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Council hears plan for six‑month firefighter shift trial; Quick Trip site plan previewed
Summary
City management told the council the fire department will test a 48/96 shift schedule for six months starting April 2, with monthly reviews and a built‑in stop mechanism; the manager also said Quick Trip submitted a site plan that still requires ODOT/OTA approvals.
The City Manager reported that Miami’s fire department has asked to run a six‑month trial of an alternate staffing schedule consisting of two consecutive 24‑hour shifts followed by 96 hours off (often described as a 48/96 plan). The manager said staff reviewed the numbers and that the proposal "wasn't gonna cost us any more money," and that the trial would begin April 2 and run through Sept. 30 with monthly check‑ins and the ability to halt the trial early if problems surfaced.
A fire department official described both benefits and drawbacks: they emphasized recruitment advantages and the ability for firefighters to take extended time off as a pro, and noted some veteran staff are opposed. The official outlined how a tag system would be used to limit consecutive workdays and explained that, under the proposed procedure, a firefighter would be expected to work at most three days under certain tagging conditions.
City management also updated the council on a private development: Quick Trip submitted a new site plan that includes space for a restaurant, but the company still needs approvals from ODOT and OTA before moving forward. The manager described the potential Quick Trip development as "a huge thing for Miami" and said staff would keep the council updated as approvals proceed.
Council members also used the announcements portion of the meeting to publicly thank city crews for snow and ice removal after a recent storm, praising street, utilities and other crews for their work to keep schools and downtown areas clear.
The city did not take a formal action on the fire‑shift proposal during this meeting beyond reporting the requested trial and the schedule; monthly reviews and an ability to end the trial were discussed as safeguards.
