# Modified Detroit schedule ?



## AVPU (Apr 7, 2010)

I just found out the big ambulance company in town (the one I have the greatest chances of getting on with) works a Modified Detroit Schedule. From reading past posts, it appears this is a 24-hour shift, with one day on, one off, one on, 3 off. Is this correct? Who here works this schedule...and tell me, how brutal is it??


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## Crepitus (Apr 7, 2010)

You're going to have to nail that one down with somebody on the ground there.  Modified Detroit can mean different things to different services.  If the organization is working with a 'three platoon' system it means One on, One off, One on, One off, One on, Four off.  This is more commonly a fire dept schedule and will average out to 56 hours a week on a 27 day FLSA cycle.   The other name for it is California Swing.

I've heard of departments though that claim they work a 'modified Detroit' schedule who are on a 47 hour work week.  Whether they are doing it with Kelly/Garcia days or the schedule that you showed can vary.

I worked the California Swing w/o Kelly days for years and loved it.  My wife works the 'Squad' schedule with the one on/two off with a three day off cycle every so often.   We both agree that the California Swing is preferable, but the majority of her coworkers don't feel that 24 hours time off between shifts is enough of a break.  

That probably boils down to call volume and youthfulness!


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## EMS_rabbit (Apr 7, 2010)

Keep in mind that they will give you time to sleep usually 7 hours but the bad thing is that you will prob only get paid for 16 of those hours unless your station is sweet like that.


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## rescue99 (Apr 7, 2010)

AVPU said:


> I just found out the big ambulance company in town (the one I have the greatest chances of getting on with) works a Modified Detroit Schedule. From reading past posts, it appears this is a 24-hour shift, with one day on, one off, one on, 3 off. Is this correct? Who here works this schedule...and tell me, how brutal is it??



This is pretty much how it works at least one company and a couple of FD's in this area. For a 24, it's pretty nice. Only complaints I've heard are from those going to school. Rotating schedules means being more creative. After working 3 - 24's a week for years, this would be a sweet schedule IMHO.


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## NomadicMedic (Apr 8, 2010)

I was working a modified Detroit right up til I started medic school, and I loved it. However, if you're with a busy crew, that off days can turn into sleep days. I loved the Detroit, but YMMV.


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