48/96 shift calendar generator (firefighter)

How the 48/96 (firefighter) pattern works

Each platoon is on for two days and off for four. The cycle is six days, so the pattern shifts through the week and every platoon gets a block of four days off. Shifts change at the same time each morning; set your department's start time.

Also searched for as: 48 on 96 off, 48/96 schedule, 2 on 4 off 24 hour shifts.

The cycle is 6 days long: 2 shifts, 4 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 48/96 (firefighter)

In its favour

• Four days off in a row
• Only one handover pair every six days
• Equal time for each of three platoons

Against it

• 48 hours on duty at a time
• Long continuous stretch away from home
• Fatigue over the second shift

Who uses 48/96 (firefighter)

Used by some fire departments and ambulance services as an alternative to 24/48, with fewer, longer blocks.

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

• 24/48 (firefighter)One 24-hour shift, then 48 hours off, on a three-day cycle with three platoons, so one platoon is always on duty.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