FIREFIGHTER DEATH AND INJURY STATISTICS

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FIREFIGHTER DEATH AND INJURY STATISTICS

• US and NY STATE
• 2008-2009

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Preliminary USFA figures for 2009 source
USFA Provisional Report 1/1/2009 to 12/31/2009
3
Preliminary 2009 USFA LODD statistics
(NFPA narrowly defines firefighter and line
of duty, so their numbers are generally about
10 smaller)

• 93 firefighter LODDs were reported to USFA, 8 of
  which were in New York
• 47 were volunteers 38 were career
• There were 6 multiple-fatality incidents
• There were 15 fatal wildland incidents and 22
  fatal structure fires

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Preliminary 2009 USFA LODD statistics

• There were 38 deaths unrelated to an incident.
  (For example, heart attacks at home)
• If incident-related, the most dangerous type of
  duty associated with LODD was on-scene fire (28
  deaths)

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Preliminary 2009 USFA LODD statistics

• Stress/overexertion was by far the biggest killer
  (52 deaths)
• Heart attack was the biggest medical factor,
  causing 41 deaths
• The 41-50 and 51-60 year age brackets were most
  at risk overall

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Preliminary 2009 NYS Line-of-duty deaths

• Walter Hessling, Dix Hills, 11/27/09 Stroke
  following response to MVA
• Patrick Joyce, Yonkers, 10/2/09 Jumped from 3rd
  floor to escape flames
• Richard Holst, Huntington, 9/9/09 Undetermined
  collapse at fire scene
• Charles Chip McCarthy, Buffalo, 8/24/09
• Jonathan Croom, Buffalo, 8/24/09
• Paul Warhola, Brooklyn, NY, 8/14/09 -
  Cerebrovascular accident at scene
• Robert Johnson, Mahopac Falls, 7/5/09 Fell at
  the scene of a fire safety demo
• Mark Bradley Davis, Cape Vincent, 1/31/09 Shot
  by mentally disturbed EMS patient

Lt McCarthy FF Croom were killed while
searching a burning commercial structure when the
main floor collapsed
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The National Picture analysis of 2008
deaths source NFPA Journal, July-August 2009
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US Firefighter Deaths(not including 9/11/01 WTC
deaths)
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US Firefighter Deaths Career Volunteer1998 -
2008(not including 9/11/01 WTC deaths)
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US Firefighter Deaths by Type of Duty,
2008source USFA
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US Firefighter Deaths by Cause of Injury, 2008
source USFA
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US Firefighter Deaths by Nature of Injury, 2008
source USFA
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US Firefighter Deaths by Age Cause of Death,
2008source USFA
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US Firefighter Deaths inMotor Vehicle Accidents,
1998-2008
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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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2008 Firefighter FatalitiesWho is dying?

• Career firefighters (defined as those who are
  employed full-time as firefighters) suffered 46
  deaths in 2008.
• Volunteer and part-time paid firefighters
  accounted for 68 deaths.
• 41 of firefighter fatalities were under the age
  of 40.

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2008 Firefighter FatalitiesWhere are we dying?
Nationally, fireground activities are the most
hazardous. Response/return was third

• Of the 15 deaths in road vehicles, 2 victims were
  not wearing seatbelts.
• Additionally 13 were killed in wildland aircraft
  crashes.
• 6 firefighters were killed when struck by
  vehicles at the scene of an emergency.

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2008 Firefighter FatalitiesWhy are we dying?
Stress and overexertion are still the leading
killers

• The largest single cause of firefighter deaths in
  2008 was sudden cardiac vascular or cardiac
  events. Heart attacks caused the deaths of 46
  on-duty firefighters 4 died of cardiac vascular
  accidents.
• More than half of 2008 firefighter deaths were
  from traumatic injuries such as asphyxiation,
  burns, drowning, vehicle crashes, and other
  physical injuries.

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2008 Firefighter FatalitiesWhere are we dying?

• 47 of firefighter deaths on the fireground were
  in residential occupancies.
• Residential fires accounted over 75 of civilian
  deaths. They also cause roughly eight of ten
  firefighter injuries every year.

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2008 Firefighter FatalitiesWhere are we dying?

• Across the US, rural response is generally just
  as dangerous as urban / suburban fire response.

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• New York State Line of Duty Deaths and Injuries
• Injury statistics for 2009 are not yet final, so
  2008 is used.
• Note Injury statistics are from the NYS Fire
  Incident Reporting System (report IIC series).
  Since participation is voluntary, the numbers are
  incomplete and reflect only reported casualties.
  FDNY deaths are included, but injuries are not.

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New York State Line of Duty Deaths, 1999-2009
(not including 343 FDNY deaths 9/11/01 at WTC)
2009
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2008 NYS Fire Service Injuries Deaths by
Activity
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2008 NYS Fire Service Deaths Injuries by Type
of Duty
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2008 NYS Fire Service Injuries Deaths by Cause
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2008 NYS Fire Service Casualties by Symptom

• Note
• Burn includes chemical,
• electrical scald

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2008 NYS Firefighter Injuries Deaths by
Location
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2008 NYS Fire Vehicle Accidents(source NYS DMV)

• There were a total of 364 fire apparatus
  accidents in 2008.
• Two persons died (both drivers, one driving a
  non-fire vehicle) and 293 were injured.

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NYS DMV Fire Vehicle Accident Reports Manner of
Collision, 2008 (accident not necessarily caused
by FD driver)

• Top human factors cited
• (36) Driver inattention
• (31) Failure to yield right of way
• (16) Turning improperly
• (11) Passing or lane change improper
• Top environmental factors cited
• (17) Slippery pavement
• (7) Obstructed or
  limited view

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2008 NYS Ambulance Accidents (source NYS DMV)

• There were a total of 574 accidents, but no
  fatalities this year
• 609 persons were injured (Includes EMS
  responders, patients,
• those in other vehicles, pedestrians, etc.)

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NYS DMV Ambulance Accident Reports Manner of
Collision, 2008 (accident not necessarily caused
by EMS driver)

• Top human factors cited
• (81) Driver inattention
• (78) Failure to yield right of way
• (35) Following too closely
• (24) Traffic control disregarded
• (23) Unsafe speed
• (19) Turning improperly
• Top environmental factors cited
• (25) Animals action
• (24) Slippery pavement
• (22) Obstructed or limited view

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• For more information
• Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in
  2008 (USFA)
• http//www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications
  /ff_fat08.pdf
• Firefighter Fatalities in the United States 2008
  (NFPA) http//www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/osfff.
  pdf
• Firefighter Injuries in the United States (NFPA,
  2009) http//www.nfpa.org/assets/files//PDF/OS.fir
  efighterInjuries.pdf
• Patterns of Firefighter Fireground Injuries
  (NFPA, 2009) http//www.nfpa.org/assets/files//PD
  F/OS.patterns.pdf
• Whats Changed Over the Past 30 Years? (NFPA,
  2007)
• http//www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/whatschanged.
  pdf

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Based on Firefighter Fatalities in the US
in 2008 and Whats Changed Over the Past 30
Years? published in NFPA Journal, July-August
2009, p.60-67 USFA Provisional Report for
2009 and statistical reports from NYS DMV NYS
OFPC. Data compiled by the Diana
RobinsonThank you!