48 on, 96 off

[JakeEMTP]

I work 24 (where we get paid for 16 hrs only unless you are up for three hours past midnight resulting in less than 5 hrs sleep)

You my friend, are getting hosed. Regardless if you get called out after midnight or not, the mere fact that you are there and available to take calls, means you get paid for the entire 24. When I work 24's, I get paid for all of it. Even if we get 0 calls.

[Timmy]

In my state for the most part Fire and Ambos work two 10 hour days shifts and two 14 hour night shifts followed by 4 days off one of those possibly on call.

[Arkymedic]

You my friend, are getting hosed. Regardless if you get called out after midnight or not, the mere fact that you are there and available to take calls, means you get paid for the entire 24. When I work 24's, I get paid for all of it. Even if we get 0 calls.

A lot of services in the South do this Jake as federal law states an employee must be provided a minimum of 5 hrs sleep and that the 16 hr model is perfectly acceptable by law. Ark Emerg Transport had a lawsuit filed once but not much come of it. It is just a fact of life and pay ranges from 21-25,000 for a new medic in this particular area. Add int the fact that we only get paid once a month towards the end of the month, and it is easy to see why one works as many shifts or multiple jobs as one can. Not much one can really do about it and this is a progressive aggressive service. Ask Rid and others from AR and OK and they can tell you much more about conditions in OK and AR. I have also seen this occur in other Southern states as well.

[AnthonyM83]

Our company usually caps us at 72 without special permission. FD can pretty much do unlimited (some apparently do all their 10 days in a row, then have 20 days off...if they can coordinate their trades and such, which there is a cap on).

But yup, people 48 hours without any any sleep in the busy areas...though usually you get a few hours each day spread out throughout the 2 sifts.

[Richard B the EMT]

A hypothetical situation:

EMS crew is on this 48 hour tour, and the joint is jumping. The crew has been awake and running long calls, and has done 42 calls during this time.

They get off in 10 minutes, at least per the posted schedule. Then, in the traditional EMS story-telling way, they get a call, and respond, as their relief crew waves to them as they go by them at the corner traffic light.

Let's make this a standby call at the state correctional facility, where an Attica style riot is now going on, with hundreds of Correction Officers, and thousands of inmates, potentially, and in actuality, putting major hurt on each other.

I'm going to go really crazy here, and have 2 of the news helicopters crash into each other while covering the riot, fall into some of the prison buildings, killing the helo crews instantly, and causing large areas of fire from the exploding fuel. There are now burn casualties, as well as the other injuries usually inflicted by each side on each other in a prison riot.

As some of the prisoners broke into a weapons locker, they and the COs are exchanging gunfire, with kills and wounding on both sides.

Local and state police are arriving with increased frequency, with word the governor has called for the National Guard. The Guard won't have their first set of boots on the ground for at least 2 hours. The town Fire Department, as well as the EMS service originally sending the poor EMS crew already on for over 48 hours, and neighboring town's fire and EMS departments, under both Mutual Aid and State Office of Emergency Management, are in response mode.

That first unit is inside the gates, and the facility is in "Lock down", so they aren't going anywhere for an indeterminable amount of time, but they are treating patients.

While this is (hopefully) an improbable scenario, would you want to be this tired crew, now in the eye of the TV cameras, attempting to help everyone, while practically sleepwalking, as they are so damnably tired, and possibly making mistakes in their treatments?

[brock8024]

I work 48 on 96 off and love it. I get four days off with my family. I will admit, I get tired sometimes but it works out. I work rural so there are days where I only run 2 calls in a 24 hour period. I can remember a few times only running 3 calls in 48 hours. We can lay down anytime we want. I work with a good crew so we take care of eachother.

We alternate calls during the day. If it is your first day then you run all calls after midnight unless back to back. then your second day at midnight you get to sleep and only get up when needed.

So if it is my second day and the new crew knows I been up all night they will run all calls til noon or so. that lets me and my partner sleep and rest. The crews I personally work with are great and like I said we take good care of eachother.

[JakeEMTP]

A lot of services in the South do this Jake as federal law states an employee must be provided a minimum of 5 hrs sleep and that the 16 hr model is perfectly acceptable by law. Ark Emerg Transport had a lawsuit filed once but not much come of it. It is just a fact of life and pay ranges from 21-25,000 for a new medic in this particular area. Add int the fact that we only get paid once a month towards the end of the month, and it is easy to see why one works as many shifts or multiple jobs as one can. Not much one can really do about it and this is a progressive aggressive service. Ask Rid and others from AR and OK and they can tell you much more about conditions in OK and AR. I have also seen this occur in other Southern states as well.

That is almost what the law says.

SLEEPING TIME AND CERTAIN OTHER ACTIVITIES:An employee who is required to be on duty for less than 24 hours is working even though he/she is permitted to sleep or engage in other personal activities when not busy. An employee required to be on duty for 24 hours or more may agree with the employer to exclude from hours worked bona fide regularly scheduled sleeping periods of not more than 8 hours, provided adequate sleeping facilities are provided by the employer and the employee can usually enjoy an uninterrupted night's sleep. No reduction is permitted unless at least 5 hours of sleep is taken.

I highlighted some key words for you.

Source; US Department of Labour

Employment Standards Administration

Wage and Hour Division

Fact Sheet #22

[Arkymedic]

That is almost what the law says.

SLEEPING TIME AND CERTAIN OTHER ACTIVITIES:An employee who is required to be on duty for less than 24 hours is working even though he/she is permitted to sleep or engage in other personal activities when not busy. An employee required to be on duty for 24 hours or more may agree with the employer to exclude from hours worked bona fide regularly scheduled sleeping periods of not more than 8 hours, provided adequate sleeping facilities are provided by the employer and the employee can usually enjoy an uninterrupted night's sleep. No reduction is permitted unless at least 5 hours of sleep is taken.

I highlighted some key words for you.

Source; US Department of Labour

Employment Standards Administration

Wage and Hour Division

Fact Sheet #22

So what do I do then? I sure as fuck do not agree with only being paid for 16 hrs while I have to be there for 24 hours at a salaried level and, I really do not agree with the policy if no one comes in we are REQUIRED to stay for the next shift until relieved. If we leave a base without coverage we are fired and reported for abandonment. I am fairly new to this service, just recieved a raise, and do not want to stir up some major waves if it accompolishes nothing.

[brentoli]

While this is (hopefully) an improbable scenario, would you want to be this tired crew, now in the eye of the TV cameras, attempting to help everyone, while practically sleepwalking, as they are so damnably tired, and possibly making mistakes in their treatments?

[Ridryder 911]

So what do I do then? I sure as fuck do not agree with only being paid for 16 hrs while I have to be there for 24 hours at a salaried level and, I really do not agree with the policy if no one comes in we are REQUIRED to stay for the next shift until relieved. If we leave a base without coverage we are fired and reported for abandonment. I am fairly new to this service, just recieved a raise, and do not want to stir up some major waves if it accompolishes nothing.

The problem is EMS is exempted from the normal wage & labor rulings. EMS has their own special areas, One have to contact them for interpretation, they will even discuss how difficult it is to decipher.

R/r 911