Firefighter Fatalities in the United States

Who is a firefighter?  State and local fire service personnel, career and volunteer  State or local public service officer, acting as firefighter  Federal government fire service personnel  Temporary fire suppression personnel operating under official auspices of one of the above  Privately employed firefighters

How is “on-duty” defined?  At scene of alarms, whether fire or non-fire  En route responding to or returning from alarms  Performing other duties, including training, maintenance, public education, inspection, investigation, etc.  Performing non-fire duties on official assignment  Station duty

What is counted as an on-duty fatality?  Any injury that was incurred while on duty and proves fatal  Any illness that was incurred as a result of actions while on duty and proves fatal

Off-Duty, Retired and Former Firefighters Defining the U.S. Firefighter Death Problem On-Duty Firefighters

 53 volunteer firefighters  42 career firefighters  6 employees of federal or state land management agencies  1 contractors to a federal land management agency  1 member of an industrial fire brigade 103 On-Duty Fatalities in 2007

Career and Volunteer Firefighter On-Duty Deaths * Number of Deaths * excluding the 340 firefighter deaths at the World Trade Center

2007 Firefighter Deaths by Type of Duty

2007 Career Firefighter Deaths by Type of Duty

Training deaths:  Physical fitness activities (2 deaths)  Driving back from training (2 deaths)  Live fire training exercise (1 death)  Equipment drill - power saw (1 death)  At seminar (1 death)

2007 Career Firefighter Deaths by Cause of Injury

2007 Career Firefighter Deaths by Nature of Injury

Career Firefighter Deaths by Type of Duty

Structures 92% Vehicles 3% Refuse 1% Wildland 4% Career Firefighter Deaths by Type of Duty and Incident Type

Structure Fire Deaths by Fixed Property Use Career Only

Structure Fire Deaths by Fixed Property Use Career Only Vol – 8.5% Vol – 11.5% Vol – 5.2% Vol – 4.9% Vol – 63.0% Vol – 5.9%

CauseInsideOutside On Roof On LadderTotal Structural collapse Exertion/stress/other medical Fire progress Lost inside Struck by object/vehicle Explosion Fell in hole burned in floor/roof Fell/jumped from structure Other falls Electrocution Smoke exposure (all no SCBA) Gunshot Aerial collapse Other/no details Total Causes of Fatal Injuries at Structure Fires

Patterns for Career Firefighter Deaths at Structure Fires

Major Causes of Non-Cardiac Deaths Inside Structures

The average number of career firefighter deaths annually has dropped by more than half On-duty sudden cardiac deaths have dropped by more than one third, but remain the #1 cause of on-duty firefighter deaths Half of all career firefighter deaths occur on the fire ground Snapshot

 Real progress has been made in reducing firefighter deaths over the past 30 years, but more can be done  Sudden cardiac death continues to be the major problem  Advocates for the development of a safety culture in the fire service Progress??

What Recent Actions Have Been Taken? NFFF Fire Fighter Life Safety Summit  Initiated March 2004 with over 200 participants  Purpose – to produce an agenda of initiatives & gain commitment of the Fire Service  Objectives set for reduction 25% within 5 years 50% within 10 years  Sixteen initiatives were put forward

Initiatives  Need for a cultural change within the fire service  Enhance the personal and organizational accountability  Focus greater attention on risk management.  Empower all to stop unsafe practices.  Implement national standards for training, qualifications and certification.  Implement national medical and physical fitness standards.  Create a national research agenda and data collection system

Initiatives  Utilize available technology to produce higher levels of health and safety.  Investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and near misses.  Grant programs should support safety  National standards for emergency response policies and procedures.  National protocols for response to violent incidents.  Firefighters and their families must have access to counseling

Initiatives  Public education must receive more resources and be championed.  Advocacy must be strengthened for codes and home sprinklers.  Safety must be a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.

Outgrowths & Efforts  The Seat Belt initiative and pledge  IAFC/IAFF Wellness& Fitness Initiative Annual Physicals Physical Fitness Wellness – Physical and Mental  NFPA Standards revisions  Tech changes – bio feedback, tracking of FFs  NIMS and other IMS training  Low hanging Fruit Responding/Returning Fitness for Duty The End