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1-3-2-3 firefighter schedule
The 1-3-2-3 schedule is one 24-hour shift, three days off, two 24-hour shifts back to back and three days off, then it repeats. With three platoons it covers every day of the year, and every stretch off is at least three days long.
By Asier Fernández ·
1-3-2-3 at a glance
- Cycle
- 9 days
- Shift length
- 24 hours
- Hours a week
- 56
- Hours a year
- 2,920
- Most shifts in a row
- 2
- Longest break
- 3 days
Three shifts in nine days is 72 hours, an average of 56 hours a week and about 2,920 a year (121 shifts in 2027 for one platoon). That is the same as a 24/48 or a 48/96: the 1-3-2-3 only arranges the days differently.
How it compares
| Schedule | Cycle | Longest stretch on | Breaks | Hours a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3-2-3 | 9 days | 48 hours | 3 days, twice per cycle | 56 |
| 24/48 | 3 days | 24 hours | 2 days after every shift | 56 |
| 48/96 | 6 days | 48 hours | 4 days | 56 |
| Kelly | 9 days | 24 hours | 4 days once per cycle | 56 |
It sits between the 24/48 and the 48/96: one single shift and one double each cycle, and always three days off in between. Departments that test it usually want longer breaks than the 24/48 without making every tour 48 hours.
Overtime under 7(k)
Fire departments usually pay overtime after 212 hours in a 28-day work period (29 CFR 553.230). A 1-3-2-3 puts 216 or 240 hours into any 28 days, so most work periods carry some overtime, as on a 24/48. Weekends: 23 to 24, depending on the weekday your cycle starts full weekends off in 2027. Try your own work period in the 7(k) calculator.
Make the calendar
Choose “1-3-2-3” in the shift calendar to get your year, with every crew, holidays and a file for your phone. Pick “All crews” for the A, B and C platoon calendar, or see the 24-hour schedule templates.
More guides
Figures are worked out from each cycle; rules checked against official sources on . How we calculate
Questions
What is a 1/3 2/3 shift schedule?
One 24-hour shift, three days off, two 24-hour shifts back to back, three days off: a 9-day cycle for fire departments.
How many hours a week is a 1-3-2-3 schedule?
56 on average with three platoons: 72 hours every 9 days.
Is 1-3-2-3 better than 48/96?
Same hours. The 1-3-2-3 mixes one 24 and one 48 per cycle with 3-day breaks; the 48/96 always works 48 hours and gives 4 days off.
How many platoons does a 1-3-2-3 need?
Three, three days apart, for one platoon on duty every day.
Does a 1-3-2-3 have overtime?
Under 7(k), most 28-day work periods go over the 212-hour threshold, as on a 24/48.