FIREFIGHTER DEATH AND INJURY STATISTICS US and NY STATE 2009

The National Picture: analysis of 2009 deaths source: NFPA Journal, July-August 2009

US Firefighter Deaths (not including 9/11/01 WTC deaths)

US Firefighter Deaths: Career & Volunteer (not including 9/11/01 WTC deaths)

US Firefighter Deaths by Type of Duty, 2009 source: NFPA

US Firefighter Deaths by Cause of Injury, 2009 source: NFPA

US Firefighter Deaths by Nature of Injury, 2009 source: NFPA

US Firefighter Deaths by Age & Cause of Death, 2009 source: NFPA

US Firefighter Deaths in Motor Vehicle Accidents,

Background Information on US Firefighter Deaths Source: National Fire Protection Association

2009 US Firefighter Fatalities In 2009, a total of 82 on-duty firefighter deaths occurred in the U.S. This is a sharp drop from the 105 on-duty deaths that occurred in the U.S. in 2008, and the lowest annual total since 79 deaths in But remember…that’s in large part due to fewer fires. “Since 1977, the number of U.S. firefighter deaths annually at structure fires has dropped almost two thirds, a finding that often has been credited to improvements in protective clothing and equipment, fire ground procedures, and training, but little attention has been paid to the drop in the number of structure fires themselves. Over the same period, the annual number of structure fires declined by 53 percent.” -- Dr. Rita Fahy, NFPA

2009 Firefighter Fatalities Who is dying? Career firefighters (defined as those who are employed full-time as firefighters) suffered 31 deaths in Volunteer and part-time paid firefighters accounted for 41 deaths. An additional 10 deaths (employees of land manage- ment agencies, contractors, and a member of a racetrack fire safety crew) were reported by NFPA. 30% of firefighter fatalities were under the age of 40.

2009 Firefighter Fatalities Where are we dying? Nationally, fireground activities are the most hazardous. Response/return was third: Of the 9 deaths in road vehicles, 6 victims were not wearing seatbelts. 5 firefighters were killed in wildland aircraft crashes. Additionally, 4 firefighters were killed when struck by vehicles at the scene of an emergency; another 2 fell from moving apparatus.

2009 Firefighter Fatalities Why are we dying? Stress and overexertion are still the leading killers The largest single cause (43%) of firefighter deaths in 2009 was sudden cardiac vascular or cardiac events. Heart attacks caused the deaths of 35 on-duty firefighters; 7 died of stroke or embolisms. Almost all of the non-cardiac deaths inside structure fires were due to smoke inhalation, burns or crushing injuries. Death rates due to these causes have not been falling.

2009 Firefighter Fatalities Where are we dying? The highest proportion (33%) of firefighter fireground deaths were in residential occupancies. Residential fires accounted over 85% of civilian deaths. They also cause roughly eight to ten firefighter injuries every year. Since the mid-2000s, the number of structure fires has remained relatively unchanged, while the firefighter death rate has increased.

2009 Firefighter Fatalities Where are we dying? Across the US, rural response is generally just as dangerous as urban / suburban fire response.

New York State Line of Duty Deaths and Injuries 2009 Note: Injury statistics are from the NYS Fire Incident Reporting System (report II C series). Since participation is voluntary, the numbers are incomplete and reflect only reported casualties. FDNY deaths are included, but injuries are not.

New York State Line of Duty Deaths, (not including 343 FDNY deaths 9/11/01 at WTC) 2009

2009 NY State Line-of-duty deaths Walter Hessling, Dix Hills, 11/27/09 – Stroke following response to MVA Patrick Joyce, Yonkers, 10/2/09 – Jumped from 3 rd floor to escape flames Richard Holst, Huntington, 9/9/09 – Undetermined collapse at fire scene Charles “Chip” McCarthy, Buffalo, 8/24/09 Jonathan Croom, Buffalo, 8/24/09 Paul Warhola, Brooklyn, NY, 8/14/09 - Cerebrovascular accident at scene Robert Johnson, Mahopac Falls, 7/5/09 – Fell at the scene of a fire safety demo Mark Bradley Davis, Cape Vincent, 1/31/09 – Shot by mentally disturbed EMS patient Lt McCarthy & FF Croom were killed while searching a burning commercial structure when the main floor collapsed

Preliminary list of NYS line-of-duty deaths, Right-click map, then “Open Hyperlink” to see where NYS LODDs occurred (with names, dates, details)

2009 NYS Fire Service Injuries & Deaths by Activity

2009 NYS Fire Service Deaths & Injuries by Type of Duty

2009 NYS Fire Service Injuries & Deaths by Cause

2009 NYS Fire Service Casualties by Symptom Note: Burn i ncludes chemical, electrical & scald

2009 NYS Firefighter Injuries & Deaths by Location

Analysis of 2009 NYS fire & EMS motor vehicle accidents Analysis of 2009 NYS fire & EMS motor vehicle accidents source: NYS DMV (2010 figures not available until about January 2012)

2009 NYS Fire Vehicle Accidents (source: NYS DMV) There were a total of 389 fire apparatus accidents in persons were injured. There were no fatalities.

NYS DMV Fire Vehicle Accident Reports: Manner of Collision, 2009 (accident not necessarily caused by FD driver) Top human factors cited: (47) Driver inattention (43) Failure to yield right of way (13) Following too closely (11) Traffic control disregarded Top environmental factors cited: (20) Slippery pavement (9) Obstructed or limited view

2009 NYS Ambulance Accidents (source: NYS DMV) There were a total of 471 accidents. There were 2 fatalities (a driver and a pedest- rian, both civilian). 484 persons were injured (Includes EMS responders, patients, those in other vehicles, pedestrians, etc.)

NYS DMV Ambulance Accident Reports: Manner of Collision, 2009 (accident not necessarily caused by EMS driver) Top human factors cited: (70) Failure to yield right of way (67) Driver inattention (29) Following too closely (22) Unsafe speed (20) Traffic control disregarded (14) Passing or lane change improper Top environmental factors cited: (26) Animals action (23) Slippery pavement (16) Obstructed or limited view

For more information: Firefighter casualty reports page (USFA) Firefighter Fatalities in the United States (NFPA) Firefighter Injuries in the United States (NFPA) Patterns of Firefighter Fireground Injuries (NFPA) What’s Changed Over the Past 30 Years? (NFPA, 2007)

Thank you, and be safe! Based on: “Firefighter Fatalities in the US in 2009” and “What’s Changed Over the Past 30 Years?” published by NFPA USFA provisional reports and statistical reports from NYS DMV & NYS OFPC. Compiled by Diana Robinson & Kalyani Manuelpillai Thank you, and be safe!