ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Morale and staffing are improving at the Alexandria Fire Department after the agency moved to a 49-hour workweek, Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez Jr. told City Council on June 23.
The department adopted the schedule in October 2025, cutting average weekly hours from 56 to help with recruitment and retention, ALXnow reported.
| MORE: Inside the move to a 24/72 D-shift schedule
The schedule uses a fourth shift and a “debit day” system. Firefighters work 42 hours a week, plus one extra day every 24 days, for an average of 49 hours.
Alexandria firefighters will see more schedule changes in the coming years. Under the city’s collective bargaining agreement with Alexandria Firefighters Local 2141, the department must move to a 46-hour workweek by the end of 2028.
The department has also seen some staffing gains. Five employees returned from other departments this fiscal year, and another four full-time-equivalent employees are expected to join midway through fiscal year 2027.
The department has 348.5 full-time-equivalent employees across eight fire stations, including 301 in operations. Officials said five positions remain vacant, and 14 recruits began academy training May 26.
Officials are also reviewing its EMS response model, including when to send Basic Life Support or Advanced Life Support units. Hernandez said the call-type changes made in November helped ensure nearly all BLS and ALS calls remained correctly matched.
The city is also planning a West End fire station, with $19.4 million approved for fiscal year 2028.
If your department is struggling to hire and retain firefighters, what’s the first change you’d make?
