Working hours

I work 24 hour-shifts followed by 48 hours off. In simpler terms, I work one day and off for two days.

At a glance, it seems like it's brilliant cos I only work 10 days a month.

But in actuality I work 60 hours a week.

Typical office workers are only allowed to 42 hours a week according to labour laws. Anymore than that is considered overtime.

Furthermore, my work doesn't end at the 24th hour of duty. I still need to hand over the appliances to the next Rota on duty. Sometimes there would be fire reports or other miscellaneous things to settle and it can devour the entire morning of my first day off.

Of course, firefighters do not actually do strenuous work the entire 24 hours - a good fraction of our duty is being on standby. But still, I define work as being away from home and family, away from your comfort zone and being strictly governed by working rules and regulations (eg. we are expected to be in uniform for the whole 24 hours).

When the duty is finally over, the feeling of emancipation from work translates into mental fatigue and when I reach home, the only thing that will be on my mind would be having some quality sleep.

And I will be lost in slumberland until afternoon comes... which leaves me with only one and a half day of free time before my next duty comes.





Rota Commanders have it worse. They work on average 66 hours a week! Yikes!

And don't even get me started on Station Commanders... although they are expected to be in station at office hours, they are on standby 24/7!