 42-hour workweek or anything in between, we discuss industry best practices and long-term strategies to manage Firefighter Work Schedules for the 21st Century.

Here is more on Bloomington’s new schedule from WAND News.