SHIFT-48: Schedule and Health Improvements for Firefighters Transitioning to 48/96.

Abstract

Examine the effects of transitioning from a 24/48 to a 48/96 shift schedule on health and performance in firefighters assigned to a single, suburban station. A longitudinal analysis was conducted over 3 time points in 11 male firefighters. Measures included VO 2peak , peak power, blood pressure, resting heart rate, lipid profiles, and psychological assessments. Linear mixed-effects models analyzed changes across time points. Transitioning to the 48/96 schedule was associated with improvements in peak power (+27.1 W, P = 0.042), resting blood pressure (SBP -5.5 mm Hg, P = 0.05, DBP -5.8 mm Hg, P = 0.04), heart rate (-13.2 bpm, P = 0.03), sleep quality (ISI -2.6, P = 0.03), and alcohol use (AUDIT -1.8, P = 0.02); VO 2peak did not reveal a significant time effect ( P > 0.05). Extended intershift recovery in a 48/96 schedule may promote cardiovascular recovery and readiness without negative health effects in similar departments.