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Bryan fire lieutenant urges pilot of 48/96 shift to stem departures and training costs
Summary
City of Bryan fire department presenters asked council to pilot a 48/96 shift schedule, citing internal polling and peer-city comparisons that they say would improve retention and reduce recruitment/training costs; council asked staff for HR, risk and finance review before any pilot.
Lieutenant Walter Norrell, a company officer with 13 years of service, told the City of Bryan council that the department is losing trained personnel and urged support for a pilot shift change to a 48/96 schedule. "Because Bryan Fire Department is hemorrhaging firefighter paramedics," he said, presenting department polling and turnover data and asking council to consider the task force recommendations.
Norrell described training timelines for uncertified hires — "18 to 24 months" to become fully certified — and said the department’s internal poll showed strong support for the change: "Of that initial poll, 80% of the department responded. Of that 80%, it came back 79 in favor." He estimated the combined cost to train a single new firefighter-paramedic at about $100,000 and argued that retaining or recruiting just three certified firefighters could save the city about $300,000 over time.
Chief Richard Giusti and staff framed the proposal as a pilot and asked for council direction rather than immediate adoption. Chief Giusti said the change is a recruitment and retention tool and noted that several neighboring departments already operate on the 48/96 schedule. City staff told the council they would provide additional material — including local-hire rates, the number of second jobs among personnel, and comparative safety data — before a formal decision.
Council members repeatedly asked that HR, risk and finance review the proposal before the city endorses a pilot. One council member asked for a formal committee review and a timeline for periodic reassessment; staff said they would convene the requested analysis and return with recommended guardrails and monitoring plans.
