Skip to main content

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Fire-Related Firefighter Injuries as Reported to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (2018-2020)

  • Share on:

Topical Fire Report Series | November 2022 | Volume 22, Issue 4

This topical report addresses the details of firefighter injuries sustained at, responding to or returning from a fire incident, focusing on data as reported to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) from 2018 to 2020.

At a Glance

From 2018 to 2020, an estimated
23,075

firefighter injuries
occurred annually on the fireground, and another 4,400 injuries occurred while responding to or returning from an incident.

87%
occurred in structure fires

Most fire-related firefighter injuries (87%) occurred in structure fires. In addition, on average, firefighters were 10 times more likely to be injured in structure fires than in nonstructure fires.

43%
lost work time

Injuries resulted in lost work time for 43% of firefighters with reported fire-related injuries.


12%
higher in July

Fires resulting in firefighter injuries occurred more often in July, at 12%, and peaked between the hours of 2 and 5 p.m.

29%
overexertion/strain

Overexertion/Strain was the cause of 29% of reported fire related firefighter injuries.

63%
transported to hospitals

Of the reported fire-related injuries, 63% of the firefighters were transported to hospitals to be treated for their injuries. Of those firefighters treated at a hospital, 70% were career firefighters.

These topical reports are designed to explore facets of the U.S. fire problem as depicted through data collected in the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System. Each topical report briefly addresses the nature of the specific fire or fire-related topic, highlights important findings from the data, and may suggest other resources to consider for further information.