# firemen hours of work

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemen-hours-of-work/677197>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 26, 2013, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemen-hours-of-work/677197 "2013-12-26T04:33:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firemen-hours-of-work/677197/21 "2013-12-27T04:41:36Z")

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> [@Smapti](#):
>
> What does a 24-hour or 48-hour shift actually _entail_? I assume there’s only so many hours out of the day that are taken up actually dealing with emergencies, performing automotive maintenance, etc., and that the firefighter is not actually expected to remain awake, fully alert, and engaged in meaningful work for the entire period. Is it basically that the firefighter is essentially living in the fire station and “on call” for the duration of the shift, and that he’s at liberty to eat or sleep or what have you when urgent duty fails to present itself?

Yes, exactly like medical personnel on night duty (those also often have 24h shifts). And in both cases if there is a big ongoing emergency shifts may get shortened. Those long shifts are defined under the assumption that people will not need to remain awake and alert consinuously.

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