4-8 Schedule

Information on new 4/8 shift schedule (Four Eight)

The 4/8 shift schedule is a new variation of the 48/96 schedule. It offers all of the same benefits as 48/96, but offers an 8 day off every 24 days.

  • Rotation is OO XX OO XXXX OO XX OO XXXX XXXX (O = On, X = OFF)
  • 24 Day FLSA period.
  • Operational period remains 24 hours 0800-0800.
  • Sick leave, Vacation, Holiday, and benefit days are still 24 hour increments.
  • Recall or Force days are still 24 hours.

Current Departments on the 4/8

San Bernardino County Fire Protection District

Barstow Fire Protection District

Several departments are currently researching changing to the 4/8.

Advantages of 4/8

  • Reduction of commute times and increased fuel savings as compared to one day on shift schedules.
  • Reduction of long term fatigue. Personnel see better recovery with an 8 day period.
  • Better balance of work and personal lives.
  • Higher productivity on shift. More time to complete projects and reduction of duplicated tasks.

SBCOFD 1 Year Comparison Stats

  • Total voluntary overtime increased 90% and force hires/forced recalls/forced overtime dropped 28.5%.
  • Sick leave usage dropped 25%.
  • Emergency recalls for large incidents dropped from 5 unmanned stations in the first 24 to 1.8 unmanned stations.
  • Emergency recall force hours for the first 96 hours dropped from an average of 4359 hours to 1780 hours.

SBCOFD Votes

  • SBCOFD was on the 4/6 work schedule with one division on 48/96. It was proposed to evaluate a single alternative schedule to the 4/6.
  • 11/2017 First vote narrowed the alternate schedule down between 4/8 and 48/96. 4/8 won with 77% (4/8 - 328, 48/96 - 100)
  • 12/2017 Second vote was between alternate schedule and the then current 4/6. 4/8 won with 75% (4/8 - 327, 4/6 - 109)
  • 03/2018 Started working the 4/8 schedule.
  • 08/2018 Trial vote was moved up from one year to about month 6. Admin felt we had been on it long enough to make a decision.
  • 4/8 won with 89% (4/8 - 408, 4/6 - 53)

SBCOFD Demographics

  • 48 professionally staffed stations
  • 650 suppression personnel
  • 1,000,000 population served
  • Covering 19,293 square miles
  • 149,000 annual incidents
  • Busiest unit runs 25-30 per day

Maximizing Vacation/Holiday Use

  • One Vacation/Holiday - 9 days off
  • Two Vacation/Holiday - 12 days off
  • Four Vacation/Holiday - 18 days off
  • Six Vacation/Holiday - 22 days off
  • Eight Vacation/Holiday - 32 days off

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