ROCHESTER, N.Y. —The Rochester Fire Department will switch over to a 24-hour working schedule next year after an agreement on a new contract.

The City of Rochester and Local 1071, Rochester’s fire union, have reached in agreement on the new contract according to the Rochester Fire Department.

RFD’s current schedule consists of three 10-hour days followed by two days off, three 14-hour night shifts, and then four days off. The department says the new schedule will consist of one 24-hour day followed by two days off, and then another 24-hour day followed by four days off.

Rochester Fire Fighters Association Local 1071 has released the following statement on the change:

“We wanted to move to the 24hr schedule because of the health and safety benefits compared to our old schedule. After a busy night, your body takes a day and a half to recover to get back to your normal circadian rhythm. If you have a busy night your first or second night while working three nights in a row, your body does not have time to recover before the next shift. The old schedule opens our members up to fatigue, whichleads to injuries and accidents the second and third night in.The new schedule gives us more flexibility with training. Without and afternoon relief time, daytime training can go later in the day.73% of North America workssome version of the 24hour schedule.”

The new schedule will go into effect in January of 2024.