ORLANDO, Fla. — Fire departments across Florida are being encouraged to allow firefighters to work fewer hours per week, thanks to a new law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis.
The legislation promotes reducing the standard firefighter workweek from 56 hours to 42, with the goal of improving both mental and physical health among firefighters.
The change comes in response to troubling trends. Nationally, about 100 firefighters die by suicide each year. Orlando firefighter Jeff Huggins was one of them. His friend, Mike Rodriguez, said the signs of mental distress weren’t fully understood until it was too late.
“His mental anguish, some of the things that were being said prior to... that didn’t click until after his death,” Rodriguez said.
Beyond suicide, increasing reports of DUI arrests and domestic abuse among firefighters highlight the strain the job can have.
Bernie Bernoska, President of the Florida Professional Firefighters Association, says the 42-hour workweek is essential.
“As call loads continue to rise and departments across the state fail to recruit enough personnel, this change is vital to our members’ physical and mental health,” Bernoska said.
Currently, most firefighters follow a 24-hour-on, 48-hour-off schedule. Only about nine departments statewide have adopted the reduced schedule so far, while others—including Orlando—are still assessing the financial impact.
Orlando firefighters are currently in contract negotiations. The 42-hour work week and pay raises are key issues. The union says reducing work hours will decrease fatigue, prevent burnout, and improve emergency response performance.
But implementing the change won’t come cheap. In Kissimmee, the city recently approved the new schedule, set to begin in April 2026, but it required a raise in fire assessment fees to generate an additional $6.1 million for fire services.
For Orlando, the cost would be significantly higher. A city spokesperson explained that adopting the shorter workweek would mean 15 million dollars in writing.
“The most significant impact would be the need to add a fourth platoon or shift to provide 24/7 coverage of the city. Based on today’s staffing levels, an additional shift would be approximately 135 firefighters.”
It’s unclear how much of a sticking point this will be for firefighters in those negotiations. They will be back at the table at the end of the month.
House Bill 929, signed by the governor, also looked at the gear firefighters wear and encourages departments and manufacturers to make gear without cancer-causing agents. The bill also addresses mental resilience and will track and try to stop those suicides.
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