How the Kelly schedule works
A Kelly platoon works 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, then 4 days off. That's three 24-hour shifts every 9 days, an average of about 56 hours a week.
Three platoons (usually A, B and C shift) are each three days apart, so exactly one platoon is on duty every day. Shifts typically start and end in the morning, often at 7:00 or 8:00 am. You can set your department's start time under "Shift times".
The 9-day Kelly rearranges the same hours as a 24/48 (about 56 a week) so the days off bunch up into a 4-day break. A "Kelly day" in the other sense is an extra day off that cuts hours: on a 24/48 with a Kelly day, every seventh shift is skipped, giving a 5-day break and about 48 hours a week. Both are in the calendar, and the Kelly day is marked on it.
| Week 1 | Week 2 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platoon | M | T | W | T | F | S | S | M | T |
| Platoon A | 24 | · | 24 | · | 24 | · | · | · | · |
| Platoon B | · | · | · | 24 | · | 24 | · | 24 | · |
| Platoon C | · | 24 | · | · | · | · | 24 | · | 24 |
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platoon | M | T | W | T | F | S | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
| Platoon A | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | K | · | · |
| Platoon B | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | K | · |
| Platoon C | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | 24 | · | · | K |
K = Kelly day (a scheduled day off in place of a shift).
Kelly days are covered by a relief pool, so coverage varies by department.
Within one platoon, members often take Kelly days at different points. Set your own anchor date.
Kelly schedule at a glance
- Cycle length
- 9 days
- Shifts per year
- about 122
- Average hours per week
- 56
- Hours in a single week
- 48 to 72
- Weekends fully off per year
- about 12 of 52
- Longest break
- 4 days in a row
- 24-hour shift (typical)
- 7:00 am – 7:00 am (next day)
Calculated from the rotation itself, assuming the cycle starts on a Monday. Your weekends and holidays depend on how your employer lines up the cycle, so set your own date in the calendar above.
Where the name "Kelly" comes from
The name is usually said to come from Edward Kelly, mayor of Chicago in the 1930s and 1940s, who gave firefighters regular extra days off to cut their hours without cutting pay. The story is told in many versions. Today "Kelly" means two things: the 9-day rotation on this page (same hours as 24/48, with a 4-day break), and a "Kelly day", an extra scheduled day off that does reduce weekly hours.
Pros and cons
What people like
- A 4-day break every 9 days.
- Only about 10 shifts a month.
- Never more than one day off between shifts in a stretch, so you don't lose rhythm.
- Fewer commutes than most schedules.
What's hard
- Three 24-hour shifts within five days is demanding.
- 56-hour average week.
- The 9-day cycle drifts through the week, so weekends off move around.
- Holidays rotate: you'll work some holidays every year.
Who uses the Kelly schedule
Variations
- Kelly (9-day)
- 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 4 off. This page's calendar starts here. Also called the "California swing".
- 24/48 with a Kelly day
- A 24/48 rotation where every 7th shift is a scheduled day off, giving a 5-day break.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Kelly schedule?
A Kelly schedule is a firefighter rotation where a platoon works a 24-hour shift, has 24 hours off, works another 24, has 24 off, works a third 24-hour shift, and then has 4 days off. The cycle repeats every 9 days with three platoons.
What is a Kelly day?
A Kelly day is a scheduled day off added to a firefighter's rotation to lower their average weekly hours. A common example is a 24/48 rotation where every 7th shift is a Kelly day: that brings the average from about 56 to about 48 hours a week. The 9-day Kelly schedule is different: it has the same 56 hours as 24/48, just with the days off grouped into a 4-day break.
How many hours a week is the Kelly schedule?
About 56 hours a week on average: three 24-hour shifts every 9 days, or roughly 2,900 hours a year.
Do firefighters get overtime on a Kelly schedule?
Fire departments in the US usually don't use the regular 40-hour overtime rule. Under section 7(k) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, public fire agencies can use a work period of up to 28 days, with overtime starting after 212 hours in a 28-day period (about 53 hours a week). Many departments use Kelly days, extra paid hours or union contract rules to manage this, so check your department's policy or contract.
What is the difference between Kelly and 24/48?
The 9-day Kelly and 24/48 both average about 56 hours a week. 24/48 is one shift then two days off, every time. Kelly groups three shifts close together and gives a 4-day break every 9 days. Adding a Kelly day to 24/48 (every 7th shift off) is what lowers the hours, to about 48 a week.
Is the California swing the same as the Kelly schedule?
Usually, yes. Most departments use "California swing" for the same 24-on, 24-off, 24-on, 24-off, 24-on, 4-off rotation.
This page is general information, not legal or payroll advice. Calendars are for personal planning: confirm your official schedule, pay and overtime with your employer.