Data visualization: Firefighter fatality causes (2021)
Table: Firefighter fatality causes (2021)
| Cause | Fatalities |
|---|---|
| Exposure (COVID-19) | 63 |
| Stress or overexertion | 39 |
| Vehicle crashes | 12 |
| Struck by object | 8 |
| Fall | 4 |
| Other | 4 |
| Collapse | 3 |
| Caught/Trapped | 3 |
| Lost/Disoriented | 3 |
| Contact with | 1 |
| Suicide | 1 |
On-duty firefighter deaths in 2021
76 career
55 volunteer
10 wildland
| 141 | Firefighters died while on duty. 63 firefighters died from COVID-19. |
| 92 | Firefighters died from activities related to an emergency incident. |
| 45 | Firefighters died from activities at a non-fire scene. |
| 34 | Firefighters died from activities at a fire scene. |
| 33 | Firefighters died from heart attacks. |
| 12 | Firefighters died while responding to or returning from emergency incidents. |
| 9 | Firefighters died while participating in training activities. |
On-duty firefighter fatalities, 2012-2021
Does not include COVID-19 fatalities for purposes of trend analysis| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighter fatalities | 86 | 110 | 97 | 90 | 92 | 93 | 85 | 65 | 66 | 78 |
Firefighter fatalities by age (2021)
| < 21 | 1 |
|---|---|
| 21-25 | 6 |
| 26-30 | 8 |
| 31-35 | 15 |
| 36-40 | 8 |
| 41-45 | 14 |
| 46-50 | 14 |
| 51-55 | 22 |
| 56-60 | 21 |
| 61-65 | 15 |
| 66-70 | 9 |
| 71-75 | 3 |
| > 75 | 5 |
1986-2021 annual firefighter fatality reports
Important: Please read the introduction for each report to understand how determinations to include on-duty firefighters are made.
Plan a visit the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Please read this information first before scheduling your visit to the National Emergency Training Center.