Purpose Statement

The Call Shift feature enables administrators to efficiently notify qualified personnel about available shift openings and collect responses for staffing needs. This tool streamlines the process of filling vacant shifts by automatically identifying eligible personnel based on customizable qualifications and sending targeted notifications through multiple communication channels. Call shifts help ensure minimum staffing requirements are met while providing fair opportunities for personnel to accept additional work.

Background Information

Call shifts are essential for managing unplanned absences, increased service demands, or specialized staffing needs in fire and EMS operations. The system automates what would otherwise be a time-consuming manual process of contacting qualified personnel individually. By setting qualification criteria, response deadlines, and tiered notification options, administrators can quickly fill open positions while maintaining compliance with department policies and collective bargaining agreements.

This feature integrates with your department's organizational structure, including ranks, rotations, shifts, districts, and personnel qualifications. The system tracks all responses and provides real-time visibility into who has been contacted and their reply status. Understanding how to configure call shifts effectively ensures you reach the right personnel at the right time while maintaining accurate records for payroll and compliance purposes.

Required Permissions

The following permissions are typically required to create and manage call shifts:

• Access Call Shifts - User can access call shifts
• Initiate Call Shifts - User can start a call shift from both the shift board and from the call shift menu
• View Call Shift History - User can view historical data regarding call shifts

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a New Call Shift

1. Navigate to the Call Shifts module by clicking on Scheduling Call Shifts in the main navigation menu.
    

1. Initiate a new call shift by clicking the New Call Shift button located in the upper portion of the screen.
    

 

1. Set the temporal parameters for your call shift by entering:
   • Start Date and Time - When the shift assignment begins
   • End Date and Time - When the shift assignment concludes
   • Deadline Date and Time - The final time by which personnel must respond to the notification
      

1. Define qualification requirements for the position:
   • Select your desired qualifier from the dropdown menu (such as certifications, apparatus assignments, or specialized roles)
   • Enter the number of positions needed for this qualifier
   • Click the plus sign (+) to add additional qualifiers if the shift requires multiple types of personnel
      

1. Apply advanced filtering (optional) by clicking Advanced Options to narrow eligible personnel by:
   • Groups - Limit to specific organizational groups
   • Ranks - Filter by personnel rank or classification
   • Rotations - Target specific rotation groups
   • Shifts - Include only personnel from designated shifts
   • Districts - Limit to specific geographic districts
   • On Duty - Restrict contactable personnel to those coming off duty at the call shift start time (useful for holdover situations)
      

1. Configure tiered notifications (optional) if you want to contact personnel in priority waves. See the Related Articles section for detailed guidance on implementing tiered call shifts.
    

 

1. Compose your notification message in the message text field. Include all relevant information personnel need to make an informed decision about accepting the shift.
    

 

1. Review the call shift preview before sending:
   • Examine the Contactable Employees section to verify the system has identified eligible personnel
   • If you see zero individuals in Contactable Employees but many under "Not Contacted," consider enabling Ignore Availability to override individual availability settings
   • Verify all parameters are correct before proceeding
      

1. Send the call shift by clicking the Send button at the bottom of the configuration screen.
    

 

Monitoring Call Shift Responses

10. View the call shift history page that appears immediately after sending. This dashboard displays:
    • Communication methods selected by each individual (text, email, push notification)
    • Response status for each contacted person
    • Real-time updates as personnel respond
    • Timestamp information for all interactions
       

Best Practices

Planning and Timing:

• Set response deadlines with sufficient advance notice to allow personnel adequate time to respond while still meeting operational needs
• Consider shift change times when setting start times and using the "On Duty" filter to target personnel already at the station
• Send call shifts during reasonable hours unless dealing with emergency staffing situations

Qualification Configuration:

• Start with broad qualifiers and use Advanced Options to refine rather than creating overly restrictive initial criteria
• Verify qualification requirements match actual operational needs to avoid unnecessarily limiting the eligible pool
• Test your qualifier and filter combinations with a preview before sending to ensure adequate coverage

Communication:

• Write clear, concise messages that include all essential information: location, apparatus assignment, special requirements, and compensation details
• Include contact information for questions if the deadline allows time for personnel to seek clarification
• Maintain consistent messaging format across call shifts to help personnel quickly identify key information

Availability Management:

• Use the "Ignore Availability" toggle judiciously—only when you know personnel availability settings may be outdated
• Encourage personnel to keep availability preferences current to improve the efficiency of the call shift system
• Review the contactable versus non-contactable numbers before sending to identify potential availability setting issues

Response Monitoring:

• Check the history page regularly after sending, especially as the deadline approaches
• Have backup plans ready if response rates are lower than expected
• Document response patterns to inform future staffing strategies and call shift configurations

Things to Avoid:

• Don't send call shifts with extremely short deadlines unless absolutely necessary for emergency situations
• Avoid over-filtering that may exclude qualified personnel unnecessarily
• Don't send duplicate call shifts for the same position without first canceling the original
• Never rely solely on call shifts for planned staffing needs—use them as a supplement to regular scheduling

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: Why does my call shift show zero contactable employees?

A: This typically occurs for one of several reasons:

• Personnel availability settings indicate they're unavailable during the call shift timeframe
• Your qualification or filter criteria are too restrictive
• Personnel are already assigned to other duties during this time
• Try enabling "Ignore Availability" to see if this reveals eligible personnel, then reassess your criteria

Q: What happens if no one responds before the deadline?

A: The call shift will close at the deadline time, and no further responses will be accepted. You can view the final status in the call shift history and will need to use alternative staffing methods (direct assignment, creating a new call shift with modified criteria, or adjusting operational plans).

Q: Can I modify a call shift after sending it?

A: Once sent, call shifts cannot be edited. You must delete the original call shift and create a new one with corrected information. This is why reviewing the preview carefully before sending is crucial.

Q: How do personnel receive call shift notifications?

A: Personnel receive notifications through their preferred communication methods configured in their user profile (text message, email, push notification). They can respond through any of these channels. The history page shows which method each person selected.

Q: What's the difference between "Groups" and "Shifts" in Advanced Options?

A: "Groups" refers to organizational groupings you've created in your system (such as specialized teams or administrative divisions), while "Shifts" refers to standard duty rotations (A-shift, B-shift, C-shift, etc.). Groups are typically used for cross-shift organizational structures, while Shifts target personnel on specific duty cycles.

Q: Can I send a call shift for a position starting immediately?

A: While the system allows this technically, it's not recommended. Personnel need reasonable time to see the notification, make arrangements, and respond. Immediate call shifts may result in poor response rates and should be reserved for true emergencies.

Q: What does the "On Duty" filter actually do?

A: This filter restricts notifications to personnel who are currently on duty and will be ending their shift at the time your call shift begins. This is particularly useful for holdover situations where you want to ask personnel to extend their current shift rather than calling in off-duty personnel.

Q: How do tiered call shifts work?

A: Tiered call shifts allow you to contact groups of personnel in priority order. The system contacts the first tier and waits a specified amount of time. If the position isn't filled, it automatically contacts the next tier. This is useful for implementing seniority-based or qualification-based priority systems. See the Related Articles section for detailed configuration guidance.

Q: Can personnel respond "no" to a call shift?

A: Response options depend on your system configuration. Typically, personnel can accept, decline, or simply not respond. All responses (including declines) are tracked in the call shift history for record-keeping purposes.