The number of reported on-duty firefighter fatalities in the United States in 2017 was the lowest since the National Fire Protection Association began reporting firefighter deaths in 1977.
The NFPA's annual firefighter fatalities report, released Monday, shows that 60 on-duty deaths were reported last year, marking the lowest number since 1977 and the sixth time in the last seven years that the figure has been below 70.
The 60 on-duty deaths were comprised of 32 volunteer firefighters, 21 career firefighters, three employees and two contractors with federal or state land management agencies, and two prison inmates.
The totals for career and volunteer firefighters were both at their second-lowest totals in 2017. In addition, the 17 deaths reported from the fireground represent the second-lowest number in that category since the study’s inception and the second consecutive year it was below 20.
"Many of the all-time or near lows we saw in 2017 reflect a continuation of declining firefighter fatality rates in the U.S.," said Rita Fahy, the NFPA’s manager of fire databases and systems. "At the same time, we found some unexpected shifts in terms of when and where deaths are occurring."
The unexpected shift Fahy hints at relates to the second-highest number of deaths (11) happening at non-fire emergencies. In previous years, the second-largest number came from firefighters responding to or returning from emergencies.
The increasing danger firefighters are facing from unaware motorists is glaring in the report since ten of the 11 deaths in non-fire emergencies were attributed to firefighters being struck by vehicles—which is far higher than the average of four annually over the previous 30 years.
"This is very different from what we usually observe in a year. Only twice before has the total been 10 or higher," Fahy said.
Five of the 10 firefighters struck died while operating at vehicle crashes, three were responding to downed power lines, one was at the scene of a downed tree, and one was checking on flooding conditions during a storm.
Overexertion, stress and medical issues made up more than half of the deaths at 32. Among these fatalities, 29 were sudden cardiac deaths, two were the result of strokes and one was due to complications from a work-related medical procedure.
"This report only reflects deaths that occur while victims are on-the-job, either as the result of traumatic injuries or onset of acute medical condition," said Fahy. "Studies have shown that years spent in the fire service can take a toll on a firefighter’s health, both physical and emotional, and can also result in exposures to toxins that eventually result in job-related cancer that are not represented in this report."
Read the full report here.
