Office of Public Safety

Section 10: Scheduling and Attendance

Western EMS members are students first and foremost. With the understanding that the member’s academic lives are first priority, every effort will be made to accommodate a member’s preferences and availability for shifts.

All Western EMS personnel are required to work all regular scheduled duty shifts. In addition to regular duty shifts, Lieutenants are required to work all of their assigned Lieutenant shifts per month. This policy is established recognizing that a member is only scheduled on the days that he or she requested unless the member has not requested any specific dates to not be scheduled. 

In the event that a member is sick, or any other unforeseeable circumstances arise, the member must make an even trade for their shift unless an immediate need arises. Once the trade is made, the member must contact the Seniors of both shifts to inform them of the trade as well as the Executive Officer. The member initiating the trade must email the Western EMS email account.

It is the sole responsibility of the member scheduled to find a replacement for their shift.

Any “abandoned” shifts will not be tolerated at any time. The only time it is permissible for a spot to be left open is with permission from the Captain, or in the event that the Captain’s unavailable, the Executive Officer can be notified.

Any violations of this policy will be entered as a written reprimand into the member’s file.

Scheduling Procedures:

1.        Scheduling will be done on a basis deemed proper by the Captain or XO.

2.        Duty shifts will be a minimum of twelve and one half-hours, from 1830 hours until 0700 hours seven days a week. Modified scheduling may occur during summer or when the Western EMS Advisor or Captain requests it.

3.        Additional duty hours can be filled with prior approval of the Western EMS Advisor and Captain if:

A.      A written request is received from UHDS

B.       A written request is made by OPS

C.       A written request is made by a member

D.      A written request is made by any student or non-student organization

4.        Each special duty crew will consist of no less than one EMT and one First Responder and no more than four members. Please see Section 12.1: Crew Staffing for further explanation.

5.        If a member fails to give their schedule request to the XO when he/she requests it, then that member will be responsible to fill any shifts that may be randomly assigned to them.

6.        The Training Officer will submit any training requests to the XO in an attempt to fill empty slots as well.

7.        It is the responsibility of the member, not the XO, to find a replacement for their shift after the schedule is completed.

8.        If a substitute can’t be found, the member must notify the XO at least twelve hours in advance.

9.        The XO will complete the schedule for the upcoming month within the time frame provided by the Captain.

10.     Scheduling is always at the discretion of the Captain, XO, and the posted schedule will be adhered to at all times.

11.     It is the decision of the Captain and the XO to assign an observer or candidate to a shift.

12.     The XO is to make note of any abandoned shifts or unequal trade of shifts and give that information to the Special Duties Officer to file. The XO should note the member who dropped the shift as well as the member who picked up the shift.

13. Members are restricted to no more than four duty shifts and two lieutenant shifts per month, unless given permission to work more directly by the Captain or Executive Officer. If a need for coverage arises within 48 hours of the shift, a member may go beyond the four shift limit.