Why do Firefighters sleep at night?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions. In the early days of fire history a Firefighter worked a 24 hour shift and you can imagine that in those times fires did not happen every day. The Firefighters at some point in the 24 hours needed to rest. Today many Fire Departments are returning to the 24 hour shift, as in the case of the Hudson Fire Department. While most people assume they are sleeping soundly, that is far from the case. Consider how well you sleep when you are not sleeping in your home. Often times being in a different sleep environment is enough to keep you tossing and turning all night. In the case of Firefighters their rest or sleep is interrupted by calls for fire and EMS service, air compressors and other mechanical noises in the fire station that runs 24 hours a day. Even one emergency call during the night shift will interrupt their sleep pattern for the rest of their shift. There are also other reasons that Firefighters need to rest during the night shift. "Fire fighters have documented increases in their risks for cardiac disease, malignancies and other illnesses that may be promoted by the chronic sleep deprivation associated with long work hours. Fire fighters and EMS responders are at risk for the decrements in mental and physical performance that have been well documented among others working long hours and during the night. Fatigue among fire fighters may relate to the disproportionately higher fire ground injury rates observed for the early morning hours. " Fatigue when driving may increase the risk of crashes when driving following long work hours. Long commutes following work may be a particular hazard.

*Source; IAFC,USFA Firefighter Sleep Deprivation Report