SAULT STE. MARIE, Ontario — An arbitrator ruled that firefighters will be put on a 24-hour shift system and the fire chief said they will be expected to work them without sleep.

SOOToday.com reported that the Sault Ste. Marie Professional Fire Fighters Association was recently awarded the change from 15-hour shifts to 24-hour shifts, the final result of the union's contract negotiations with the city. The firefighters were also awarded a wage increase of 2.6 percent.

"This is what they requested. They assured us the work could be done in a 24 hour period, that they could be sharp for the 24 hour period," Fire Chief Mike Figliola said. Chief Figliola said he expected firefighters to be awake during the entire shift.

Fire officials' position during the negotiation process stated 24-hour-long shifts were "dangerous" due to the potential for sleep deprivation. Chief Figliola said safety was the number one concern, and he would remove firefighters from service if they showed signs of sleep deprivation.

Union President Marty Kenopic said the ban on sleeping doesn't make sense as the firefighters were allowed to sleep during the old 15-hour shifts. That's why the stations have beds, he said.

The new shifts will be introduced as a 36-month trial period. City officials said the new longer shifts will likely result in more sick time usage, as well as additional spending on overtime due to callbacks.