FIREFIGHTER DEATH AND INJURY STATISTICS

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FIREFIGHTER DEATH AND INJURY STATISTICS

• US and NY STATE

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The National Picture
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Reality CheckCivilian fatalities in the US
7,395
Source National Fallen Firefighters
Foundation Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives
3,245
1985
2006
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According to an NFPA review of national patterns,
the average number of firefighter deaths to occur
annually has dropped by one third over the past
30 years.

• However
• FF deaths in structure fires have not
  decreased as much as civilian deaths or the
  number of total structure fires. This is due to
  a marked increase in FF deaths which occurred
  while operating inside structures.

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US Firefighter Deathssource NFPA Journal,
July-August 2007(not including 9/11/01 WTC
deaths)
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2006 US Firefighter Deaths Career
Volunteersource NFPA Journal, July-August
2007(not including 9/11/01 WTC deaths)
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US Firefighter Deaths by Type of Duty,
2006source NFPA Journal, July-August 2007
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US Firefighter Deaths by Cause of Injury,
2006source NFPA Journal, July-August 2007
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US Firefighter Deaths by Nature of Injury,
2006source NFPA Journal,July-August 2007
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US Firefighter Deaths by Age Cause of Death,
2006source NFPA Journal, July-August 2007
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US Firefighter Deaths inMotor Vehicle Accidents,
1996-2006source NFPA Journal, July-August 2007
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Background Information on US Firefighter Deaths

• Sources
• National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
• National Fire Protection Association
• US Fire Administration

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2006 Firefighter FatalitiesWho is dying?

• Career firefighters (defined as those who are
  employed full-time as firefighters) suffered 23
  deaths in 2006.
• Volunteer firefighters accounted for 46 deaths.
• Another 20 victims were civilian contractors or
  seasonal employees of state or federal wildland
  agencies. There was also 1 death in an industrial
  brigade and 1 prison inmate died.
• The median age of firefighters who died in 2006
  was 43 years - the youngest was 17 and the oldest
  was 78.

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2006 Firefighter FatalitiesWhere are we dying?
Nationally, response/return is the 2nd most
hazardous activity after fireground operations as
the most hazardous activity

• Of the 10 deaths in road vehicles, six victims
  were not wearing seatbelts.
• Excessive speed was a factor in at least 5 of the
  crashes.
• Three firefighters were killed when they were
  struck by vehicles at the scene of an emergency.

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2006 Firefighter FatalitiesWhy are we dying?
Stress and overexertion are still the leading
killers

• The largest single cause of firefighter deaths in
  2006 was sudden cardiac events. Heart attacks
  caused the deaths of 37 on-duty firefighters.
• More than half of the firefighters that died in
  2006 died from traumatic injuries such as
  asphyxiation, burns, drowning, vehicle crashes,
  and other physical injuries.

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2006 Firefighter FatalitiesWhere are we dying?

• Nationally the highest number of firefighter
  deaths occurred in New York
• Across the U.S., rural responses are generally
  just as dangerous as urban / suburban fire
  response.

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New York State Line of Duty Deaths and Injuries

• Note All figures are from NYS OFPC. Injury
  stats are from the NYS Fire Incident Reporting
  System (report IIC series). Since participation
  is voluntary, the numbers are incomplete and
  reflect only reported casualties.

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New York State Line of Duty Deaths, 1996-2006
(not including 343 FDNY deaths 9/11/01 at WTC)
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NYS Firefighter Deaths in 2006(includes some
which are still pending official determination as
a LODD)
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2006 NYS Fire Service Injuries Deaths by
Activity
Other Activity,
Apparatus or
Undetermined
Driving/Riding
or No
Station
Vehicle
Response
Activity
16
4
Extinguishing
/Neutralizing
25
Incident
Scene Activity
8
EMS/Rescue
Suppression
12
Support
Access/Egress
22
3
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2006 NYS Fire Service Deaths Injuries by Type
of Duty
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2006 NYS Fire Service Injuries Deaths by Cause
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2006 NYS Fire Service Casualties by Symptom

• Notes
• Burn includes scald, chemical
• electrical
• Other includes various causes (each less than
• 1), undeter-
• mined and no response

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2006 NYS Firefighter Injuries Deaths by
Location
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2006 NYS Fire Vehicle Accidents(source NYS DMV)

• There were a total of 329 fire apparatus
  accidents in 2006. One person died, and 276 were
  injured.
• 64 of the occupants were unrestrained (no
  harness, belt or air bag) at time of accident.

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NYS DMV Fire Vehicle Accident Reports Manner of
Collision, 2006 (accident not necessarily caused
by FD driver)

• Top human factors cited
• (33) Failure to yield right of way
• (28) Driver inattention
• (7) Following too closely
• (7) Unsafe speed
• (9) Passing or lane change improper
• Top environmental factors cited
• (7) Slippery pavement
• (10) Obstructed, impaired or
  limited view

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2006 NYS Ambulance Accidents (source NYS DMV)

• There were a total of 493 acci-dents, killing 5
  and injuring 731.
• 136 injured occu-pants were unrestrained (no
  harness, belt or air bag) at time of accident.

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NYS DMV Ambulance Accident Reports Manner of
Collision, 2006 (accident not necessarily caused
by EMS driver)

• Top human factors cited
• (68) Driver inattention
• (76) Failure to yield right of way
• (21) Following too closely
• (27) Traffic control disregarded
• (21) Unsafe speed
• Top environmental factors cited
• (17) Slippery pavement
• (10) Obstructed, impaired or limited view

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Based on NFPA s Firefighter Fatalities in
the US, 2006 and Whats Changed Over the Past
30 Years? National Fallen Firefighters
FoundationFirefighter Life Safety Initiatives
and statistical reports from NYS DMV NYS
OFPC. Compiled by theLibrary, OFPC Academy of
Fire ScienceThank you!