How many days a month do firefighters work on a Kelly schedule?

Roughly 10 duty days per month — each a 24-hour tour.

What is a 48/96 schedule?

A newer fire pattern: 48 hours on (two consecutive 24s), then 96 hours (4 days) off. Same average hours as Kelly, fewer but longer work blocks.

Shift patterns

Kelly Schedule (24-Hour Shifts): Shift Hours & Calendar

The Kelly schedule is a 24-hour shift pattern used by fire departments: work 24 hours, off 24, work 24, off 24, work 24, then four consecutive days off, repeating every 9 days. Three platoons cover the calendar, and each firefighter averages about 56 hours per week — standard for fire service.

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### Kelly Schedule (24-Hour Shifts) key facts The Kelly schedule is a 9-day firefighter cycle of 24-hour shifts: on 24, off 24, on 24, off 24, on 24, then 4 straight days off. Averages ~56 hrs/week. - Cycle: 9 days, 3 platoons - Average hours: ~56 hrs/week (fire-service standard)

Kelly Schedule (24-Hour Shifts) calendar

One platoon's Kelly cycle: three 24-hour tours separated by single days off, then a 4-day break
	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Week 1	24-hr	Off	24-hr	Off	24-hr	Off	Off
Week 2	Off	Off	24-hr	Off	24-hr	Off	24-hr

At a glance

Kelly Schedule (24-Hour Shifts) at a glance
Shift length	24 hours
Cycle	9 days, 3 platoons
Average hours	~56 hrs/week (fire-service standard)

Who uses the Kelly schedule?

Fire departments and some EMS agencies; variants (48/96, 3-on-4-off) are common across U.S. fire service.

Pros

A 4-day break every cycle without PTO
Only ~10 duty days a month
Crew continuity — same platoon every tour

Cons

24-hour tours mean interrupted sleep on busy calls
56-hour average weeks are the norm, not overtime
Family plans must bend around the 9-day cycle, not the week

Frequently asked questions

How many days a month do firefighters work on a Kelly schedule?: Roughly 10 duty days per month — each a 24-hour tour.
What is a 48/96 schedule?: A newer fire pattern: 48 hours on (two consecutive 24s), then 96 hours (4 days) off. Same average hours as Kelly, fewer but longer work blocks.