NFPA: Number of On-Duty Firefighter Deaths Lowest in 34 Years

  • Jun 15, 2011

The number of on-duty firefighter deaths is the lowest since 1977, according to the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) annual Firefighter Fatality Report, which shows that a total of 72 on-duty firefighter deaths occurred in the United States in 2010. This is a sharp drop from the 105 on-duty deaths in 2008 and 82 in 2009 and it is the lowest annual total since the NFPA began conducting this annual study in 1977.

“We are very pleased to see that the number of on-duty firefighter deaths is at an historic low and continues to decline each year,” said James Shannon, president and CEO of NFPA. “We strongly believe that the advances in training, equipment and fire codes are a major factor in reducing the deaths of these brave men and women that make up the ranks of volunteer and career firefighters.”

This is the fifth time in the past 10 years that the total number of deaths has been below 100. While the number of total deaths has dropped sharply, the number of cardiac-related deaths has not. The number of such deaths has been remarkably stable over the past six years.

The report found that the areas in which the deaths declined was diverse. 2010 saw the lowest number of fire ground deaths ever at 21, and the second lowest number of deaths while responding to or returning from alarms at 18 deaths. Deaths related to training activities and deaths while engaged in other non-emergency duties about matched the average numbers from the previous 10 years (11 and 18 deaths, respectively).

Other key findings in the report include:

  • There were nine deaths in crashes of road vehicles in 2010, as well as in 2009, which is the lowest since 1983.
  • There were 44 volunteer firefighter deaths in 2010, which continues a downward trend.
  • The ages of all U.S. firefighters who died ranged from 20 to 86 with a median age of 52.5 years.

Each year, the NFPA collects data on all firefighter fatalities in the U.S. that result from injuries or illnesses that occurred while the victims were on-duty. The term “on-duty” refers to being at the scene of an alarm, whether a fire or non-fire incident; while responding to or returning from an alarm; while participating in other fire department duties. This annual report is considered the definitive source of on-duty firefighter deaths.

Featured

  • Ransomware Attacks Rise for the First Time in Six Months

    Ransomware attacks have risen for the first time in six months, increasing by 28% month-on-month to 421 attacks. While overall attack volume remained below 500, the uptick may signal a renewed escalation heading into the year’s most active period for cyber criminals. Read Now

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.