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The objective of the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) study “Firefighter Fatalities in the United States” is to identify and analyze all on-duty firefighter fatalities to increase understanding of their causes and how they can be prevented. The study is intended to help identify approaches that could reduce the number of deaths in future years.
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Table: Firefighter fatality causes open + close -
| Cause | Fatalities |
|---|---|
| Stress or overexertion | 37 |
| Exposure (COVID-19) | 36 |
| Vehicle crashes | 15 |
| Collapse | 4 |
| Caught or trapped | 3 |
| Struck by object | 2 |
| Out of air | 2 |
| Other | 2 |
| Fall | 1 |
| 102 | Firefighters died while on duty. 36 firefighters died from COVID-19. |
| 72 | Firefighters died from activities related to an emergency incident. |
| 29 | Firefighters died from heart attacks. |
| 26 | Firefighters died from activities at a fire scene. |
| 25 | Firefighters died from activities at a non-fire scene. |
| 14 | Firefighters died while responding to or returning from emergency incidents. |
| 7 | Firefighters died while participating in training activities. |
Table: On-duty firefighter fatalities (2011-2020) open + close -
| Year | Number of Firefighter Fatalities1 |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 91 |
| 2012 | 86 |
| 2013 | 110 |
| 2014 | 97 |
| 2015 | 90 |
| 2016 | 92 |
| 2017 | 93 |
| 2018 | 85 |
| 2019 | 65 |
| 2020 | 66 |
| 10-Year Trend (%) | -27% |
1 Firefighter fatality counts include firefighters who died under circumstances that were part of inclusion criteria changes resulting from the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act but do not include COVID-19 fatalities for purposes of a trend analysis.
Table: Firefighter fatalities by age (2020) open + close -
| Age | Number of Firefighter Fatalities |
|---|---|
| Under 21 | 1 |
| 21 to 25 | 4 |
| 26 to 30 | 5 |
| 31 to 35 | 5 |
| 36 to 40 | 7 |
| 41 to 45 | 15 |
| 46 to 50 | 14 |
| 51 to 55 | 9 |
| 56 to 60 | 15 |
| 61 to 65 | 10 |
| 66 to 70 | 11 |
| 71 to 75 | 3 |
| Over 75 | 3 |
Firefighter Autopsy Protocol
This protocol helps with the analysis of causes related to firefighter deaths, which can aid in the development of improved firefighter health and safety equipment, procedures and standards. It also helps determine eligibility for death benefits under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program.
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
The Foundation provides peer counseling, training and technical assistance for families and coworkers of firefighters who were killed in the line of duty. It also creates publications and reference materials that can be used to build public awareness for the many contributions made by members of the fire service.
Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program
The Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program provides benefits to survivors of fallen firefighters, Emergency Medical Services members and other first responders. The Program also provides disability benefits for public safety officers who are permanently disabled following an injury while in the line of duty.
