Firefighter Fatalities in the 

United States in 2018 

September 2019

Firefighter Fatalities in 

the United States in 2018

Prepared by

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Federal Emergency Management Agency

U.S. Fire Administration

National Fire Data Center

and

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

https://www.firehero.org

In memory of all firefighters

who answered their last call in 2018.

To their families and friends.

For their service and sacrifice.

Mission Statement

We support and strengthen fi re and Emergency Medical 

Services and stakeholders to prepare for, prevent, mitigate 

and respond to all hazards.

Table of Contents i

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... 1

Background .......................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 3

Who is a firefighter?........................................................................................................... 3

What constitutes an on-duty fatality?............................................................................. 3

Sources of initial notification ........................................................................................... 4

Procedure for including a fatality in the study .............................................................. 4

2018 Findings........................................................................................................................ 7

Career, volunteer and wildland agency fatalities .......................................................... 9

Gender................................................................................................................................. 9

Multiple firefighter fatality incidents .............................................................................. 9

Wildland firefighting fatalities.......................................................................................... 10

Type of Duty ......................................................................................................................... 13

Fireground operations ...................................................................................................... 14

Type of fireground activity ............................................................................................... 14

Fixed property use for structural firefighting fatalities ............................................... 15

Responding/Returning...................................................................................................... 15

Training................................................................................................................................ 15

Nonfire emergencies......................................................................................................... 16

Cause of Fatal Injury ........................................................................................................... 17

Stress or overexertion....................................................................................................... 17

Vehicle crashes................................................................................................................... 18

Struck by object ................................................................................................................. 21

Other ................................................................................................................................... 23

Collapse............................................................................................................................... 24

Caught or trapped ............................................................................................................. 25

Unknown............................................................................................................................. 26

Fall........................................................................................................................................ 26

Lost or disoriented ............................................................................................................ 26

Nature of Fatal Injury.......................................................................................................... 27

Firefighter Ages.................................................................................................................... 29

Deaths by Time of Injury .................................................................................................... 30

Firefighter Fatality Incidents by Month of Year .............................................................. 30

State and Region.................................................................................................................. 31

On-Duty Firefighter Fatalities Where Incidents Occurred in Previous Years ............. 33
ii Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

On-Duty Firefighter Fatalities Where Incidents and Deaths Occurred in Previous Years. 34

Analysis of Urban/Suburban/Rural Patterns in Firefighter Fatalities.......................... 38

Appendix............................................................................................................................... 39

Firefighter Fatality Inclusion Criteria — National Fire Service Organizations........... 39

Inclusion criteria for the National Fire Protection Association’s annual firefighter 

fatality study................................................................................................................ 40

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation......................................................................... 42

Acronyms.............................................................................................................................. 43
Acknowledgments | Background 1

Acknowledgments

This study of firefighter fatalities would not have been possible without the cooperation 

and assistance of many members of the fire service across the United States. Members 

of individual fire departments; chief fire officers; wildland fire service organizations, such 

as the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, 

the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the U.S. Department of 

Justice; the National Fire Protection Association; and many others contributed important 

information to this report.

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) was responsible for compilation of a 

large portion of the information used in this report. Their cooperation and work toward 

reducing firefighter deaths is gratefully acknowledged.

The ultimate objective of this effort is to reduce the number of firefighter deaths 

through an increased awareness and understanding of their causes and how they can be 

prevented. Firefighting, rescue and other types of emergency operations are essential 

activities in an inherently dangerous profession, and unfortunate tragedies do occur. 

These are the risks that all firefighters accept every time they respond to an emergency 

incident. However, the risks can be greatly reduced through efforts to improve training, 

emergency scene operations, and firefighter health and safety.

Background

Since 1976, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has tracked the number of firefighter 

fatalities and conducted an annual analysis. Through the collection of information on the 

causes of firefighter deaths, the USFA can focus on specific problems and direct efforts 

toward finding solutions to reduce the number of firefighter fatalities in the future. This 

information is also used to measure the effectiveness of current programs directed 

toward firefighter health and safety. Several programs have been developed by the USFA 
2 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

in response to this annual report. For example, the USFA has sponsored significant work in 

the areas of general emergency vehicle operations safety, health and safety of the female 

emergency responder, fire service risk management, fire station safety, and roadway 

incident safety. The data developed for this report are also widely used in other firefighter 

fatality prevention efforts.

In addition to performing this analysis, the USFA, working in partnership with the NFFF, 

develops a list of all on-duty firefighter fatalities and associated documentation each 

year. If certain criteria are met, the fallen firefighter’s next of kin, as well as members 

of the individual’s fire department, are invited to the annual National Fallen Firefighters 

Memorial Service. The service is held at the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) 

in Emmitsburg, Maryland, during National Fire Prevention Week in October of each year. 

The 38th Annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend will be held October 5 

and 6. Additional information regarding the memorial service can be found at https://

www.firehero.org, or by calling the NFFF at 301-447-1365.

Other resources and information regarding firefighter fatalities, including current 

fatality notices, the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial database and links to the 

Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) program, can be found at https://apps.usfa.fema.

gov/firefighter-fatalities/.
Introduction 3

Introduction

This report continues a series of annual studies began in 1986 by the USFA of on-duty 

firefighter fatalities in the U.S.

The specific objective of this study is to identify all on-duty firefighter fatalities 

that occurred in the U.S. and its territories in 2018 and to analyze the circumstances 

surrounding each occurrence. The study is intended to help identify approaches that could 

reduce the number of firefighter deaths in future years.

Who is a firefighter?

For the purpose of this study, the term “firefighter” covers all members of organized fire 

departments with assigned fire suppression duties in all 50 states; the District of Columbia; 

and the territories of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the commonwealth 

of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam. It includes career and volunteer firefighters; 

full-time public safety officers acting as firefighters; fire police; state, Native American 

tribal authorities and federal government fire service personnel; and privately employed 

firefighters, including employees of contract fire departments and trained members of 

industrial fire brigades, whether full time or part time. It also includes contract personnel 

working as firefighters or assigned to work in direct support of fire service organizations 

(e.g., air-tanker crews).

Under this definition, the study includes not only local and municipal firefighters, but also 

seasonal and full-time employees of the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the 

Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

and other federal agencies, as well as state wildland agencies. The definition also includes 

prison inmates serving on firefighting crews; firefighters employed by other governmental 

agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Energy; military personnel performing assigned 

fire suppression activities; and civilian firefighters working at military installations.

What constitutes an on-duty fatality?

An on-duty fatality includes any injury or illness that was sustained while on duty and 

proves fatal. The term “on duty” refers to being involved in operations at the scene of an 

emergency, whether it is a fire or nonfire incident; responding to or returning from an 

incident; performing other officially assigned duties, such as training, maintenance, public 

education, inspection, investigations, court testimony or fundraising; and being on call, 

under orders or on standby duty (except at the individual’s home or place of business). 

An individual who experiences a heart attack or other fatal injury at home, while they 

prepare to respond to an emergency, is considered on duty when the response begins. A 

firefighter who becomes ill while performing fire department duties and suffers a heart 

attack shortly after arriving home (or at another location) may be considered on duty since 

the inception of the heart attack occurred while the firefighter was on duty.

On Dec. 15, 2003, the president of the United States signed the Hometown Heroes 

Survivors Benefit Act of 2003 into law. After being signed by the president, the act became 

Public Law 108-182. The law presumes that a heart attack or stroke is in the line of duty if 

the firefighter was engaged in nonroutine, stressful or strenuous physical activity while 

on duty, and the firefighter became ill within 24 hours after engaging in such activity. 
4 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

The full text of the law is available at https://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?

dbname=108_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ182.108.pdf.

The inclusion criteria for this study have been affected by this change in the law. Before 

Dec. 15, 2003, firefighters who became ill as the result of a heart attack or stroke after 

going off duty needed to register a complaint of not feeling well while still on duty in order 

to be included in this study. For firefighter fatalities after Dec. 15, 2003, firefighters will 

be included in this report if they became ill as the result of a heart attack or stroke within 

24 hours of a training activity or emergency response. Firefighters who became ill after 

going off duty, where the activities while on duty were limited to tasks that did not involve 

physical or mental stress, will not be included.

A fatality may be caused directly by an accidental or intentional injury in either emergency 

or nonemergency circumstances, or it may be attributed to an occupationally related fatal 

illness. A common example of a fatal illness incurred on duty is a heart attack. Fatalities 

attributed to occupational illnesses also include a communicable disease contracted 

while on duty that proved fatal when the disease could be attributed to a documented 

occupational exposure.

Firefighter fatalities are included in this report even when death is considerably delayed 

after the original incident. When the incident and the death occur in different years, the 

analysis counts the fatality as having occurred in the year in which the incident took place.

There is no established mechanism for identifying fatalities that result from illnesses, 

such as cancer, that develop over long periods of time and may be related to occupational 

exposure to hazardous materials or toxic products of combustion. It has proved to be very 

difficult to provide a complete evaluation of an occupational illness as a causal factor in 

firefighter deaths due to the following limitations: the exposure of firefighters to toxic 

hazards is not sufficiently tracked; the often-delayed, long-term effects of such toxic 

hazard exposures; and the exposures firefighters may receive while off duty.

Sources of initial notification

As an integral part of its ongoing program to collect and analyze fire data, the USFA solicits 

information on firefighter fatalities directly from the fire service and from a wide range 

of other sources. These sources include the PSOB program administered by the U.S. 

Department of Justice, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 

the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the U.S. Department of Defense, the 

National Interagency Fire Center, and other federal agencies.

The USFA receives notification of some deaths directly from fire departments, as well as 

from such fire service organizations as the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the 

International Association of Fire Fighters, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 

the National Volunteer Fire Council, state fire marshals, state fire training organizations, 

other state and local organizations, fire service internet sites, news services, and fire 

service publications.

Procedure for including a fatality in the study

In most cases, after notification of a fatal incident, initial telephone contact is made with 

local authorities by the USFA to verify the incident, its location, the jurisdiction, and the 
Introduction 5

fire department or agency involved. Further information about the deceased firefighter 

and the incident may be obtained from the chief of the fire department, designee over 

the phone or by other forms of data collection. After basic information is collected, a 

notice of the firefighter fatality is posted at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial site 

in Emmitsburg, Maryland, as well as on the USFA website. A notice of the fatality is also 

transmitted by email to a large list of fire service organizations and fire service members.

Information that is routinely requested from fire departments that have experienced a 

fatality include National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS)-1 (incident) and NFIRS-3 

(fire service casualty) reports, the fire department’s own incident and internal investigation 

reports, copies of death certificates and autopsy results, special investigative reports, law 

enforcement reports, photographs and diagrams, and newspaper or media accounts of the 

incident. Information on the incident may also be gathered from NFPA or NIOSH reports.

After obtaining this information, a determination is made as to whether the death qualifies 

as an on-duty firefighter fatality according to the previously described criteria. With the 

exception of firefighter deaths after Dec. 15, 2003, the same criteria were used for this 

study as in previous annual studies. Additional information may be requested by the USFA, 

either through follow-up with the fire department directly, from state vital records offices 

or other agencies. The final determination as to whether a fatality qualifies as an on-duty 

death for inclusion in this statistical analysis is made by the USFA. The NFFF criteria as a 

line-of-duty death for inclusion in the annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service 

is made by the NFFF.
6 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018
2018 Findings 7

2018 Findings

Eighty-two firefighters died while on duty in 2018, six less than the 2017 total of 88. 

The 2018 total includes 14 firefighters who died under circumstances that were part of 

inclusion criteria changes resulting from the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act. 

When not including these fatalities for the purposes of a trend analysis, there were 68 

non-Hometown Hero firefighter fatalities in 2018, for the second lowest annual total since 

the USFA began this study (Figure 1).

An analysis of multiyear firefighter fatality trends needs to acknowledge the changes from 

the December 2003 Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act. Some graphs and charts 

in this report may not indicate the Hometown Heroes portion of the total. However, this 

does not diminish the sacrifices made by any firefighter who dies while on duty, or the 

sacrifices made by his or her family and peers.

In the same light, when conducting multiyear comparisons of firefighter fatalities in this 

report, the losses resulting from the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City 

on Sept. 11, 2001, are sometimes also set apart for illustrative purposes. This action is by 

no means a minimization of the supreme sacrifice made by these firefighters.
8 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

Figure 1 below shows the number of on-duty firefighter fatalities from 1977 through 2018. 

Figure 1. On-duty firefighter fatalities (1977-2018) 

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

19771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017

2018

Number of firefighter fatalities

Year

152

173

126

140

136

128

113

119119

108108

107

104

100100

93

117

106

450

102

114

108

99

93

107

110

82

74

65

71

100

70

75

69

71

68

77

83

126

122

132

136

plus 1 Hometown Heroplus 11 Hometown Heroesplus 17 Hometown Heroesplus 15 Hometown Heroesplus 13 Hometown Heroesplus 12 Hometown Heroesplus 14 Hometown Heroesplus 16 Hometown Heroesplus 22 Hometown Heroesplus 14 Hometown Heroesplus 9 Hometown Heroesplus 27 Hometown Heroesplus 15 Hometown Heroesplus 22 Hometown Heroesplus 17 Hometown HeroesPlus 14 Hometown Heroes

From 2009 to 2018, there was a 7% decrease in on-duty firefighter fatalities (Figure 2).

Figure 2. On-duty firefighter fatalities (2009-2018) 

60

80

100

120

Trend (-6.7%)

Firefighter fatalities

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Number of firefighter fatalities

Year

82

88

91 90

97

109

85 87

90

96

Note: Firefighter fatality counts include firefighters who died under circumstances that were part of inclusion criteria changes 

resulting from the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act.
2018 Findings 9

Career, volunteer and wildland agency fatalities

In 2018, firefighter fatalities included 33 career firefighters, 44 volunteer firefighters, and 

five part-time or full-time members of wildland or wildland contract fire agencies (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Career, volunteer and wildland agency firefighter fatalities (2018)

Firefighter fatalities

82 total deaths

Career

33 deaths

Rural fire

departments

5 deaths

Urban/Suburban

fire departments

28 deaths

Full-time

2 deaths

Part-time or 

seasonal

3 deaths

Rural fire

departments

27 deaths

Urban/Suburban

fire departments

17 deaths

Volunteer

44 deaths

Wildland agency

5 deaths

Gender

Two firefighters who died while on duty in 2018 were female and 80 were male.

Multiple firefighter fatality incidents

The 82 deaths in 2018 resulted from a total of 80 fatal incidents, including two multiple 

firefighter fatality incidents taking the lives of four firefighters (Table 1).

Table 1. Multiple firefighter fatality incidents (2009-2018)

Year Number of incidents Total number of 

firefighter fatalities

2018 2 4

2017 1 2

2016 3 7

2015 3 7

2014 2 4

2013 4 35

2012 4 10

2011 3 6

2010 4 8

2009 6 13

10-year average 3 10
10 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

From 1990 to 2018, there have been 495 firefighters 

killed during activities involving brush, grass or wildland 

firefighting — an average of 17 deaths per year. There were 

an average of 14 such deaths per year over the past decade.

Wildland firefighting fatalities

In 2018, 10 firefighters were killed during activities involving brush, grass or wildland 

firefighting. This total includes part-time and seasonal wildland firefighters, full-time 

wildland firefighters, and municipal or volunteer firefighters whose deaths are related to 

a wildland fire (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Firefighter fatalities related to wildland firefighting (2009-2018)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Number of deaths

Year

10 10

17

12

10

16

31

11 12

15

In 2018, there were no incidents related to wildland firefighting that resulted in multiple 

firefighter fatalities or occurred because of an aircraft crash (Tables 2 and 3).
2018 Findings 11

Table 2. Firefighter fatalities associated with wildland firefighting (2009-2018)

Year

Total number 

of firefighter 

fatalities

Number of fatal 

incidents

Number of 

firefighters killed 

in multiple-fatality 

incidents

2018 10 10 0

2017 10 10 0

2016 15 13 4

2015 12 9 5

2014 11 11 0

2013 31 13 19

2012 16 12 6

2011 10 9 2

2010 12 12 0

2009 17 14 5

10-year average 14 11 4

Table 3. Wildland firefighting aircraft deaths (2009-2018)

Year Total number of 

firefighter fatalities

Number of fatal 

incidents

2018 0 0

2017 0 0

2016 0 0

2015 2 1

2014 2 2

2013 0 0

2012 6 2

2011 0 0

2010 0 0

2009 5 3

10-year average 2 1
12 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018
Type of Duty 13

Type of Duty

Activities related to emergency incidents resulted in 

the deaths of 42 firefighters in 2018 (Figure 5). This 

includes all firefighters who died responding to an 

emergency or at an emergency scene, returning from 

an emergency incident, and during other emergencyrelated activities. Nonemergency activities accounted 

for 40 fatalities. Nonemergency duties include training, 

administrative activities, performing other functions 

that are not related to an emergency incident, and 

post-incident fatalities where the illness or injury does 

not become evident until after the emergency.

A multiyear historical perspective relating to the 

percentage of firefighter deaths that occurred during 

emergency duty is presented in Table 4.

Table 4. Emergency duty firefighter fatalities (2009-2018)

Figure 5. Firefighter fatalities 

by type of duty (2018)

Emergency

51%

Nonemergency (42)

49%

(40)

Year Percentage of total 

firefighter fatalities

Percentage of total 

fatalities excluding 

hometown heroes

2018 51.2 59.0

2017 45.4 56.3

2016 40.7 53.6

2015 48.9 58.7

2014 45.3 61.4

2013 70.6 77.0

2012 52.9 63.4

2011 51.7 69.2

2010 55.6 67.6

2009 63.5 74.4

10-year average 52.6 64.1
14 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

The number of deaths by type of duty being performed for 2018 is shown in Figure 6. 

Figure 6. Firefighter fatalities by type of duty (2018)

Number of firefighter fatalities

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Training

Responding or

 returning

On-scene nonfire

Other on-duty

On-scene fire 30

18

15

10

9

Fireground operations

Thirty firefighters experienced fatal injuries during fireground operations in 2018. Of these 

fatalities, 15 were at the scene of a structure fire, and 11 were at the scene of a wildland or 

outside fire. The average age of the firefighters killed during fireground operations was 51 

years old, with the youngest being 20 years old and the oldest being 82 years old. Fourteen 

of those killed were volunteer, 12 were career, and four were wildland firefighters. The 

nature of fatal injury while engaged in fireground operations for nine of the firefighter 

deaths was heart attack (30%). The nature of fatal injury for the other 21 deaths include: 

trauma (six), asphyxiation (four), other (four), crushed (three), burns (two), violence (one) 

and cerebrovascular accident (CVA/stroke) (one).

Type of fireground activity

Table 5 shows the types of fireground activities in which firefighters were engaged when 

they sustained their fatal injuries or illnesses. This total includes all firefighting duties on 

the fireground, such as wildland firefighting and structural firefighting. In 2018, the most 

common type of on-scene fire activity was advancing hoselines.

Table 5. Type of fireground activity (2018)

Type of fireground activity Number of firefighter fatalities

Advance hoselines 12

Other 6

Unknown 4

Support 3

Water supply 2

Incident command 2

Ventilation 1
Type of Duty 15

Fixed property use for structural firefighting fatalities

There were 15 fatalities in 2018 where firefighters became ill or injured while on the scene 

of a structure fire. Of these fatalities, most occurred while on the scene of a residential 

structure fire. Table 6 shows the distribution of these deaths by fixed property use.

Table 6. Structural firefighting fatalities by fixed property use (2018)

Type of structure Number of firefighter fatalities

Residential 14

Commercial 1

Responding/Returning

In 2018, as shown in Table 7, 10 firefighters died or experienced an onset of symptoms 

while responding to or returning from nine emergency incidents: eight while responding 

to, and two while returning from, an incident.

Table 7. Firefighter fatalities while responding to or returning from an incident 

(2009-2018) 

Year Number of firefighter fatalities

2018 10

2017 11

2016 13

2015 8

2014 13

2013 14

2012 17

2011 11

2010 17

2009 16

10-year average 13

Training

In 2018, nine firefighters died while engaged in training activities (Table 8). Eight of the nine 

firefighters died from heart attacks, and one died from a pulmonary embolism. 

Of the nine firefighters who died while engaged in training activities, four firefighters died 

while performing fire department-mandated physical fitness training, three died while 

involved in equipment drills, and two died during self-contained breathing apparatus 

(SCBA) training.

The average age of the nine firefighters was 46 years old. The youngest was 31 years old, 

and the oldest was 62 years old.
16 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

Table 8. Firefighter fatalities while engaged in training (2009-2018)

Year Number of firefighter fatalities

2018 9

2017 12

2016 9

2015 7

2014 10

2013 7

2012 8

2011 8

2010 12

2009 10

10-year average 9

Nonfire emergencies

In 2018, 15 firefighters were killed during emergency duties not related to fire. These 

response calls included 10 motor vehicle accidents, three Emergency Medical Services 

(EMS) calls, one hazmat incident and one technical rescue in which a firefighter was 

attempting to rescue a boater who had fallen into the water, became separated from his 

partner and was found deceased at the bottom of the river. Eight of the 15 firefighters 

died from heart attacks, four from traumatic injuries, one from asphyxiation, one from a 

CVA and one from natural causes. All four of the traumatic injury deaths were from being 

struck by a vehicle. The average age was 49 years old. The youngest was 29 years old and 

the oldest was 69 years old.
Cause of Fatal Injury 17

Cause of Fatal Injury

The term “cause of fatal injury” refers to the action, lack of action or circumstances that 

directly resulted in the fatal injury. The term “nature of fatal injury” refers to the medical 

cause of the fatal injury or illness, which is often referred to as the physiological cause of 

death. A fatal injury is usually the result of a chain of events, the first of which is recorded 

as the cause.

Figure 7 shows the distribution of deaths by cause of fatal injury or illness in 2018. In 2018, 

the leading cause of fatal injury was stress/overexertion.

Figure 7. Firefighter fatalities by cause of fatal injury (2018)

Number of firefighter fatalities

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Lost

Fall

Unknown

Caught/trapped

Collapse

Struck by

Other

Vehicle collision

Stress/overexertion

12

37

6

10

10

4

1

1

1

Stress or overexertion

Firefighting is extremely strenuous work, and it can be one of the more physically 

demanding of human activities.

Stress or overexertion is a general category that includes all firefighter deaths that are 

cardiac or cerebrovascular in nature, such as heart attacks and strokes, as well as other 

events, such as extreme climatic thermal exposure. Classification of a firefighter fatality 

in this “cause of fatal injury” category does not necessarily indicate that a firefighter was 

in poor physical condition.

In 2018, 37 firefighters died as a result of stress or overexertion:

ĵ Thirty-three firefighters died due to heart attacks.

ĵ Three firefighters died due to CVAs.

ĵ One firefighter died from heart failure and is listed as “Other.”

ĵ Twelve were Hometown Heroes.
18 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

Table 9. Firefighter fatalities caused by stress/overexertion (2009-2018)

Year

Number of 

firefighter 

fatalities

Percent of 

firefighter 

fatalities

Number of 

hometown hero 

fatalities

2018 37 45.1 12

2017 53 60.2 16

2016 44 48.4 22

2015 60 66.7 15

2014 65 67.0 26

2013 39 35.8 9

2012 49 57.6 14

2011 54 62.1 21

2010 56 62.2 16

2009 52 54.2 12

10-year average 51 55.9 16

Vehicle crashes

In 2018, a total of 12 firefighters (11 volunteer and one wildland) lost their lives due to 

vehicle crashes. Vehicle crashes were the second leading cause of fatal firefighter injuries 

for the year. Six deaths involved privately owned vehicles, three deaths involved fire 

department engines, one death involved a tanker (water tender), one death involved a 

command vehicle, and one death involved a bulldozer. None of the vehicle crashes in 2018 

involved an aircraft.

ĵ A firefighter/equipment operator was operating a 2012 John Deere 750J bulldozer at a 

wildland fire. He used his bulldozer to improve a road. He had been experiencing radio 

communication difficulties and relayed his progress to the Incident Commander (IC) 

through his swamper (a certified heavy-equipment supervisor acting as a helper and 

lookout). He directed his swamper to return to their transport vehicle for a hydraulic 

hose to replace one that had been leaking. After retrieving the part, the swamper left 

the site to pick up a relief bulldozer operator for the upcoming change of shift. Several 

unsuccessful attempts to contact him were made through the night. The replacement 

operator asked the IC to assign an aircraft to look for their dozer because they could not 

locate it. The dozer was spotted by the aircraft. The dozer operator and the swamper 

were directed to the site and discovered that the dozer had rolled to a position 220 

feet below the road. They accessed the site by foot and found that the firefighter/

equipment operator had suffered fatal injuries from the incident.

ĵ A chief was driving a 2010 GMC command vehicle to a safety conference. He was 

traveling eastbound on an interstate when his vehicle left the roadway to the right, 

came back onto the road and went off to the left, traveled across the median, across 

the westbound lanes, and down an embankment. The vehicle crashed through a 

fence, crossed a road and hit a tree. After coming to rest, the vehicle caught fire. The 

vehicle’s speed prior to the crash was estimated at 90 miles per hour (mph) in the law 

enforcement report. He was killed in the crash.
Cause of Fatal Injury 19

ĵ A firefighter was driving his motorcycle to an EMS training class. He entered a ramp 

from an eastbound loop parkway to a northbound parkway at a high rate of speed. 

He lost control, impacted the wooden guide rail, was ejected from the motorcycle and 

struck a sign with his helmet. He died as the result of traumatic injuries.

ĵ A firefighter was driving an engine apparatus along a local highway on the way to a pump 

test. Witnesses indicated that they observed the right front tire go off the roadway. 

The firefighter overcorrected as he brought the apparatus back onto the roadway, 

thereby causing it to travel to the opposite ditch and overturn. He was ejected from 

the vehicle. He was treated on the scene by local EMS personnel and then flown by 

medical helicopter to a regional hospital. The firefighter was admitted to the hospital 

but died from his injuries the following day.

ĵ A firefighter was in the right front seat of a fire tanker (tender) responding to a wildland 

fire. As the tanker entered a slight left curve, the right wheels of the apparatus left the 

roadway to the right. The driver steered to the left to attempt to gain control. The vehicle 

crossed the roadway to the left and overturned in a ditch. The water tank separated 

from the chassis and the vehicle came to rest on its left side. The driver, passenger 

and the firefighter were injured and had to be extricated. All three were transported 

to the hospital, but the firefighter died as the result of his injuries approximately ten 

days later. The two other firefighters received non-life-threatening injuries. All three 

firefighters were wearing their seat belts and the vehicle was not equipped with airbags.

ĵ An assistant chief and a lieutenant were passengers in an engine apparatus responding 

to a multifatality vehicle crash on a nearby turnpike. The assistant chief was seated in 

the right front seat and the lieutenant was seated in the right rear seat. There were a 

total of five firefighters aboard the apparatus. As the apparatus responded, it left the 

roadway and entered the ditch on the right side of the road. The apparatus continued 

in the ditch until it struck a rock wall. The apparatus cab was significantly damaged 

by the collision, and both the assistant chief and the lieutenant were ejected and 

received mortal injuries. The driver and left-rear seat passenger received significant 

injuries in the crash. The middle-rear passenger sustained a broken arm. Of the five 

firefighters on the apparatus, only the middle-rear firefighter was wearing his seat 

belt at the time of the crash.

ĵ A firefighter and the members of his fire department were dispatched to a water rescue 

incident. The firefighter responded in his personal vehicle, a 2003 Ford Explorer sport 

utility vehicle. As he responded, a tractor-trailer approaching from the opposite direction 

in a curve crossed the center line of the roadway. When the driver corrected, the load 

on the vehicle’s trailer began to fall off of the trailer and the tractor-trailed rolled over. 

The firefighter received fatal traumatic injuries in the crash. He was wearing his seat 

belt, and the airbags in his vehicle did deploy.

ĵ A firefighter was responding to a motor vehicle crash incident in his personal vehicle, 

a 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck. He was responding on a road in a no passing zone. 

As he responded, the firefighter went into the opposing lane to pass another vehicle. 

The other vehicle attempted to turn left into a private driveway and was struck by the 

firefighter’s vehicle. The firefighter’s vehicle overturned and came to rest on its wheels. 

He was not wearing his seat belt, was partially ejected in the crash and pronounced 

dead at the scene due to traumatic injuries.
20 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

ĵ A firefighter was responding to his fire station on the report of a structure fire. He 

was the only occupant of his personal vehicle, a 2008 Ford F150 pickup truck. As he 

responded, he overtook and passed two vehicles. The left wheels of his vehicle left 

the roadway to the left, and he steered to the right to come back on the roadway. The 

vehicle left the roadway to the right then struck a shallow ditch. The vehicle became 

airborne and the driver’s side struck a utility pole. The pole snapped into two pieces, 

and his vehicle came to rest on its top. Firefighters responding to the structure fire 

received the report of a crash and diverted a rescue truck to the location. Responding 

firefighters extricated him from the vehicle and he was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The firefighter was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.

ĵ A firefighter responded to her fire station for a structure fire dispatch. She was the 

driver and the sole occupant of her personal vehicle, a 2001 Honda Accord. As she 

responded, her vehicle left the roadway, swiped a guardrail with the passenger side 

door area, returned back to the roadway, crossed both lanes of traffic, and struck a 

guardrail on the driver’s side of the vehicle. The guardrail went through the windshield, 

passenger compartment and rear window of her vehicle. She died due to physical 

trauma. She was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

ĵ A firefighter was responding to an emergency medical incident in his personal vehicle, 

a 2004 Ford Ranger pickup truck. As he responded, he failed to negotiate a right-hand 

curve. The vehicle left the left side of the roadway, drove through a ditch and into a 

pond. He was able to call 911 and report his emergency but was unable to get out 

of the vehicle. The first law enforcement officer on the scene found the vehicle fully 

submerged and went into the water to attempt a rescue. The officer was forced to 

leave the water due to the cold and was unable to access him. Responding firefighters 

removed him from the vehicle and the water, and emergency medical treatment was 

provided. The cause of death was drowning.

Figure 8. Firefighter fatalities in vehicle collisions (including aircraft) (2009-2018)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Number of firefighter fatalities

Year

10

12

17

12

5

18

9

11

5

19
Cause of Fatal Injury 21

Struck by object

Being struck by an object was the third leading cause of fatal injuries, equal in severity 

with the category “Other” — both resulting in 10 firefighter fatalities in 2018.

ĵ A fire captain was killed by a gunshot wound. The captain and the members of his 

engine company were dispatched to a report of an explosion at a multiple residential 

building. When they arrived at the scene, he and his crew were assigned to enter the 

building, climb to the fire floor and attack the fire. As the captain worked on the second 

floor, he was struck by gunfire. He was removed from the building by other firefighters 

and transported to a local hospital. Despite treatment at the scene, in the ambulance 

and in the hospital, he did not survive.

ĵ A natural gas line was struck during an underground boring operation. Natural gas 

began to vent from the ground in various locations around the boring operation. Fire 

and law enforcement officers began an evacuation of the area. An explosion occurred, 

resulting in the death of a captain, injuries to a number of people and extensive damage. 

He was buried in debris and removed by firefighters and transported to the hospital by 

ambulance, although he did not survive. His cause of death was multiple blunt trauma.

ĵ Firefighters were assigned to a wildland fire on the edge of a spot fire. They were in the 

process of felling a high-hazard tree, a 105-foot tall ponderosa pine that was burning 

about 10 feet from its top and producing a steady stream of embers. The tree fell in 

an unexpected manner, and a captain was fatally struck. He was treated by firefighters 

and emergency medical responders, but he was pronounced dead as he was flown 

to the helibase.

ĵ A battalion chief was assigned to a wildland fire. He and his crew were assigned to 

reinforce a dozer line and place a hose lay to hold a firing operation. Air tankers were 

to make fire retardant drops along the dozer line to supplement the work of the crew. 

A Very Large Air Tanker made a drop near the work position of the battalion chief and 

his crew. A rise in elevation concealed by vegetation that was unknown to the pilot 

resulted in the drop only being approximately 100 feet above the treetops. The force 

of the drop uprooted an 87-foot tall tree and the tree fell on the battalion chief, fatally 

injuring him. Three other firefighters also received injuries in the incident.

ĵ An assistant fire chief and the members of his fire department were dispatched to a 

residential structure fire. Firefighters arrived to find a well-involved structure made up of 

two attached manufactured dwellings with a metal roof overhead. The fire had spread 

to vehicles and outbuildings near the home by the time firefighters arrived. Firefighters 

could hear the sound of a propane tank venting. Firefighters could not determine the 

location of the propane tank due to smoke conditions. At this point, firefighters only 

had tank water to fight the fire and cool the tank. The IC ordered an evacuation of 

area residents and directed firefighters to take defensive positions. Approximately 

24 minutes into the incident, the 500-gallon propane cylinder experienced a Boiling 

Liquids Expanding Vapor Explosion. Parts of the tank became airborne and one part 

dropped on the assistant chief, instantly killing him. The explosion and associated 

burning debris spread the fire to other buildings. In addition to the assistant chief, 

one other person was killed in the incident: the resident of the home originally on fire.
22 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

ĵ A deputy chief and members of his fire department, as well as local law enforcement 

officers, responded to the scene of a motor vehicle incident. A tractor-trailer had 

lost control in icy conditions and was off of the roadway. Law enforcement and fire 

department vehicles on the scene parked in a defensive manner to shield the scene, and 

their emergency lights were in operation. A 2017 Dodge Ram 5500 towing a gooseneck 

trailer approached the scene through a curve and was unable to stop when a vehicle 

in front of it slowed. The trailer jackknifed and the vehicle struck an unoccupied law 

enforcement vehicle at the scene. The law enforcement vehicle was propelled forward 

by the impact and struck the deputy chief, pinning him under the law enforcement 

vehicle. He was extricated and transported to a local medical facility, where he died 

as the result of traumatic injuries received in the crash.

ĵ A lieutenant and his engine company were arriving on the scene of a motor vehicle 

crash on an interstate. As the crew was disembarking the apparatus, they were struck 

in the rear by a tractor-trailer. The force of the impact drove the engine over top of 

the lieutenant, pinning him under the front right tire of the engine. He was instantly 

killed. Two other firefighters received life-threatening injuries and were transported to 

the hospital. The incident was witnessed by the arriving blocking units. The lieutenant 

was wearing his full personal protective equipment and reflective vest at the time of 

the incident.

ĵ An assistant chief was directing traffic at a vehicle crash scene on the on-ramp to 

a highway from the northbound lane of another highway when he was struck by a 

vehicle. Life-saving efforts were administered on scene and the assistant chief was 

then transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased as the result 

of traumatic injuries.

ĵ A captain was off duty when he witnessed a motor vehicle crash. Roads were snow 

covered and slippery due to falling snow. He pulled over and was speaking to the driver 

of the car when he was struck by another vehicle operated by an impaired driver. He 

was transported to the hospital but died as a result of his injuries. His death is being 

considered a mutual aid response by his fire department and the fire department that 

serves the area where the crash occurred.

ĵ A firefighter/emergency medical technician (EMT) and two other firefighters were in the 

process of draining compressed air from a number of used Self-Contained Underwater 

Breathing Apparatus air cylinders in preparation for valve removal and hydrostatic 

testing. In some cases, the cylinder valve was inoperable, so a firefighter was partially 

loosening the pressure-relief burst disc plugs on these cylinder valves. In the process 

of draining a cylinder with a loosened plug, the plug separated from the cylinder, and 

the air in the cylinder began to rapidly vent through the opening. The cylinder became 

airborne and struck a wall, shearing off the cylinder valve. The cylinder continued to 

be airborne, glancing off of an apparatus and striking the firefighter/EMT in the head. 

Firefighters immediately came to his aid and he was flown by medical helicopter to a 

regional hospital. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. The cause of death was 

reported to be blunt force trauma.
Cause of Fatal Injury 23

Other

Ten firefighters died in 2018 from causes of fatal injuries not previously categorized.

ĵ While conducting evacuations at a wildland fire, a fire engineer became trapped by a 

rapidly progressing fire front. The fire engineer was overrun by a rarely documented 

“fire vortex.” This vortex was later determined to have wind speeds in excess of 165 

mph, equivalent to an F-3 tornado. The fire engineer was found a short distance from 

his burned vehicle. The cause of death was listed as blunt trauma.

ĵ One firefighter worked a wildland fire in Washington state. He was released from the 

fire and a day later was found unresponsive in his home. Reports indicate that the 

firefighter developed pneumonia which became septic. He was treated at a hospital 

but was taken off life support after suffering irreversible brain damage.

ĵ A firefighter was on duty and serving as the acting sergeant. Toward the end of the 

shift, on-duty firefighters noticed water pouring down from the second floor of the 

fire station. Firefighters went upstairs into the officer’s quarters and discovered him 

submerged in the bathtub with the water running. He was removed from the tub, 

emergency medical care was initiated and a paramedic ambulance was called. The 

acting sergeant was transported to the hospital. He died four days later as a result of 

complications from drowning. According to the medical examiner’s report, the acting 

sergeant may have suffered a cardiac arrhythmia that rendered him unconscious. When 

he fell, his body blocked the drain in the tub, water filled the tub, and he drowned.

ĵ A chief and the members of his fire department responded to a vehicle fire. The chief 

drove an engine apparatus to the scene and operated the vehicle’s pump from a 

raised pump panel. As firefighters advanced a hoseline and fought the fire, the chief 

was found collapsed at the pump panel. He was removed, treated and transported 

to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead. His death was cardiac or 

pulmonary related.

ĵ A driver engineer was on duty, and during his shift, he responded to five incidents. 

During the shift, he complained to other firefighters about not feeling well. The next 

morning, the ambulance assigned to the same station as the driver engineer was 

dispatched to an emergency. As firefighters prepared to respond, they discovered him 

unresponsive in the back of the rescue unit. Firefighters assessed him and pronounced 

him deceased. The cause of death was a respiratory issue.

ĵ A firefighter-operator was on duty in his assigned fire station. Early in the evening, 

he was found unresponsive in the fire station day room. He was treated by fellow 

responders and transported to the hospital but could not be revived.

ĵ A firefighter worked a 24-hour shift. He responded to multiple emergencies during the 

shift; the last emergency being at 0000 hours. During shift change eight hours later, 

the firefighter was found deceased in bed at the fire station. 

ĵ A chief was discovered deceased at his desk. He was at his computer and had been 

reviewing reports. His death was attributed to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
24 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

ĵ A captain was in his fire station preparing for an upcoming training drill. As he prepared, 

he conversed with a friend through his telephone. As he practiced or demonstrated 

the donning and operation of an SCBA, he became ill. The friend contacted emergency 

services, and he was treated at the fire station and transported to the hospital. He 

died as the result of a pulmonary embolism.

ĵ A lieutenant responded to a motor vehicle crash. Later in the day, he participated in 

fire department training that ended in the late evening. At 0600 hours the next day, the 

lieutenant was found deceased at home. His death was attributed to natural causes.

Collapse

Six firefighters were killed in 2018 during structure collapses.

ĵ A lieutenant and the members of his engine company responded to a residential 

structure fire with reports of people trapped inside. After finding a deceased occupant 

at the entrance to the dwelling, the lieutenant and other firefighters made an interior 

coordinated fire attack. Due to freezing temperatures and water supply issues, the IC 

on scene ordered all companies to evacuate the building. Due to continued reports 

of trapped persons, the IC ordered firefighters to resume the interior attack. Shortly 

thereafter, a “mayday” was broadcast. A structural collapse had occurred inside 

the house. An emergency evacuation was called, and the IC ordered a Personnel 

Accountability Report (PAR). The lieutenant did not respond to the PAR. Fire companies 

entered the building as a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) and found him trapped under 

debris. After the RIT extricated him, he was transported to the hospital where he was 

pronounced dead. The cause of death was positional asphyxia with superheated gas 

and smoke inhalation.

ĵ An engineer and the members of his fire department responded to a structure fire 

in a large single-family residence. Arriving firefighters found a working attic fire and 

requested assistance. The residence was approximately one-half of a mile from the 

street and firefighters were presented with water supply issues throughout the incident. 

The roadway that led to the house was narrow and muddy, making access by fire 

apparatus difficult. A defensive strategy was used to attempt to control the fire, which 

had grown to engulf most of the attic. A reliable water supply was established, and a 

ladder pipe was used to control the fire. After approximately an hour, the ladder pipe 

was shut down and handlines were used from the exterior to suppress remaining 

areas of fire. Firefighters, including the engineer, entered the structure with a handline 

to suppress fire that was not accessible from the exterior. In the evening, a roof and 

structural collapse occurred, trapping six firefighters in the structure. A mayday was 

transmitted and an RIT was deployed. The engineer was found pinned under roof debris. 

An air supply was established to his SCBA and hydraulic tools were used to free him. 

All of the firefighters were removed from the building. The engineer had sustained 

severe traumatic injuries in the collapse. He was transported to the hospital but did 

not survive his injuries. At least four other firefighters were injured. The engineer’s 

death was caused by traumatic asphyxia.

ĵ A major fire had occurred in a large mill-construction building that was being converted 

to apartments. The fire was eventually fought defensively, and the building sustained 

a number of partial collapses. Although the main body of fire was extinguished over a 

period of hours, hot spots remained. The next morning, fire officials, the building owner 
Cause of Fatal Injury 25

and a contracted engineer made visual inspections of the building. The decision was 

made to access upper floors of the building by aerial ladder to allow three firefighters 

and an assistant chief to enter with a hoseline to extinguish hot spots. As the crew 

worked, a collapse occurred and dropped them four floors. After 29 minutes, the 

firefighters and fire officer trapped by the collapse were free from the debris. Two 

firefighters received fatal injuries in the collapse.

ĵ A firefighter and members of his fire department responded to a lightning-caused 

structure fire in a large single-family residence. The fire was reported in the early 

morning hours. Approximately 15 minutes later, he and other firefighters were advancing 

a hoseline into the structure when the floor collapsed. A mayday was initiated, and 

the firefighter was rescued after about 20 minutes. The firefighter was transported to 

the hospital but did not survive his injuries. The cause of death was multiple injuries.

ĵ An assistant chief was operating as a member of an interior attack crew on a well-involved 

residential structure fire. He was in the process of exiting the structure when a collapse 

occurred. He was trapped by the collapse and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Caught or trapped

Being caught or trapped covers firefighters in wildland and structural fires who were 

unable to escape due to rapid fire progression and the byproducts of smoke, heat, toxic 

gas and flames. This classification may also include firefighters who drowned and those 

who were trapped and/or crushed.

In 2018, four firefighters died from being caught or trapped. 

ĵ One firefighter was killed while conducting suppression activities on the rear of a fire 

truck. A hoseline came off the rear reel of the truck and the firefighter went to retrieve 

it. He draped a portion of the hoseline over his shoulder and returned to his position 

on the driver’s side rear of the truck. He pulled the door closed but it was not latched. 

The wind shifted and the fire began to rapidly approach the vehicle. The operator 

accelerated away from the fire and the loose hoseline pulled the firefighter out of the 

truck. The second firefighter on the rear of the truck alerted the driver. The firefighter 

was located by the crew and found to have suffered major burns. He was transported 

to the hospital and later succumbed to his injuries.

ĵ A firefighter/bulldozer operator was assigned to improve a dozer line. A short time 

later, the fire activity rapidly increased. Other firefighters contacted the firefighter/

bulldozer operator to tell him to retreat from his position. He told firefighters by radio 

that he was cut off by the fire, that he was attempting to construct a safe zone, and he 

requested a water drop. After a number of attempts, firefighters were able to reach the 

firefighter/bulldozer operator and found him deceased. His death was caused by burns.

ĵ A firefighter and members of his ladder company responded to a basement fire in a 

multifamily residence. There was a working fire in the basement and hoselines were 

deployed to attack the fire. The fire, however, spread through the exterior walls of the 

building. Firefighters were on the second floor of the building when fire conditions 

rapidly worsened. Firefighters, thinking their primary means of egress was blocked 

by fire, sought alternate ways out of the building. Two firefighters worked their way 

to the back of the building and reached a window. A ground ladder was raised to the 
26 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

window and one of the firefighters descended, thinking that the other firefighter 

was right behind him. When he failed to descend, firefighters ascended the ladder to 

search for him. He was found unconscious on the floor with his Personal Alert Safety 

System alarm sounding. Due to the firefighter’s stature, they were unable to get him 

to the window, so another SCBA was attached to his facepiece. He was removed from 

the building, treated and transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. 

The cause of death was smoke inhalation.

ĵ A firefighter was searching for a boater who had fallen into the water and was not 

accounted for. While conducting the search, he became separated from his partner, 

suddenly disappeared and lost communication with his team. Other divers were 

immediately sent to search for him, and he was found near the bottom of the river. 

The firefighter was removed from the water and transported to the hospital. He did not 

recover. His death was caused by a rare heart condition called lymphocytic myocarditis.

Unknown

In 2018, one firefighter died from a nature and cause that is unknown.

While riding as a passenger in a brush truck at a parade in a nearby town, a lieutenant 

became ill. His wife, who is also a member of the department and was the driver of the 

brush truck, immediately drove home. He was helped inside of his house by his wife 

and collapsed soon after. The nature and cause of the medical emergency has yet to be 

determined.

Fall

One firefighter was killed in 2018 from injuries sustained in a fall.

A firefighter and the members of his fire department responded to an early morning 

mutual aid structure fire. When firefighters returned to the station, they worked to place 

their apparatus back in service. While helping to repack hose, the firefighter slipped and 

fell, striking his head. He was treated at the station and flown by medical helicopter to a 

regional hospital. He died as a result of his injuries a day later.

Lost or disoriented

One firefighter was killed in 2018 by becoming lost or disoriented inside of a burning 

structure fire.

A firefighter and the members of his engine company were dispatched to the report of 

a structure fire. A fire caused by heat from a boiler ventilation pipe spread in concealed 

spaces and materials installed in the structure for use in a movie production. The 

firefighter and his crew advanced a hoseline into the basement of the building for fire 

attack. His air supply ran low, and he told other firefighters that he was going to exit. 

The firefighter became disoriented in the structure, ran out of air and collapsed. When 

commanders realized that he was not accounted for, a Rapid Intervention Crew was sent 

in to locate him. He was located after approximately 12 minutes and removed from the 

building. The firefighter was transported to the hospital but did not survive. His death was 

caused by asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation.
Nature of Fatal Injury 27

Nature of Fatal Injury

Figure 9 shows the distribution of the 82 firefighter deaths that occurred in 2018 by the 

medical nature of the fatal injury or illness. In 2018, heart attack was the most common 

type of fatal injury. Figure 10 shows the percentage distribution of nature of fatal injury.

Figure 9. Firefighter fatalities by nature of fatal injury (2018)

Number of firefighter fatalities

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Unknown

Violence

Burns

Crushed

CVA

Asphyxiation

Other

Trauma

Heart attack 33

22

7

10

3

3

2

1

1

Figure 10. Percentage distribution of firefighter fatalities by nature of fatal injury 

(2018)

Unknown

Violence

Burns

Crushed

CVA

Asphyxiation

Other

Trauma

Heart attack

40.2

26.8

12.2

8.5

3.7

3.7

2.4

1.2

1.2
28 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

Figure 11 shows the type of duty involved for the 33 firefighters who died because of a 

heart attack.

Figure 11. Heart attacks by type of duty (2018)

Number of firefighter fatalities

0 5 10 15 20

Returning

Other on-duty

On-scene nonfire

Training

On-scene fire

1 

9

7

8

8
Firefighter Ages 29

Firefighter Ages

Figure 12 shows the percentage distribution of firefighter deaths by age (at the time of 

injury) and nature of the fatal injury. Table 10 provides a count of firefighter fatalities by 

age and the nature of the fatal injury.

Figure 12. Firefighter fatalities by age and nature of fatal injury (2018)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

61 and

over

under 21 to 25 26 to 30 31 to 35 36 to 40 41 to 45 46 to 50 51 to 60

21

Firefighter ages

Percent

100100

40

67

33

86

14

67

33

60

40

33

67

45

55

00

60

Heart attack/CVA

Trauma/Asphyxiation/Other

Table 10. Firefighter fatalities by age and nature of fatal injury (2018)

Age

Number of firefighter 

fatalities who died of 

trauma/asphyxiation/

other

Number of firefighter 

fatalities who died of 

heart attack/CVA

Under 21 3 0

21 to 25 1 0

26 to 30 2 3

31 to 35 8 4

36 to 40 6 1

41 to 45 6 3

46 to 50 6 4

51 to 60 5 10

61 and over 9 11
30 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

Deaths by Time of Injury

For 2018, the distribution of firefighter deaths, according to the time of day when the fatal 

injury occurred, is illustrated in Figure 13. The time of fatal injury for six firefighters was 

either unknown or not reported.

Figure 13. Firefighter fatalities by time of fatal injury (2018)

Time of fatal injury

Number of fatal injuries

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Unknown times

11 p.m. - Mid

10 - 11 p.m.

9 - 10 p.m.

1 - 2 p.m.2 - 3 p.m.3 - 4 p.m.4 - 5 p.m.5 - 6 p.m.6 - 7 p.m.7 - 8 p.m.8 - 9 p.m.

12 - 1 p.m.

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

10 - 11 a.m.

9 - 10 a.m.

1 - 2 a.m.2 - 3 a.m.3 - 4 a.m.4 - 5 a.m.5 - 6 a.m.6 - 7 a.m.7 - 8 a.m.8 - 9 a.m.

Mid - 1 a.m.

6 6

33 3

1

4 44

3 3

11

2

11

2

4

0

44

7

5 5 5

Firefighter Fatality Incidents by Month 

of Year

Figure 14 illustrates the 2018 firefighter fatalities by month of year.

Figure 14. Firefighter fatalities by month of year (2018)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Month of the year

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

December 

November 

October 

September 

August 

July 

June

May 

April

March 

February 

January 5

4

10

6

3

7

6

6

7

10

12

6
State and Region 31

State and Region

The distribution of firefighter deaths in 2018 by state is shown in Table 11. Firefighters 

based in 34 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands died in 2018.

The highest number of firefighter deaths in 2018 (based on the location of the fire service 

organization) occurred in California and Pennsylvania, with seven losses each. Texas had 

six firefighter deaths, followed by Georgia and North Carolina with five firefighter deaths 

each. There were no other states with five or more firefighter fatalities for the year.

Table 11. Firefighter fatalities by state based on location of fire service (2018)*

State Number of firefighter 

fatalities

Percentage of firefighter 

fatalities

CA 7 8.5

PA 7 8.5

TX 6 7.3

GA 5 6.1

NC 5 6.1

WI 4 4.9

MS 3 3.7

NJ 3 3.7

NY 3 3.7

OH 3 3.7

MD 3 3.7

VA 3 3.7

LA 2 2.4

MA 2 2.4

MI 2 2.4

OK 2 2.4

OR 2 2.4

TN 2 2.4

WV 2 2.4

AZ 1 1.2

FL 1 1.2

IA 1 1.2

IL 1 1.2

IN 1 1.2

KS 1 1.2

KY 1 1.2

MN 1 1.2

MO 1 1.2

*This list attributes the deaths according to the state in which the fire department or unit is based, as opposed 

to the state in which the death occurred. They are listed by those states for statistical purposes and for the 

National Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the NETC.
32 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

Table 11. Firefighter fatalities by state based on location of fire service (2018) — 

continued

State Number of firefighter 

fatalities

Percentage of firefighter 

fatalities

RI 1 1.2

SC 1 1.2

SD 1 1.2

UT 1 1.2

VT 1 1.2

VI 1 1.2

WA 1 1.2

Total 82 100
On-Duty Firefighter Fatalities Where Incidents and Deaths Occurred in Previous Years 33

On-Duty Firefighter Fatalities Where 

Incidents Occurred in Previous Years

There were two firefighters who died in 2018 but whose fatal injury occurred while on 

duty in previous years.

ĵ Four firefighters were operating a hoseline inside of a bakery in the area of a basement 

stairway. The fire progressed rapidly, and the firefighters were forced to abandon their 

position. Three firefighters made it to the exterior, but one firefighter was trapped inside. 

Two firefighters entered the bakery from the rear, located the firefighter and dragged 

him to the exterior. He was treated at the scene and transported to a local hospital. 

He suffered second- and third-degree burns on the lower half of his body as well as 

burns to his hands and face. He spent six weeks in the burn unit. His extensive medical 

care included numerous blood transfusions. Due to the required blood transfusions 

for the injuries sustained, he contracted Hepatitis C, which appeared many years later. 

This disease caused many debilitating health conditions, including liver failure, which 

ultimately caused his death in June of 2018.

ĵ A captain was paralyzed from the neck down as the result of a fire apparatus crash 

while responding to an incident in October of 2003. He died from complications from 

those injuries in May of 2018.
34 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

On-Duty Firefighter Fatalities Where 

Incidents and Deaths Occurred in 

Previous Years

USFA was informed in 2018 of four additional firefighters whose death and on-duty fatal 

injury both occurred in previous years.

ĵ A firefighter jumped down from a fire truck and stepped onto a lane marking bump 

that caused injury to his left knee resulting in surgery. He reinjured his left knee two 

more times. These re-injuries led to additional surgeries and ultimately a total knee 

replacement. The firefighter underwent surgery for a total knee replacement in April 

15, 2014. Due to complications from the knee replacement surgery, he was transferred 

to the intensive care unit, where he passed away approximately two weeks later. The 

death certificate lists the cause of death as respiratory failure, septic shock and acute 

renal failure.

ĵ In March of 2014, the president of a fire department was driving his personal vehicle 

to a meeting regarding fundraising equipment for his department. A sudden snow 

squall caused a major chain reaction crash. A total of 41 vehicles were involved in the 

crash, and two people, including the president, were killed.

ĵ In August of 2017, an assistant engineer suffered a heart attack and died within 24 

hours of responding to multiple emergency calls.

ĵ A firefighter responded to three fire incidents in two days in November of 2014. The 

last incident, a fire alarm, concluded late morning. Approximately one and a half hours 

later, firefighters and emergency medical responders were dispatched to a person not 

breathing. The firefighter was discovered unconscious in the front yard. An automated 

external defibrillator was connected and delivered two shocks. Paramedics arrived to 

continue treatment and the firefighter was transported to a local hospital where he 

was later pronounced dead. His death was caused by a heart attack.
State and Region 35

Figure 15

USA Firefighter Fatalities - 2018 

 by Region

Source: U.S. Fire Administration - National Fire Data Center National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

Hawaii

West:Career - 7Volunteer - 5Total - 12

Midwest:Career - 4Volunteer - 12Total - 16

Northeast:Career - 7Volunteer - 10Total - 17

South:Career - 16Volunteer - 20Total - 36

Territories:Career - 1Volunteer - 0Total - 1
36 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018 Figure 16
State and Region 37

Figure 17
38 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

Analysis of Urban/Suburban/Rural 

Patterns in Firefighter Fatalities

The U.S. Census Bureau defines “urban” as a place having a population of at least 2,500 

or lying within a designated urban area. “Rural” is defined as any community that is not 

urban. “Suburban” is not a census term, but may be taken to refer to any place, urban or 

rural, that lies within a metropolitan area defined by the Census Bureau, but not within 

one of the central cities of that metropolitan area.

Fire department areas of responsibility do not always conform to the boundaries used by 

the Census Bureau. For example, fire departments organized by counties or special fire 

protection districts may have both urban and rural coverage areas. In such cases, where 

it may not be possible to characterize the entire coverage area of the fire department as 

rural or urban, firefighter deaths were listed as urban or rural based on the particular 

community or location in which the fatality occurred.

The following patterns were found for 2018 firefighter fatalities. These statistics are based on 

answers from the fire departments, and when no data from the departments were available, 

the data were based upon population and area served, as reported by the fire departments.

Table 12. Firefighter fatalities by coverage area type (2018)

Urban/Suburban Rural Total

45 37 82
Appendix 39

Appendix

Firefighter Fatality Inclusion Criteria — National Fire Service 

Organizations

NFPA, NFFF, USFA and other organizations individually collect information on firefighter 

fatalities in the United States. Each organization uses a slightly different set of inclusion 

criteria that are based at least in part on the purposes of the information collection for 

each organization and data consistency.

As a result of these differing inclusion criteria, statistics about firefighter fatalities may be 

provided by each organization that do not coincide with one another. This section will explain 

the inclusion criteria for each organization and provide information about these differences.

The USFA includes firefighters in this report who died while on duty, became ill while on 

duty and later died, and firefighters who died within 24 hours of an emergency response 

or training regardless of whether the firefighter complained of illness while on duty. The 

USFA counts firefighter deaths that occur in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 

United States protectorates such as Puerto Rico and Guam. Detailed inclusion criteria 

appear starting on page six of this report.

For 2018, the USFA reported 82 on-duty firefighter fatalities.
40 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

Firefighter fatalities in 2018 for incidents occurring in 2018

0

20

40

60

80

100

USFA NFPA NFFF

Number of firefighter fatalities

National fire service organization

82

64

92

Inclusion criteria for the National Fire Protection Association’s annual 

firefighter fatality study

Introduction

Each year, the NFPA collects data on all firefighter fatalities in the United States that 

resulted from injuries or illnesses that occurred while the victims were on duty. The 

purpose of the study is to analyze trends in the types of illnesses and injuries resulting 

in deaths that occur while firefighters are on the job. This annual census of firefighter 

fatalities in its current format dates back to 1977. (Between 1974 and 1976, the NFPA 

published a study of on-duty firefighter fatalities that was not as comprehensive.)

What is a firefighter?

For the purpose of the NFPA study, the term “firefighter” covers all uniformed members 

of organized fire departments, whether career, volunteer or combination, or contract; 

full-time public service officers acting as firefighters; state and federal government fire 

service personnel; temporary fire suppression personnel operating under official auspices 

of one of the above; and privately employed firefighters including trained members of 

industrial or institutional fire brigades, whether full or part time.

Under this definition, the study includes, besides uniformed members of local career 

and volunteer fire departments, those seasonal and full-time employees of state and 

federal agencies who have fire suppression responsibilities as part of their job description, 

prison inmates serving on firefighting crews, military personnel performing assigned fire 

suppression activities, civilian firefighters working at military installations, and members 

of industrial fire brigades. Impressed civilians would also be included if called on by the 

officer in charge of the incident to carry out specific duties. The NFPA study includes 

fatalities that occur in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Appendix 41

What does “on duty” mean?

The term “on duty” refers to being at the scene of an alarm, whether a fire or nonfire 

incident; being en route while responding to or returning from an alarm; performing other 

assigned duties such as training, maintenance, public education, inspection, investigations, 

court testimony and fundraising; and being on call, under orders or on standby duty 

other than at home or at the individual’s place of business. Fatalities that occur at a 

firefighter’s home may be counted if the actions of the firefighter at the time of injury 

involved firefighting or rescue.

On-duty fatalities include any injury sustained in the line of duty that proves fatal, any 

illness that was incurred as a result of actions while on duty that proves fatal, and fatal 

mishaps involving nonemergency occupational hazards that occur while on duty. The 

types of injuries included in the first category are mainly those that occur at an incident 

scene, in training, or in accidents while responding to or returning from alarms. Illnesses 

(including heart attacks) are included when the exposure or onset of symptoms are tied 

to a specific incident of on-duty activity. Those symptoms must have been in evidence 

while the victim was on duty for the fatality to be included in the study.

Fatal injuries and illnesses are included even in cases where death is considerably delayed. 

When the onset of the condition and the death occur in different years, the incident is 

counted in the year of the condition’s onset. Medical documentation specifically tying the 

death to the specific injury is required for inclusion of these cases in the study.

Categories not included in the study

The NFPA study does not include members of fire department auxiliaries, nonuniformed 

employees of fire departments, emergency medical technicians who are not also 

firefighters, chaplains or civilian dispatchers. The study also does not include suicides as 

on-duty fatalities even when the suicide occurs on fire department property.

The NFPA recognizes that a comprehensive study of firefighter on-duty fatalities would 

include chronic illnesses (such as cardiovascular disease and certain cancers) that prove 

fatal and that arose from occupational factors. In practice, there is as yet no mechanism 

for identifying on-duty fatalities that are due to illnesses that develop over long periods 

of time. This creates an incomplete picture when comparing occupational illnesses to 

other factors as causes of firefighter deaths. This is recognized as a gap the size of which 

cannot be identified at this time because of the limitations in tracking the exposure of 

firefighters to toxic environments and substances and the potential long-term effects of 

such exposures.

2018 experience

In 2018, a total of 64 on-duty firefighter deaths occurred in the United States, according 

to the NFPA inclusion criteria. 
42 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2018

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

In 1997, fire service leaders formulated new criteria to determine eligibility for inclusion 

on the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial. Line-of-duty deaths shall be determined by 

the following standards:

1. Deaths meeting the Department of Justice’s Public Safety Officer Benefits program 

guidelines for a favorable determination.

2. Deaths directly resulting from traumatic injuries sustained during response to, at 

the scene of or during return from an emergency incident, including, but not limited 

to, fires, emergency medical calls, hazardous materials incidents, natural disasters, 

technical rescue incidents, and search and rescue missions.

3. Deaths directly resulting from traumatic injuries sustained while engaged in departmentauthorized training drill or activity that requires participants to be engaged in physical 

activity.

4. Deaths directly resulting from traumatic injuries sustained while engaged in a 

department-mandated physical exercise program administered by the agency, including, 

but not limited to, running or other types of physical exercise and annual recertification 

fitness or agility tests.

5. Deaths directly resulting from a cardiovascular event that occurs immediately after, 

or within 24 hours of, returning from an emergency response or being engaged in a 

department-mandated physical exercise or training activity as defined above.

6. Deaths directly resulting from cancer, disease or infection that are defined as meeting 

the criteria of the decedent’s home state occupational exposure presumption laws. 

(Note: Applies only to such deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2018.)

The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial was built in 1981 in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The 

names listed there begin with those firefighters who died in the line of duty that year. 

The United States Congress created the NFFF to lead a nationwide effort to remember 

America’s fallen firefighters. Since 1992, the tax-exempt, nonprofit foundation has 

developed and expanded programs to honor our fallen fire heroes and assist their families 

and coworkers by providing them with resources to rebuild their lives. Since 1997, the 

foundation has managed the National Memorial Service held each October to honor the 

firefighters who died in the line of duty the previous year.

As of this writing, the foundation will be honoring 119 firefighters who died in the line of 

duty at the October 2019 Memorial Weekend. Ninety-two firefighters being honored are 

associated with incidents and deaths that occurred in 2018 and 27 deaths as the result of 

incidents and deaths that occurred prior to 2018.
Acronyms 43

Acronyms

CVA cerebrovascular accident

EMS Emergency Medical Services

EMT emergency medical technician

IC Incident Commander

mph miles per hour

NETC National Emergency Training Center

NFFF National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

NFIRS National Fire Incident Reporting System

NFPA National Fire Protection Association

NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

PAR Personal Accountability Report

PSOB Public Safety Officer Benefits

RIT Rapid Intervention Team

SCBA self-contained breathing apparatus

USFA U.S. Fire Administration
16825 South Seton Ave.

Emmitsburg, MD 21727

www.usfa.fema.gov

September 2019