Data showing reduced sleep during 7 a.m. starts prompted West Metro to delay firefighter shift times by two hours

LAKEWOOD, Colo. — West Metro Fire Rescue is changing the start time for firefighter shifts after a months-long sleep study found that early start times significantly reduced rest, the department said.

For decades, West Metro firefighters have worked 48-hour shifts that begin at 7 a.m. and end two days later. During those shifts, crews respond to calls around the clock, often with little uninterrupted sleep, 9 News reported.

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Assistant Chief Mike Binney said the long-standing schedule, combined with early morning commutes, was cutting into firefighters’ rest even before their first call.

Earlier this year, Binney partnered with the Yale School of Public Health and the Colorado Office of eHealth Innovation to track sleep patterns for 166 firefighters. The months-long study collected biometric data on and off duty, producing a detailed dataset on firefighter sleep.

The study found firefighters averaged about six hours of sleep per day while on shift, and that the 7 a.m. start time forced them to wake more than an hour earlier than their natural sleep cycle on the first and last days of their shifts, Binney said.

Starting in January, West Metro will adjust firefighter shift start times from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. to provide crews with more natural rest before duty. The change was approved by union members in a vote that passed by a wide margin.

Department leaders hope a later shift start will reduce firefighters’ reliance on caffeine and improve alertness and safety during 48-hour tours. Firefighters will wear sleep trackers again for several months under the new schedule, and the data will be compared with the original study to measure any improvements in rest, performance and long-term health.

Do you think later shift start times could improve firefighter safety and performance?

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