The City of Pitt Meadows has gone to 24-hour shifts for its firefighters.
Beginning Jan. 13, Pitt Meadows Fire and Rescue Service adopted a 24-hour shift pattern, where a team of four firefighters are on duty from 7 a.m. until 7 a.m. the following day.
This change was mutually agreed on by the department and the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 4810, said city spokesperson Kate Campbell.
"The 24-hour shift schedule offers several advantages, particularly in terms of operational efficiency and employee work-life balance," she explained.
It is an increasingly popular shift in Canada, with more departments adopting it over the past 10-15 years, and has been used in the U.S. going back more than 50 years.
During the COVID-10 pandemic, Calgary went to a 24-hour shift pattern, in order to reduce the potential for transmission of the virus, and the schedule was kept permanently. Management found it reduced the need to pay overtime.
The model reduces the frequency of handovers between shifts, minimizing the chances of miscommunication or operational disruptions, said Campbell. By reducing the handover to one per day, it is also more cost-effective, as it mitigates the costs associated with overlapping shift hours during crew change.
In terms of team cohesion, it fosters strong camaraderie and teamwork among firefighters, which is essential for effective collaboration during high-pressure situations, she added.
While firefighters are working the same number of hours during a set eight-day period, the 24-hour shift pattern was established to support an increased personal-professional balance for firefighters, compared to the former two-days/two-nights pattern.
"This schedule has become more common in many departments not only in the region, but across Canada," noted Campbell.