![](media/image1.png){width="2.5in" height="0.7631944444444444in"}

**Fatalities, Entrapments and Serious Accident Summary for 2003**

The following data indicate the fatalities and major accidents in
calendar year 2003. It includes serious vehicle accidents, fatalities
burn-over/ entrapments and injuries associated with wildland and
prescribed fire operations. This summary will show two fatalities which
occurred on an All Risk Incident, the Columbia Space Shuttle Recovery
incident. This information was collected by the NWCG Safety & Health
Working Team, with confirmation of the fatalities from the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA).

+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| ** | **Jur      | **A     | **A    | ** | *  | ** | ** | > **In   |
| Da | isdiction, | ctivity | gency/ | Nu | *S | \# | Fa | juries** |
| te | Location** | and**   | Entity | mb | he | Sh | ta |          |
| ** |            |         | of     | er | lt | el | li |          |
|    |            | **Type  | Per    | of | er | te | ti |          |
|    |            | of      | sonnel | ** | ** | rs | es |          |
|    |            | Acc     | Invo   |    |    | ** | ** |          |
|    |            | ident** | lved** | ** | *  |    |    |          |
|    |            |         |        | Pe | *A | ** |    |          |
|    |            |         |        | op | va | De |    |          |
|    |            |         |        | le | il | pl |    |          |
|    |            |         |        | ** | ab | oy |    |          |
|    |            |         |        |    | le | ed |    |          |
|    |            |         |        |    | ** | ** |    |          |
+====+============+=========+========+====+====+====+====+==========+
|    |            |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 2  | Santa      | Tr      | County | 1  |    |    | 1  |          |
| /1 | Barbara,   | aining, |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | California |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | Heart   |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | Attack  |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 3/ | Salisbury, | Firefi  | Sal    | 1  |    |    | 1  |          |
| 15 | Missouri   | ghting, | isbury |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            |         | Fire   |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | S       | Dept.  |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | ickness | Vol    |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            |         | unteer |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 3/ | Columbia   | Av      | State  | 5  |    |    | 2  | > 3      |
| 27 | Recovery   | iation, | of     |    |    |    |    | >        |
|    | Incident   | Hel     | Texas  |    |    |    |    | injuries |
|    |            | icopter | &      |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Angelina   |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | NF, Texas  | 407     | Cont   |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            |         | ractor |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 4  | G          | D       | Gall   | 1  |    |    | 1  |          |
| /3 | allipolis, | riving, | ipolis |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Ohio       |         | Fire   |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | Pumper  | Dept.  |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | R       | Vol    |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | ollover | unteer |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 4/ | Elkhart    | Firefi  | E      | 1  |    |    | 1  |          |
| 13 | Lake,      | ghting, | lkhart |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Wisconsin  |         | Lake   |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | Co      | Fire   |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | llapsed | Dept.  |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            |         | Vol    |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            |         | unteer |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 4/ | Chapel     | WCT,    | N.     | 1  |    |    | 1  |          |
| 28 | Hill, N.   |         | Ca     |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Carolina   | Heart   | rolina |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | Attack  | State  |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 5/ | A-Bar      | Firefi  | F      | 3  | Y  | 3  |    | > None   |
| 11 | Incident,  | ghting, | ederal |    | es |    |    |          |
|    |            |         | / FS   |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Coronado   | Ent     |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | NF         | rapment |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 5/ | Fort       | S       | Fe     | 1  | Y  | 1  | 1  |          |
| 15 | Apache     | awtooth | deral/ |    | es |    |    |          |
|    | I.R.       | RX,     | BIA    |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | White      | Ent     |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | River,     | rapment |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Arizona    |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 5/ | New        | D       | New    | 2  |    |    | 1  | > 1      |
| 22 | Castle,    | riving, | Castle |    |    |    |    | > injury |
|    | Wyoming    |         | Fire   |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | Tender  | Dept.  |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | R       | /      |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | ollover | Cadet  |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 6/ | Jenny      | D       | Animus | 1  |    |    | 1  |          |
| 26 | Incident,  | riving, | Fire   |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            |         | Dept.  |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Gila NF    | Tender  | Vol    |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | R       | unteer |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | ollover |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 6/ | Mapleton,  | D       | Co     | 10 |    |    |    | > Minor  |
| 29 | Oregon     | riving, | ntract |    |    |    |    | > neck   |
|    |            |         |        |    |    |    |    | > and    |
|    |            | Van     |        |    |    |    |    | > back   |
|    |            | R       |        |    |    |    |    | >        |
|    |            | ollover |        |    |    |    |    | injuries |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 7/ | Cramer     | Fire    | Fe     | 2  | Y  | >  | >  |          |
| 22 | Incident,  | Fi      | deral/ |    | es |  0 |  2 |          |
|    |            | ghting. | FS     |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Salm       | Ent     |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | on-Challis | rapment |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | NF         |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 7/ | McGinnis   | Av      | Cont   | 1  |    |    | 1  |          |
| 25 | Flats      | iation, | ractor |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Incident,  | Hel     |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | icopter |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Colville   |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | I.R.       | Kaman   |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | K-1200  |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 7/ | White Mtn. | Av      | Fe     | 4  |    |    | 2  | > Two    |
| 26 | Apache     | iation, | deral/ |    |    |    |    | >        |
|    | I.R.,      | Hel     | BIA &  |    |    |    |    | injuries |
|    |            | icopter | Cont   |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Aspen      |         | ractor |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Ridge      | Bell    |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Area, AZ   | 206L-3  |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 7/ | America    | Firefi  | Lyon   | 0  |    |    |    |          |
| 26 | Flat       | ghting, | County |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Incident,  |         | Fire   |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | Engine  | Dept.  |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Silver     | Ent     |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | City,      | rapment |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Nevada     |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 8  | Inkom,     | D       | Inkom  | 1  |    |    | 1  |          |
| /6 | Idaho      | riving, | Fire   |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            |         | Dept.  |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | Truck   | Vol    |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | R       | unteer |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | ollover |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 8/ | Boles/R    | Sl      | M      | 1  |    |    | 1  |          |
| 15 | attlesnake | eeping, | assach |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Complex    |         | usetts |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | Heart   | Wi     |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Dept of    | Attack  | ldfire |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Natural    |         | Crew,  |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Resources, |         | State  |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Montana    |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 8/ | Slims      | Firefi  | State  | 1  |    |    | 1  |          |
| 19 | Incident,  | ghting, | of     |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            |         | Idaho  |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Nez Perce  | Heart   | Inmate |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | NF, Idaho  | Attack  |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 8/ | Vale,      | D       | Cont   | 8  |    |    | 8  |          |
| 24 | Oregon     | riving, | ractor |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | Van     |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | A       |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | ccident |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 8/ | Lightning  | D       | Cont   | 5  |    |    |    | > Neck & |
| 28 | Complex,   | riving, | ractor |    |    |    |    | > Back   |
|    |            |         |        |    |    |    |    | >        |
|    | Wallo      | Crew    |        |    |    |    |    | injuries |
|    | wa-Whitman | Cab     |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | NF, Oregon | Pickup  |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | A       |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | ccident |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 8/ | Devil      | Firefi  | Cali   | 55 | Y  | 55 |    | > Two    |
| 28 | Fire,      | ghting, | fornia |    | es |    |    | > minor  |
|    | Santa      |         | In     |    |    |    |    | > burns  |
|    | Clara Unit | Ent     | mates, |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | rapment | 2      |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | CDF,       |         | Dozer  |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | California |         | Ope    |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            |         | rators |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 10 | Highland,  | Av      | Contr  | 2  |    |    | 2  |          |
| /3 | California | iation, | actors |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | Reposit |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | ioning, |        |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | P2V     |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 1  | Bremer     | Firefi  | Oran   | 1  |    |    | 1  |          |
| 0/ | County,    | ghting, | Fire   |    |    |    |    |          |
| 21 |            |         | Dept.  |    |    |    |    |          |
|    | Oran, Iowa | Heart   | Vol    |    |    |    |    |          |
|    |            | Attack  | unteer |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| 1  | Cedar      | Fire    | Novato | 4  | Y  | 0  | 1  | > 1      |
| 0/ | Incident,  | Fi      | Fire   |    | es |    |    | > C      |
| 29 |            | ghting, | Dis    |    |    |    |    | ritical, |
|    | Cleveland  |         | trict, |    |    |    |    | >        |
|    | NF,        | Engine  | En     |    |    |    |    | > 2      |
|    | California | Ent     | gineer |    |    |    |    | > minor  |
|    |            | rapment |        |    |    |    |    | >        |
|    |            |         |        |    |    |    |    | injuries |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+
| *  |            |         |        |    |    |    | ** |          |
| *T |            |         |        |    |    |    | 30 |          |
| OT |            |         |        |    |    |    | ** |          |
| AL |            |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
| ** |            |         |        |    |    |    |    |          |
+----+------------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----+----------+

During 2003, seven fatalities were reported involving heart attacks,
sickness and a collapsed firefighter. These fatalities show that
physical fitness and medical condition of all firefighters are still
critical factors to consider in fighting fires. During the period from
1998-2003, firefighters were involved in 30 serious vehicle accidents
that resulted in 37 fatalities as well as personal injuries, 12
fatalities in 2003 alone. Mechanical failure has rarely been a
contributing factor; rather human factors have strongly contributed.
Human factors include fatigue, level of proficiency, experience in the
vehicle type and unsafe operator practices, to mention a few. All
managers and supervisors must take every measure to ensure their
employees are properly trained and experienced in the vehicles they are
assigned to drive. Every driver should work to eliminate distractions
and have adequate rest prior to driving.

Timely reporting of entrapments or fatalities is necessary. Completion
of the Wildland Fire Entrapment/Fatality Initial Report (NFES 0869)
accomplishes this need. This initial report is self explanatory and does
not replace agency reporting or investigative responsibilities, policies
or procedures.

The NWCG Safety & Health Working Team requests any Investigation Reports
from agencies that experienced the above or other entrapments/ major
accidents in 2003. Please mail reports to the following address or email
them to:
[[stan_palmer@nifc.blm.gov.]{.underline}](mailto:stan_palmer@nifc.blm.gov.)

NWCG/SHWT -- Stan Palmer

National Interagency Fire Center

3833 S. Development Avenue

Boise, ID 83705

01/04