Working on Yom Kippur

First things first, I want to start by saying that I work for the Ambulance Service. I am scheduled to be working nights over Yom Kippur and I am unable to take the day off of work.

In my line or work due to having to maintain enough manning to ensure the service is able to continue operating at a safe standard, only a few people are allowed off at the same time and too many people booked off early October when the leave booking horizon opened before I could get my request in. Unfortunately our service also doesn’t allow its employees unpaid leave unless it is for emergency/compassionate grounds. Having already discussed this with my manager and HR, I have been told the only option that I have is to do a shift swap with someone, however no one is able to do a shift swap.

This also brings in the fact that we work 12 hour long shifts, and our work is both physically and mentally demanding. I am a type one diabetic and while in previous years I have been able to fast safely I’m concerned that not eating while working could cause my blood sugars to drop to unsafe levels.

So basically, given my circumstances above, my questions are as follows:

1.) Am I breaking Halacha working on Yom Kippur? 2.) Am I breaking Halacha if I need to eat during my shift to sustain and maintain my blood glucose levels