LA Area 48/96

[Professor]

Admin....man are you on top of it.......We here up in Idaho just went to the 48-96 and they love it.

[mkfmedic]

Hi Guys,

West Covina Fire is on this schedule and has been for the past several years. I was initially a skeptic, but have come to really like the schedule. As with any schedule there are pro's and con's however, but in my opinion, the pro's outweigh the negatives.

First and foremost, I drive 40 miles to work. Instead of having 240 miles of driving through a tour, it is reduced by 66% and I only drive 80. It's a huge savings in travel time and money. For departments on the fence, here is a huge "Green" factor.

As a Captain, it allows for me to stretch projects or assignments over two days, rather than having to start and stop over a period of non-concurrent shifts. I believe crew continuity, as along as everyone gets along, is improved.

Some cons. If you work at a busy house as I do, you can be pretty tired at the end of two shifts and two straight nights without sleep.

If you have any openinings, you will not like the fact that you can't work an OT and still not have a four day. That is my main problem, any overtime or trades take away from your 4 days off from work. You will get pretty used to having 3 "dayers."

Along with the openings, vac. days, comp days, whatever your department has, you'll find that you are forced more over weekends and potentially holidays. The 48/96 caused us to increase the amount of straight hours worked. It used to be that we could voluntarily work a 72 and 96 with A.C. approval. With the 48/96 it has increased to 96 and 120 respectively. It is not uncommon for our medics to be forced into a 120. Again, this may be unique due to openings. But be prepared with City's not filling spots to deal with these situations clearly in your OT rules. OT rules has been our biggest challenge in adapting to the work schedule and we have continued to adapt over the last several years. We just recently ratified and updated our OT rules. Now I'm crossing my fingers!

However, if most positions are filled, you will find that you will have more weekends off, which is definetely a plus! Along with more weekends off, you will now be required to work entire weekends, and that does suck, but it is manageable. The schedule is both good and bad for those of us with small kids in sports, dance, school, etc., but again, it is manageable with trades. Again, those trades me somepoint down the line you are out a four-day.

My best advice is to anticipate any problems, take a long hard work at your OT rules, and make every effort to address them up front. If anyone needs a copy of ours, I would be happy to forward them to you to help you with your process.

Good Luck,

Mike

[robfire]

I work for the fire department at LA/Ontario International Airport, owned by LA City. We recently went to the 48/96. I don't think it would be any different then any other 48/96 "LA Area" or not. If there is something I could help you with let me know.

[bwprintworks]

If you have any openinings, you will not like the fact that you can't work an OT and still not have a four day. That is my main problem, any overtime or trades take away from your 4 days off from work. You will get pretty used to having 3 "dayers."

While this is true, you do have 60 4-days on the schedule vs 40 on the 3/4. I'm like you, I try to line up my OT's and trades so I at least have 3 days off in a row. Since we've been on the schedule, my 96s and 120s have dropped off dramatically and have become very rare . I really have to put myself into the situation.

[socalffwb]

We (OCFA) started the 48/96 thing about a year ago. Since change seems to be hard for humans, at first there was some grumbling (mostly from old timers), but it seems like most like it now.

Is LACoFD on 48/96 now or are they sticking with the ways of the old days?

[Grubadour]

Originally Posted by socalffwb

We (OCFA) started the 48/96 thing about a year ago. Since change seems to be hard for humans, at first there was some grumbling (mostly from old timers), but it seems like most like it now.

Is LACoFD on 48/96 now or are they sticking with the ways of the old days?

Ways of the old. From what I read is that it didn't get passed on a vote. Not concrete though.

[Lammjamm]

I saw the 48/96 was being discussed in the union mins by the la city guys. Anyone got some info?

[Ido101%]

I hope LA Co. never goes to 48-96. It's so easy to work overtime the "in between" days. You get used to working 3 sometimes 4-5 days straight at the busy houses. Being on the squad that many days...now that's different but it's overall doable in most positions. It's very easy to trade and turn a 4 day into a 6 day or longer. 48-96 works for guys that live far who DONT work overtime, which is rare...not many guys just work the 10 shifts. The current and old schedule works great too if you're a person that needs rest, you just don't take overtime and go home and sleep the "in betweeners".

[APG166]

Originally Posted by Lammjamm

I saw the 48/96 was being discussed in the union mins by the la city guys. Anyone got some info?

I know chileno is on the job there, he said it wasn't really supported on the floor.

[Tomdz]

Instead of thinking of each 48 hour shift as two 24 hour shifts, change up the thinking to one 48 hour shift. It's all about how the brass and sliver utilize those 48 hours to get things down.

If you work in a busy house then response becomes the focus. Second focus is rest. IN THAT ORDER. That means you get all the chores,station work/projects, inspections and training done the first 24. Hell, if you are running calls all damn shift then the inspection load has to get handed off to the bureau or the 8 to 5 or 10 hour people.

Instead of doing apparatus/equipment check out each day, you only do it the first day.

Instead of doing training each day, you only do it the first day even if you have to go out of service to get it done.

The station/apparatus gets cleaned the first day and then maintained as you go.

If you work in a big house (multi-company) then selected crews rotate medicals during specific hours while the rest of the crews are on down time.

Meal prep is done the first day but with a focus on both days so on the second day cooking is the only thing to do. Mise en place as French chefs like to say.

If you don't lighten the load and treat each day of the 48 as just another 24 (same thing today as yesterday mentality) then the 48 will kick your ass if you work a busy house.