By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- Norfolk is proceeding with plans to implement a fourth firefighter shift, committing $1.8 million to create 34 additional firefighter positions aimed at reducing average workweek hours from 52-plus to approximately 42 hours.
- The scheduling modification addresses documented health and wellness concerns, with union and department leadership citing burnout, cardiovascular risks, and mental and physical strain associated with extended 24-hour shifts under the current three-shift system.
- Norfolk launched a lateral recruitment process for certified firefighters from other agencies; the application period closed July 17 with an unexpectedly high volume of applicants from across the region and nation.
- The first lateral firefighter academy is expected to begin in November; Virginia Beach Fire Department is also considering similar staffing and scheduling changes, with Fire Chief Ken Pravetz requesting initial funding for a reduction from 56 to 48 hours in April.
- Virginia lawmakers approved legislation in 2026 encouraging localities to reduce firefighters’ workweeks to 42 hours, establishing a policy framework for similar initiatives across the state.
NORFOLK, VA. — The City of Norfolk is proceeding with implementation of a fourth firefighter shift designed to reduce overtime and address burnout among personnel working extended shifts under the current three-shift system.
The city has allocated $1.8 million to fund the creation of 34 firefighter positions. The new shift schedule is projected to reduce firefighters’ average workweek from 52 hours or longer to approximately 42 hours.
Union representatives and department leadership have identified extended shift schedules as a contributing factor to burnout, increased cardiovascular risk, and mental and physical strain among firefighting personnel. Officials stated that reduction in average workweek hours through implementation of a fourth shift could improve both firefighter and public safety outcomes.
To staff the additional positions, Norfolk launched a lateral recruitment initiative targeting certified firefighters from other departments. The application period closed July 17 with significantly higher application volume than city officials anticipated. Applicants submitted applications from across the region and from departments nationwide.
The city has scheduled the first lateral firefighter academy to commence in November. Lateral recruitment permits the city to bring experienced certified firefighters into service without requiring completion of basic recruit training.
The shift reduction initiative aligns with 2026 Virginia state legislation encouraging municipalities and counties to reduce firefighter workweeks to 42 hours. The state legislation establishes a policy framework supporting local government efforts to address firefighter health and wellness through scheduling modifications.
Virginia Beach Fire Department personnel are monitoring Norfolk’s implementation progress. In April, Virginia Beach Fire Chief Ken Pravetz requested city council funding for an initial workweek reduction from 56 to 48 hours, with a longer-term goal of moving to a four-shift schedule similar to Norfolk’s initiative.
Virginia Beach currently operates under the same three-shift schedule as Norfolk, with firefighters working 24-hour shifts. Noel Garo, a battalion chief with the Virginia Beach Fire Department and vice president of IAFF Local 2924, stated that Norfolk’s progress could provide momentum for Virginia Beach to advance similar staffing and scheduling changes. Garo noted that Norfolk’s recruitment success may increase regional labor market competition for firefighter positions.