VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach City Council approved reducing firefighters’ average workweek from 56 hours to 48 hours, a change city leaders say will improve firefighter health, recruitment and retention.
The council also authorized the Virginia Beach Fire Department to hire 63 full-time employees during the next fiscal year to support the new schedule, WAVY reported. The department expects to implement the change in September 2028.
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Fire Chief Kenneth Pravetz said firefighters currently work an average of 56 hours a week, with some logging 72- or 96-hour weeks because of staffing shortages. Over the course of a career, firefighters work the equivalent of nine years longer than the average city employee, Pravetz said.
“All of this work has eroded some of the health and wellbeing aspects of the profession,” Pravetz said. “If we can reduce the hours or reduce the exposure rates, it’ll just be good for the workforce, and it’ll be good for the community. We’ll have better engaged and refreshed firefighters.”
Pravetz said the shorter workweek will give firefighters more time to recover between shifts and spend with their families while improving their performance on duty.
The additional staffing also would give the department a larger pool of firefighters available for recall during hurricanes, tornadoes and other major emergencies, Pravetz said.
The change follows a broader shift among fire departments in Virginia and across the country toward shorter workweeks. Norfolk adopted a 42-hour workweek for its firefighters in July, and Pravetz said the Virginia General Assembly has encouraged departments to explore similar changes.
Pravetz said the department plans to hire aggressively over the next year to fill the positions needed for the transition.
“We’re excited that people will come check out our fire department,” he said. “It’s a great place to work.”
