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Kelly Schedule Calendar
The Kelly schedule is a 9-day firefighter pattern: 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, then 4 days off. Pick a day you start work and get your whole year.
Kelly Schedule at a glance
- Cycle
- 9 days
- Shift length
- 24 hours
- Crews for 24/7
- 3
- Hours a week
- 56
- Hours a year
- 2,920
- Days off per cycle
- 6
What is a Kelly schedule?
The Kelly schedule is a 9-day firefighter pattern: 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, then 4 days off. Three platoons cover 24/7. The name is also used for a "Kelly day", an extra shift off that departments give to cut weekly hours.
One cycle, crew by crew
Standard (9 days)
Employers often shift the start or swap the order of blocks. If your rota differs, change the start date until the calendar matches a week you already know.
Printable Kelly schedule template
Working a Kelly schedule
The Kelly schedule is a 9-day firefighter pattern: 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 24 off, 24 on and then four days off. Three platoons cover 24/7. You work three shifts in five days and then get a long break, a different rhythm from the even spacing of a 24/48.
The word Kelly is also used for a Kelly day: an extra shift off, every so often, that departments give to bring average hours down. On this site you can add Kelly days to any 24-hour pattern in the calendar.
Under 7(k) the Kelly cycle puts 9 or 10 shifts into any 28 days, as a 24/48 does.
Overtime on a Kelly schedule under 7(k)
Fire departments usually pay overtime under section 7(k) of the FLSA: after 212 hours in a 28-day work period (29 CFR 553.230). In any 28 days this cycle puts 9 or 10 shifts of 24 hours, so 216 or 240 hours, which is up to 28 hours over the threshold before Kelly days, swaps or callbacks.
Try your own work period in the 7(k) overtime calculator.
How many hours is a Kelly schedule?
| Version | Cycle | Crews | Avg hours a week | Hours a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 9 days | 3 | 56 | 2,920 |
Hours a year = hours worked in one cycle × 365 ÷ days in the cycle. Standard: 72 h × 365 ÷ 9 = 2,920 h. These are scheduled hours; overtime, leave and swaps change your own total.
Kelly pay calculator: hours, overtime and pay a year at your hourly rate.
Kelly Schedule pros and cons
Pros
- A 4-day break every 9 days.
- Three shifts per 9 days, so about 56 hours a week.
- Good for people who want longer breaks than a 24/48.
Cons
- Three 24-hour shifts in five days are tiring.
- The word "Kelly" means different things in different departments.
- Your department may add Kelly days on top of this cycle.
Kelly Schedule calendar 2027
An example year with Crew A starting its cycle on Monday, January 4, 2027; the other crews follow 3 days apart. For your own dates, use the calendar at the top of the page.
| Crew | Shifts in 2027 | Hours | Full weekends off |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 121 | 2,904 | 18 |
| B | 123 | 2,952 | 17 |
| C | 121 | 2,904 | 17 |
Day shifts yellow, nights blue, 24-hour shifts red, US federal holidays with an orange corner.
January 2027
February 2027
March 2027
April 2027
May 2027
June 2027
July 2027
August 2027
September 2027
October 2027
November 2027
December 2027
Who uses the Kelly schedule?
Fire departments in the US and Australia.
Similar patterns
- 24/48 Schedule3-day cycle, 56 h a week
- 48/96 Schedule6-day cycle, 56 h a week
- 24/72 Schedule4-day cycle, 42 h a week
Questions
How many hours a week is a Kelly schedule?
On average 56 hours a week: 3 shifts of 24 hours every 9 days. Over a year that is about 2,920 scheduled hours, before overtime, leave or Kelly days.
How many crews does a Kelly schedule need?
3 crews for this version, with exactly one crew on each shift every day.
How many hours a year is a Kelly schedule?
About 2,920 scheduled hours a year: about 122 shifts of 24 hours. Overtime, leave, Kelly days and shift swaps change your own total; the pay calculator works it out at your hourly rate.
How long is the Kelly schedule cycle?
9 days. After that the same days repeat, so the calendar for any year follows from one start date.
How do I add my shifts to Google Calendar or my iPhone?
Pick your pattern and a day you start a block, press "Add to calendar" and open the file. Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and Outlook import it as all-day events, so daylight saving time does not move them.
Can my family see my schedule?
Yes. Press "Copy link" ("Share" on a phone) and send it. The link holds your pattern and start date, so it opens the same calendar on any phone. Nobody needs an account.
Can I add Kelly days to a Kelly schedule?
Yes. Under "Kelly days" choose how often you get one, for example every 7th shift. On a Kelly schedule that is every 21 days, and it cuts the average week from 56 to 48 hours. The Kelly days show on the calendar, in the calendar file and in the hours and pay.
Can I download it to Excel?
Yes. Press "Excel" to download the year as a CSV file that opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. With "All crews" selected you get one column per crew, ready to print or post for the whole team.