Firefighter 24/48 schedule calendar generator

How the 24/48 (firefighter) pattern works

Each platoon works every third day. Three does not divide seven, so the shift moves through the week: a Monday one time, a Thursday the next, and a full turn through the weekdays takes 21 days. Start times differ by department, so set yours.

Also searched for as: 24 on 48 off, 24/48 shift calendar, three platoon schedule, ABC shift.

The cycle is 3 days long: 1 shift, 2 days off, and then it starts again.

Every crew, day by day

One full cycle for each crew, so you can see who covers what.

The numbers

A year is 365.25 days on average, so the yearly figures are averages; the calendar above counts the exact days of the year you pick.

Good and bad about 24/48 (firefighter)

In its favour

• Two full days off after every shift
• A simple three-platoon cycle that never changes
• Few handovers

Against it

• 24 hours on duty at a time
• Long hours on duty per week compared with 8- or 12-hour schedules
• The shift moves through the week, so weekends are not fixed

Who uses 24/48 (firefighter)

One of the most common schedules in fire services, especially in the United States; also used for some EMS and rescue crews.

Employers run these patterns in slightly different ways, and a union contract or roster can differ from the version here. The grid above is exact for the cycle shown: if your roster differs, choose “My own cycle” in the calendar and type it in.

Other shift patterns

• 48/96 (firefighter)Two 24-hour shifts in a row (48 hours on duty), then four days (96 hours) off, on a six-day cycle with three platoons.Open
• Kelly (9-day)Three 24-hour shifts, each followed by 24 hours off, with the last followed by four days off: a nine-day cycle with three platoons.Open

All shift patterns and the cycle builder

Frequently asked questions