Wholetime Shift Systems - Full Circle

[Rich]

Still lucky enough to be on the 2-2-4 shift system (9 hour days & 15 hour nights).  The brigade is looking at alternatives but is (thankfully) sitting back to see what works and doesn't work around the country.

What alternatives are out there (3 x 8's 2 x 12's etc) and what brigades are using them?

Has anyone changed from the above system to a new one but has now reverted back?

Would just like some answers for when they eventually come for us!!!!

[Benfire]

Several BAA fire services do this: Starting on a Thursday, 2 days 2 nights 2 off, 1 day 2 nights 2 off, 2 days 1 night 2 off, 2 days 2 nights 8 off.  7 days and 7 nights work and 14 off in every 28 day rotation

[Kaiser]

My brigade wnt from 2, 2, 4 to 3days, 3 off, 3nights, 3 off and changed from 9hour days/15 hour nights to 12 hour shifts. Starting at 7am and pm respectively.  The shift system is an absolute disaster, under the old shift system, there was some sort of handover of information between watches, this eliminated that as you only really see the watch working days when you are on nights or nights when you are on days.
The reason given for 7 until 7 was so that we could be early enought to get stuff done and be out doing community safety work and school visits at 9am, but this has backfired big style.  The schools don't want us there so early as there are lots of routines that happen in school first thing and we were disturbing this.  In addition to this, we used to have scouts, cubs, air, sea & army cadets come to station for visits in the evenings, this is all out of the window now because by the time we've had a parade, appliance and kit checks, it's at least 7.30 pm more often than not, a little later which means that your start times are no longer suitable for most of the groups that always wanted community safety input from us.
In a massive way, this shift change implementation has failed and luckily and most of all, quite amazingly, it has been recognised by our Chief Fire Officer and the fire authority.  The question was, how do we turn this system around to something that works well for the firefighters, the community and the brigade and the simple answer was, let the firefighters suggest something that works.  The reasoning for this was that this way, the firefighters will be more willing to implement a new shift system that works for themselves and they will also make it achieve the targets for all concerned if it benefits themselves.  2 stations are now trialling a self rostering system which allows the crews to decide which shift system they want to implement. 3 guesses which system works out the best for all concerned and is very successful for the brigade. 2 days, 2 nights and 4 off (which we all know is actually 3 off but let's not split hairs on this matter)
"SHOULD" this new modernised shift system be successful after the full trial period, it will be implemented fully within the brigade.  

IT'S LIKE THE OLD SAYING GOES,  "IF IT AINT BROKEN, DON'T FIX IT"

[Clevelandfire]

It is amazing how the powers that be like to play around with things just for the sake of it. I appreciate they have a hard job to do at times, and that we lowly mortals don't always appreciate why something has been done a certain way because there is a bigger picture emerging but when something has been trialed and doesn't work why don't they have the guts to say 'we got it wrong' and try something else thats better. It makes me sick.

[eric the red]

hello , manchester here, we work the 2-2-4 type thingy but guess what , ? , we now do shifts that include 78 hour weeks and no day off for 13 days! this revolutionary system has won european awards! the majority of ops staff yearn for the traditional system return. we do mon, tues day, weds thurs night, rest of friday off, back in on sat and sun night, rest of mon off back on normal shift tues day for 2 day 2 night.... we do this circus for 7 tours, not every tour with additional shifts included, but usually 1 or 2, then for all the inconvenience and running about, an extended annual leave of 18 days. oh and the possibility of getting called in on your annual leave for weekend work only.nice. we were told that doing this system would enable us to get all the time off we needed for holidays and duty swops but we don't. oh and by the way, these 78 hour weeks and no beds, no decent rest facilities, just a chair ergonomically designed for 3 hours rest NOT SLEEP. but hey hoo i'm pension tied and miserable , 20 years.. it'll soon pass.....