Kissimmee commissioners direct staff to pursue 24/72 firefighter schedule, prepare fire-assessment proposal

Kissimmee commissioners signaled consensus at an April workshop to pursue a 24/72 firefighter work schedule and directed staff to prepare a fire-assessment proposal and timeline for public hearings to fund the change.

The proposal, presented by Fire Chief Jim Walls and Finance Director Tavia Ritchie, would reduce firefighter weekly hours from 56 to roughly 42 by moving to a schedule that has firefighters work a single 24-hour shift followed by 72 hours off. Chief Jim Walls said the change would give crews “the ability to emotionally and physically recover” from intense incidents and, he said, would improve recruitment and retention.

The commission was asked to decide whether to adopt the staffing schedule if funding is secured and which funding approach to pursue. Ritchie presented three options: (1) a full millage increase, (2) a citywide fire assessment using two tiers (a variable charge per $1,000 of relative improvement value and a fixed per-parcel fee), or (3) a hybrid that raises millage partway and fills the remainder with an assessment. Ritchie said full implementation would require roughly $6,000,000 and 49 new positions, including 29 firefighters, several operations lieutenants and engineers, and additional administrative and…