How the Kelly schedule works
Platoon APlatoon BPlatoon CFederal holiday
One turn of the ring is one 9-day cycle, starting at the top. Each segment is the platoon on duty that day.- Days 1, 3 and 5: on duty for 24 hours each.
- Days 2 and 4: off between shifts.
- Days 6 to 9: four days off, then the cycle starts again.
Who works it
Used by fire departments. "Kelly day" also means an extra day off some departments schedule to keep average hours down; add yours as skip dates.
Kelly calendars by year
Printable year calendars with every platoon in color, holidays marked and a .ics file for each platoon.
Hours and overtime
With the default alignment, platoon A works 123 shifts in 2026, 2,952 hours in all, an average of 56.6 hours a week. In a Sunday-to-Saturday week, that is 48 to 72 hours, and 51 of the 51 full weeks go over 40.
Public fire departments can pay overtime on a work period of 7 to 28 days under section 7(k) of the Fair Labor Standards Act instead of the usual 40-hour workweek. For fire protection employees on a 28-day work period, overtime starts after 212 hours; for law enforcement, after 171. A 24-hour rotation with three platoons averages 56 hours a week, about 224 hours in 28 days, which is one reason some departments add Kelly days. Contracts and state laws often pay more. This is general information, not legal advice. Sources: DOL Fact Sheet #8 and 29 CFR 553.230.
To add up a pay period's hours, use the biweekly time card; for time and a half on a regular rate, the overtime calculator.
Other rotations
Not listed? Build any cycle on the shift calendar generator.
Questions
What does the default start date mean?
Platoon A starts its first shift on Thursday, January 1, 2026, and the other platoons follow in order. That is a starting point, not your department's calendar. Enter a date you know under Line it up and the whole year moves to match.
Is this my department's official calendar?
No. It follows the pattern and the date you choose. Departments set their own start dates, Kelly days, trades and holiday rules, so check the result against your department's published schedule.
How do I line it up with my shift?
Pick your platoon, then enter the date of the first day of any rotation you worked or will work, such as the first shift after your long break. Every other day of the year lines up from it, backward and forward.
Can I skip vacation days or trades?
Yes. On the generator, tap a shift in the month view or type the dates under More options. Skipped shifts leave the .ics, the printout and the totals. They are saved in the link you copy.
How are holidays counted?
The calendar marks the 11 federal holidays on the actual date, such as July 4, and counts a holiday as worked when one of your shifts starts that day. When a holiday falls on a weekend, the observed weekday is listed too. Your employer's holiday pay rules may use either date.
Is my schedule saved?
Your settings stay in this browser so the generator opens where you left it. Copy link puts them in a link you can send to your phone or share with your crew. Nothing is sent to our server.
How do I add the .ics file to my phone?
iPhone: open the downloaded file and tap Add All, or import it into a new calendar so it is easy to remove later. Google Calendar: on a computer, go to Settings, Import and export, choose the file and the calendar to add it to. Outlook: File, Open and export, Import, or drag the file onto the calendar. Each shift becomes one timed event, and 48-hour tours are one event.
Which time zone should I pick?
Choose your department's time zone so shifts stay at the right time if you travel. Device time writes times with no zone, and every calendar shows them as local time on the device. Across daylight saving changes, a shift keeps its clock times: 7:00 AM to 7:00 AM is 23 or 25 hours on those two nights, and the totals here count the scheduled length.