The city's Fire Department this month moved to a new shift schedule that officials hope will result in greater job satisfaction among the employees.
Firefighters now work two days straight before having four days off -- or 48 hours on and 96 hours off. Until Jan. 1, they worked the traditional 24 hours on, 48 hours off schedule.
Fire Chief Blake Holte and Capt. Rance Richardson noted the request for the new schedule came from firefighters. Richardson is vice president of the Springdale Fire Fighters Local 3007 of the International Association of Fire Fighters and the Arkansas Professional Fire Fighters Association.
The 156 front-line Springdale firefighters responded to about 9,200 calls for service in 2021, Holte reported.
Rogers and Fayetteville fire departments also follow the 48/96 shift.