Firefighter Fatalities in the 

United States in 2021

July 2023

Firefighter Fatalities in 

the United States in 2021

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

firehero.org
In memory of all 

firefighters who 

answered their 

last call in 2021.

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?...................................................................... 4

Sources of initial notification .................................................................................... 5

Procedure for verifying and including a fatality in USFA’s annual reports......... 5

2021 Findings ................................................................................................................ 7

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

Gender.......................................................................................................................... 10

Multiple firefighter fatality incidents ....................................................................... 10

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

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

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

Responding/returning................................................................................................ 15

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

Other on duty.............................................................................................................. 16

Nonfire emergencies.................................................................................................. 17

Cause of Fatal Injury .................................................................................................... 19

Exposure ...................................................................................................................... 19

Stress or overexertion................................................................................................ 21

Vehicle crashes............................................................................................................ 22

Struck by ...................................................................................................................... 24

Fall................................................................................................................................. 25

Other ............................................................................................................................ 26

Collapse........................................................................................................................ 27

Lost or disoriented .................................................................................................... 27

Caught or trapped ...................................................................................................... 28

Contact with ................................................................................................................ 29

Suicide .......................................................................................................................... 29

Nature of Fatal Injury................................................................................................... 31

Firefighter Ages............................................................................................................. 33

Deaths by Time of Injury ............................................................................................. 35

Firefighter Fatality Incidents by Month of Year ....................................................... 35

State and Region........................................................................................................... 37
ii Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

Analysis of Urban/Suburban/Rural Patterns in Firefighter Fatalities................... 43

Appendix........................................................................................................................ 45

Acronyms....................................................................................................................... 51
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, including the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the National Park Service (NPS), 

the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS); the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ); the National Fire 

Protection Association (NFPA); and many others contributed important information 

to this report.

The National Fallen Firefighter 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 where unfortunate tragedies 

occur, often involving a responder. Firefighters accept a level of risk every time they 

respond to an emergency incident. These risks, however, can be greatly reduced 

through community risk reduction, firefighter training, sufficient emergency resource 

deployment, use of good strategy and tactics during on-scene operations, and overall 

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 of the information related to these 

fatalities. Through the collection and analysis of information on 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 
2 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

health and safety. Several programs have been developed by the USFA in response 

to this annual report. For example, the USFA has sponsored research to create safer 

operational environments for firefighters by increasing awareness about emergency 

vehicle operations safety, the health and safety of the female emergency responder, 

fire service risk management, fire station safety, and roadway incident safety. 

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 by the NFFF to the annual National 

Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. The service is held at the National Emergency 

Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland, each year. The 41st Annual National 

Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend was held Oct. 8-9, 2022, and families who lost 

loved ones in 2021 were invited to attend the ceremony. Additional information can be 

found at https://www.firehero.org/events/memorial-weekend/ 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 initiated 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 2021 and to 

analyze the circumstances surrounding each occurrence. The study is intended to help 

identify approaches that may 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, including 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 USFS, the NPS, the BLM, the BIA, the 

FWS, 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.
4 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

What constitutes an on-duty fatality?

An on-duty1 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 Benefits Act of 2003 into law. After being signed by the president, the act 

became Public Law 108-182. This 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. 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 to be included in this study. For firefighter fatalities after Dec. 15, 2003, 

firefighters are 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, are not 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, such as COVID-19, 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 death 

took place.2

1

As of March 2023, the USFA is collaborating with the NFFF, NFPA, and the International Association of Fire 

Fighters (IAFF) to consistently define line-of-duty and on-duty deaths. Any changes to historic tracking by 

each organization will be announced when complete.

2The USFA changed the analysis methodology beginning with its “Firefighter Fatalities in the United 

States in 2020” annual report. For the 2020 report and all subsequent annual firefighter fatality reports, 

firefighter fatalities are included in the total count and analyzed based on the date of death as opposed to 

previous annual reports where firefighter fatalities were included in the total count and analyzed based 

on the date of occurrence of the injury (that later resulted in death). All prior years in each graphic in this 

“Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021” report, however, have been recalculated to reflect this 

change in methodology.
Introduction 5

At present, there is no established mechanism for USFA to identify 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. Current state and federal laws linking on-the-job exposure to cancer in 

firefighters may better inform USFA tracking in the future. 

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 DOJ, 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, and 

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

IAFF, 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 verifying and including a fatality in USFA’s annual 

reports

In most cases, after notification of a fatal incident, the USFA initially contacts local 

authorities by telephone to verify that the fatality occurred and collect information on 

the incident, its location, the jurisdiction, and the fire department or agency involved. 

Further information about the deceased firefighter and the incident may be collected 

from the chief or designee of the fire department 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, as well as to 

approximately 40,000 GovDelivery subscribers.

Subsequently, more detailed information is routinely requested from fire departments 

that have experienced a fatality including National Fire Incident Reporting System 

(NFIRS)-1 (incident) and NFIRS-5 (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 detailed information, a final 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, and 

the inclusion of COVID-19, the same criteria were used for this study as in previous 

annual studies. If needed, further detailed 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 its annual statistical analyses is made by the USFA.
6 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021
2021 Findings 7

2021 Findings

In 2021, 141 firefighters died from injuries sustained while on duty. This is 39 more 

than the 2020 total of 102 firefighter fatalities, a 38% increase over the previous year. 

The 2021 total includes 10 firefighters who died under circumstances that were part of 

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

It also includes 63 firefighters who died from complications of COVID-19, an increase 

of 27 deaths from the 2020 total of 36. It is important to note that COVID-19-related 

on-duty firefighter fatalities was the leading nature of fatal injury, surpassing heart 

attack-related fatalities by 30. When not including these fatalities, there were 68 

firefighter fatalities in 2021 that were non-Hometown Hero or did not occur as a result 

of complications relating to COVID-19 (Figure 1).

An analysis of multiyear firefighter fatality numbers and trends needs to acknowledge 

the changes from the December 2003 Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act as 

well as the inclusion of fatalities that occurred due to complications of COVID-19. As a 

result, some figures and tables in this report may not include the Hometown Heroes 

and COVID-19 fatalities in the total or may separate them. This does not, however, 

diminish the sacrifices made by any firefighter who died while on duty, or the sacrifices 

made by their family and peers.
8 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

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

2021. 

Figure 1. On-duty firefighter fatalities (1977-2021) 

0 100 200 300 400 500

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Year

Number of firefighter fatalities

152

173

126

140

137

128

113

119

119

106

106

106

103

98

99

93

112

105

453

101

116

106

104

96

106

110

81

73

69

72

100

71

75

70

76

70

55

56

76

82

126

122

132

136

plus 1 Hometown Hero

plus 10 Hometown Heroes and 36 COVID-19 fatalities

68 plus 10 Hometown Heroes and 63 COVID-19 fatalities

plus 10 Hometown Heroes

plus 15 Hometown Heroes

plus 17 Hometown Heroes

plus 22 Hometown Heroes

plus 15 Hometown Heroes

plus 26 Hometown Heroes

plus 10 Hometown Heroes

plus 14 Hometown Heroes

plus 22 Hometown Heroes

plus 16 Hometown Heroes

plus 14 Hometown Heroes

plus 12 Hometown Heroes

plus 13 Hometown Heroes

plus 15 Hometown Heroes

plus 17 Hometown Heroes

plus 11 Hometown Heroes
2021 Findings 9

From 2012 to 2021, there was a 30% decrease in on-duty firefighter fatalities (Figure 2).3

Figure 2. On-duty firefighter fatalities (2012-2021) 

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

Trend

Firefighter fatalities

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Number of firefighter fatalities

Year

65

85

92 93

90

110

97

86 78

66

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

resulting from the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act but do not include COVID-19 fatalities for purposes of a 

trend analysis.

Career, volunteer and wildland agency fatalities

In 2021, firefighter fatalities included 76 career firefighters (54%), 55 volunteer 

firefighters (39%), and 10 part-time or full-time members of wildland or wildland 

contract fire agencies (7%) (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Career, volunteer and wildland agency firefighter fatalities (2021)

141 total firefighter 

fatalities

Career

76 deaths (54%)

Rural fire

departments

9 deaths

Urban/suburban

fire departments

67 deaths

Part-time or 

seasonal

10 deaths

Rural fire

departments

35 deaths

Urban/suburban

fire departments

20 deaths

Volunteer

55 deaths (39%)

Wildland agency

10 deaths (7%)

3This trend analysis does not include 36 firefighter fatalities in 2020 and 63 firefighter fatalities in 2021 

that occurred due to complications of COVID-19.
10 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

Gender

The gender of the firefighters who died while on duty in 2021 consisted of 5 females 

and 136 males.

Multiple firefighter fatality incidents

The 141 deaths in 2021 resulted from a total of 139 fatal incidents, including 2 multiple 

firefighter fatality incidents taking the lives of 2 firefighters each (Table 1).

Table 1. Multiple firefighter fatality incidents (2012-2021)

Year

Number of multiple 

firefighter fatality 

incidents

Number of firefighter 

fatalities resulting from 

multiple firefighter 

fatality incidents

2021 2 4

2020 3 6

2019 0 0

2018 2 4

2017 1 3*

2016 3 7

2015 3 7

2014 2 4

2013 4 34*

2012 4 10

10-year average 2 8 

*

In 2013, there were 4 multiple firefighter fatality incidents that resulted in the deaths of 35 firefighters. Of these firefighters, 

34 died in 2013 and 1 died in 2017.

Wildland firefighting fatalities

In 2021, 18 firefighters (13%) 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).
2021 Findings 11

Figure 4. Firefighter fatalities related to wildland firefighting (2012-2021)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Number of firefighter fatalities

Year

10

7

13

18 16

31

11 12

15

10

In 2021, there was 1 incident related to wildland firefighting that resulted in 2 

firefighter fatalities when a fixed-wing aircraft lost its left wing, entered a steep dive 

and impacted the terrain (Tables 2 and 3).

Table 2. Firefighter fatalities associated with wildland firefighting (2012-2021)

Year

Number of 

firefighter 

fatalities related 

to wildland 

firefighting

Number of fatal 

incidents related 

to wildland 

firefighting

Number of 

firefighters 

killed in 

multiple-fatality 

incidents related 

to wildland 

firefighting

2021 18 17 2

2020 13 12 2

2019 7 7 0

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

10-year average 14 11 4
12 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

Table 3. Aircraft firefighter fatalities associated with wildland firefighting 

(2012-2021)

Year

Number of aircraft 

firefighter fatalities 

related to wildland 

firefighting 

Number of aircraft fatal 

incidents related to 

wildland firefighting

2021 2 1

2020 6 5

2019 1 1

2018 0 0

2017 0 0

2016 0 0

2015 2 1

2014 2 2

2013 0 0

2012 2 1

10-year average 2 1 
Type of Duty 13

Type of Duty

Activities related to emergency incidents resulted 

in the deaths of 92 firefighters (65%) in 2021 

(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 emergency-related activities. 

Nonemergency activities accounted for 49 

firefighter fatalities (35%). Nonemergency duties 

include training, administrative activities and 

performing other functions that are not related 

to an emergency incident.

A multiyear historical perspective relating to the 

percentage of firefighter deaths that occurred 

during emergency duty is presented in Table 4.

Figure 5. Firefighter fatalities 

by type of duty (2021)

Emergency

65%

(92)

Nonemergency

35%

(49)

Table 4. Emergency duty firefighter fatalities (2012-2021)

Year Percentage of total firefighter 

fatalities

2021 65.2

2020 70.6

2019 61.5

2018 52.9

2017 48.4

2016 41.3

2015 48.9

2014 45.4

2013 70.0

2012 53.5

10-year average 56.5 
14 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

The number of deaths by type of duty being performed for 2021 is shown in Figure 6. 

Figure 6. Firefighter fatalities by type of duty (2021)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Type of duty

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Training

Responding

 or returning

On-scene fire

Other on duty

On-scene nonfire 45

41

34

12

9

Fireground operations

34 firefighters experienced fatal injuries during fireground operations (on-scene fire) 

in 2021. Of these fatalities, 17 were at the scene of a structure fire, 13 were at the 

scene of a wildland or outside fire, and 4 were at the scene of a vehicle fire. The 

average age of the firefighters killed during fireground operations was 49 years old, 

with the youngest being 21 years old and the oldest being 86 years old. Of those killed 

during fireground operations, 17 were volunteer, 9 were career and 8 were wildland 

firefighters. The nature of fatal injury for 9 of the firefighter deaths that occurred 

during fireground operations was heart attack (26%). The nature of fatal injury for the 

remaining 25 deaths were trauma (8), COVID-19 (5), asphyxiation (5), burns (3), crushed 

(2), cerebrovascular accident (CVA) (1) and other (1).

Type of fireground activity during fireground operations

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

when they sustained their fatal injuries or illnesses during fireground operations. This 

total includes all firefighting duties on the fireground, such as wildland firefighting and 

structural firefighting. In 2021, the most common type of on-scene fire activity was 

advancing hoselines.

Table 5. Type of fireground activity (2021)

Type of fireground activity Number of firefighter fatalities

Advance hoselines 11 

Other 5

Incident command 4

Water supply 3

Support 3

Search and rescue 3

Scene safety 2

Pump operations 2

Responding 1
Type of Duty 15

Fixed property use for structural firefighting fatalities

Of the fatalities that occurred during fireground operations in 2021, 17 were 

firefighters who became ill or injured while on the scene of a structure fire. Of these 

fatalities, 14 (82%) 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 (2021)

Type of structure Number of firefighter fatalities

Residential 14 

Commercial 3 

Responding/returning

In 2021, as shown in Table 7, 12 firefighters died or experienced an onset of symptoms 

while responding to or returning from incidents. Specifically, 9 were responding to, 

and 3 were returning from, an incident. 

The average age of the 12 firefighters was 54 years old. The youngest was 21 years 

old, and the oldest was 89 years old.

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

incident (2012-2021)

Year

Number of firefighter fatalities that 

occurred while responding to or 

returning from an incident

2021 12

2020 14

2019 8

2018 11

2017 12

2016 13

2015 8

2014 14

2013 15

2012 17

10-year average 12 

Training

In 2021, 9 firefighters died while engaged in training activities (Table 8). Of these 

firefighters, 5 died from heart attacks, 2 from “other” (1 from an anoxic brain injury 

and 1 from complications of exertional rhabdomyolysis — the result of muscles 

breaking down and releasing proteins into the bloodstream which is associated with 

strenuous exercise or normal exercise under extreme circumstances), 1 from heat 

exhaustion, and 1 from trauma. 
16 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

Of the 9 firefighters who died while engaged in training activities, 4 firefighters died 

while performing fire department-mandated physical fitness training, 1 died during 

a crawl through of a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) prop, 1 died during a 

fire department drill, 1 died while attending an apparatus drill, 1 died while involved 

in an equipment drill, and 1 died during a live fire training exercise. 

The average age of the 9 firefighters was 41 years old. 2 firefighters had the youngest 

age of 21 years old, and the oldest firefighter was 80 years old.

Table 8. Firefighter fatalities while engaged in training (2012-2021)

Year Number of firefighter fatalities that 

occurred during training

2021 9

2020 7

2019 5

2018 9

2017 12

2016 9

2015 7

2014 10

2013 7

2012 8

10-year average 8 

Other on duty

“Other on duty” refers to firefighters engaged in activities related to nonemergency 

situations, such as in-station duties, arson investigations and attending fire 

department-mandated meetings.

In 2021, 41 firefighters died under these circumstances. 

ĵ 26 firefighters died from exposure.

ĵ 10 firefighters died from stress/overexertion.

ĵ 1 firefighter died while performing in-station duties and was hit when the apparatus’ 

tire exploded.

ĵ 1 firefighter was shot and killed by an off-duty co-worker.

ĵ 1 firefighter died in a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) crash while participating in a 

prescribed burn.

ĵ 1 firefighter committed suicide.

ĵ 1 firefighter died from polydrug intoxication.

The average age of the 41 firefighters was 49 years old. The youngest was 20 years 

old, and the oldest was 70 years old.
Type of Duty 17

Nonfire emergencies

In 2021, 45 firefighters were killed during emergency duties not related to fire. These 

response calls included 34 emergency medical services (EMS) calls and 11 motor 

vehicle accidents.

Of the 45 firefighters who died during nonfire emergencies, 32 died from COVID-19, 5 

from heart attacks, 5 from trauma, 1 from a CVA, 1 from electrocution, and 1 from an 

aortic dissection. The average age of these firefighters was 51 years old. The youngest 

was 31 years old, and the oldest was 73 years old.

Cause of Fatal Injury 19

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 2021. In 

2021, the leading cause of fatal injury was exposure followed by stress/overexertion.

Figure 7. Firefighter fatalities by cause of fatal injury (2021)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Cause of fatal injury

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Suicide

Contact with

Lost or disoriented

Collapse

Caught or trapped

Other

Fall

Struck by

Vehicle collisions

Stress or overexertion

Exposure

39

63

3

3

3

8

4

4

12

1

1

Exposure

Since 1986, when the USFA began publishing this annual report, 2021 is the first year 

when stress/overexertion was not the leading cause of fatal injury for firefighters. 

Instead, exposure was the leading cause of fatal firefighter injuries in 2021.

In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread to the United States. According to the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the pandemic has killed over 1 million 

individuals in the United States.4 This pandemic has spared no one, including first 

responders. In 2021, 63 firefighters lost their lives due to exposure. All 63 firefighters 

died from complications of COVID-19.5 Table 9 shows the cities and states where these 

firefighters were stationed.

4COVID Data Tracker Weekly Review. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/

index.html

5The USFA includes in its on-duty firefighter fatality count those firefighters that contracted COVID-19 while 

on duty and died due to complications of the disease. All on-duty COVID-19 deaths have been verified with 

the fire department of which the firefighter was rostered.
20 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

Table 9. COVID-19 on-duty firefighter fatalities (2021)

City/state Number of fatalities

Columbus, Ohio 2

Oak City, North Carolina 2

Alice, Texas 1

Atlantic City, New Jersey 1

Bridgeport, California 1

Brooksville, Florida 1

Buckeye, Arizona 1

Burgaw, North Carolina 1

Carrollton, Georgia 1

Cascade, Montana 1

Cheyenne, Wyoming 1

Chicago, Illinois 1

Colerain, North Carolina 1

Cottonwood, Arizona 1

Cumberland, Maryland 1

Dallas, Texas 1

Elwood, Indiana 1

Ellenwood, Georgia 1

Fort Walton Beach, Florida 1

Garden Valley, Idaho 1

Grand Lake, Colorado 1

Gulfport, Mississippi 1

Hardeeville, South Carolina 1

Hohenwald, Tennessee 1

Huntersville, North Carolina 1

Indian Head, Maryland 1

Indianapolis, Indiana 1

Jacksonville, Florida 1

Knoxville, Tennessee 1

Kokomo, Indiana 1

Lake City, Florida 1

Laredo, Texas 1

Las Cruces, New Mexico 1

Los Angeles, California 1

Memphis, Tennessee 1

Morley, Michigan 1

Nashville, Tennessee 1

Newark, Ohio 1

North Little Rock, Arkansas 1
Cause of Fatal Injury 21

Table 9. COVID-19 on-duty firefighter fatalities (2021) (continued)

City/state Number of fatalities

Pardeeville, Wisconsin 1

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1

Phoenix, Arizona 1

Pine Bluff, Arizona 1

Rancho Santa Fe, California 1

Reading, Pennsylvania 1

Rocky Top, Tennessee 1

Salt Lake City, Utah 1

San Benito, Texas 1

Sardis, Mississippi 1

Seguin, Texas 1

Shepherdsville, Kentucky 1

Shreveport, Louisiana 1

Sonora, California 1

South Point, Ohio 1

St. Louis, Missouri 1

Susanville, California 1

Tampa, Florida 1

Upsala, Minnesota 1

Vidor, Texas 1

Weirton, West Virginia 1

Winder, Georgia 1

Total: 63

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 2021, 39 firefighters died due to stress or overexertion.

ĵ 33 firefighters died due to heart attacks.

ĵ 3 firefighters died due to CVAs.

ĵ 2 firefighters died from “other” causes (1 from a pulmonary embolism; 1 from an 

aortic aneurysm).

ĵ 1 firefighter died from heat exhaustion.

In addition, of the firefighters that died due to stress or overexertion, 10 (26%) were 

Hometown Heroes.
22 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

Table 10. Firefighter fatalities caused by stress/overexertion (2012-2021)

Year

Number of 

firefighter 

fatalities caused 

by stress/

overexertion

Percentage of 

total firefighter 

fatalities caused 

by stress/

overexertion

Number of 

Hometown 

Hero fatalities 

caused by stress/

overexertion

2021 39 27.7 10

2020 37 36.3 10

2019 37 56.9 10

2018 37 43.5 13

2017 54 58.1 16

2016 44 47.8 22

2015 61 67.8 15

2014 62 63.9 25

2013 40 36.4 10

2012 49 57.0 14

10-year average 46 47.9 15 

Vehicle crashes

In 2021, 12 firefighters (6 volunteer, 4 wildland and 2 career) lost their lives due to 

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

for the year. In 2021, 4 deaths involved privately owned vehicles, 3 deaths involved 

fixed-wing aircraft, 2 deaths involved fire department brush trucks, 2 deaths involved 

staff support vehicles and 1 death involved a tanker (water tender).

Figure 8. Firefighter fatalities in vehicle collisions (including aircraft) (2012-2021)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Number of firefighter fatalities

Year

12

13

7

15

12

18

10

12

5

19
Cause of Fatal Injury 23

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

to a vehicle crash on an interstate. The assistant chief had his fire department 

vehicle, a 2015 Ford Explorer, positioned in the roadway to protect the scene of 

the crash. He was sitting in his vehicle. A 2021 Freightliner Cascade 116 semitrailer 

approached the scene at speed, crashed into the assistant chief’s vehicle and 

crashed into other vehicles at the scene. The assistant chief was trapped in his 

vehicle. He was extricated but did not survive the incident.

ĵ A firefighter was participating in a prescribed burn when she was critically injured 

in a UTV crash. The firefighter was treated at the scene and in a hospital but did 

not survive her injuries. 

ĵ An assistant chief was responding to a vehicle crash as the driver and sole occupant 

of a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado brush truck. As he responded, the right wheels of the 

apparatus went off the right side of the roadway and traveled approximately 150 

feet. The assistant chief steered the vehicle back onto the roadway but overcorrected 

and the apparatus went off the left side of the roadway. He steered to the right 

but overcorrected, and the apparatus rolled 2 to 3 times and flipped end over end. 

The assistant chief was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected in the crash. He 

was pronounced dead at the scene.

ĵ A firefighter was the driver of a 2012 Ford F350 fire apparatus (brush truck). He 

and another firefighter were responding to a motor vehicle crash. The apparatus 

approached an 18-wheeler on the 2-lane road. As the apparatus overtook the 

truck, the firefighter steered into the left lane to pass the truck. As the apparatus 

began to pass the truck, the driver of the 18-wheeler began to make a left-hand 

turn. The firefighter made an evasive turn to avoid impact, but the apparatus 

collided with the 18-wheeler. The firefighter was fatally injured in the crash and 

was pronounced deceased at the scene. The firefighter was wearing his seat belt 

and multiple airbags activated in the crash. The driver of the 18-wheeler was cited 

for turning when unsafe.

ĵ A firefighter was responding to a vehicle crash in his privately owned vehicle (POV), 

a 1994 Chevrolet van. As he responded into a curve, the vehicle left the right side 

of the roadway, struck a tree, struck a road sign, and came to rest against another 

tree. Other firefighters responding to the original incident came upon the crash 

and rendered aid, but the firefighter was killed in the crash. The law enforcement 

report on the incident estimates the vehicle’s speed at 60 mph in a 45-mph zone. 

The firefighter was not wearing a seat belt, and he was not ejected from the vehicle.

ĵ A firefighter was responding to a multiple vehicle crash in his POV, a 2001 Ford 

Mustang. As he responded in severe rain, he lost control of his vehicle and ran 

into the rear of another vehicle parked on the right shoulder due to weather. The 

firefighter had to be extricated from the vehicle. He was wearing a seat belt, and 

his driver’s airbag deployed. Severe weather and speed too fast for conditions 

were cited in the law enforcement report as contributing to the crash.

ĵ A captain was responding to a fire incident in a pickup truck. He was the driver 

and sole occupant of the vehicle. As he responded, he crashed into the rear of a 

tractor-trailer carrying a load of produce. The driver of the tractor-trailer felt the 

impact and stopped the truck. The captain was trapped in the pickup and could 

not be extricated by bystanders. The pickup was on fire and the fire eventually 

consumed the cab of the vehicle. He suffered severe blunt trauma and was killed 

in the crash.
24 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

ĵ A firefighter was returning to the fire station in his POV from the scene of an 

incendiary fire set in the woods. He missed a stop sign at the road’s intersection 

and crashed into another vehicle. He was ejected from the car and passed away 

from the injuries he sustained in the crash.

ĵ A pilot was operating an Air Tractor AT-802A Single Engine Air Tanker to help fight 

a wildland fire. As the aircraft approached to make a water drop, witnesses on the 

ground saw the aircraft roll inverted and then disappear from their sight. Information 

from the CO Aviation company indicates that the aircraft was caught in a sudden 

wind gust and crashed, killing the pilot. Additional information about this incident 

can be found in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Case Analysis 

and Reporting Online (CAROL) system (https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/

landing-page). The incident number for this crash is CEN22FA035.

ĵ An Air Attack group supervisor and an Air Attack pilot were supporting operations 

at a wildland fire. They were operating in a 1980 Beech King Air C90 turboprop 

fixed-wing aircraft. The supervisor and the pilot had been on station at the fire for 

about 45 minutes at an altitude of approximately 2,500 feet. They had accomplished 

multiple orbits over the fire area. For reasons unknown, the aircraft lost its left 

wing, entered a steep dive and impacted the terrain. A post-crash fire ensued. 

The left wing of the aircraft was located about 0.79 miles northeast of the main 

wreckage and did not sustain thermal damage. Both firefighters were killed in the 

crash. Additional information about this incident can be found in the NTSB CAROL 

system (https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/landing-page). The incident number 

for this crash is WPR21FA266.

ĵ 2 firefighters were returning from training in a fire department tanker (tender). 

For unknown reasons, the tanker swerved and rolled over. Both firefighters were 

ejected in the crash, and the firefighter who was the passenger in the tender 

became trapped under the apparatus. Other firefighters nearby tried to rescue 

him, but they were unsuccessful in saving his life.

Struck by

In 2021, 8 firefighters were killed by being struck at the scene of vehicle accidents, 

wildland fires and while performing in-station duties.

ĵ A firefighter and members of her fire department were working on the scene of a 

wildland fire. According to the driver’s statement that is part of the law enforcement 

crash report, the Incident Commander ordered a rescue truck to be repositioned. 

The driver checked the area around the rescue truck, made eye contact with the 

firefighter and told her he was going to reverse the apparatus. The driver then 

sounded the air horn for several seconds and reversed the apparatus slowly. 

Other firefighters on the scene yelled and waved at the driver, and he stopped 

the apparatus. He was told that he had struck the firefighter. He dismounted the 

apparatus and found the firefighter deceased, near the rear axle of the apparatus.

ĵ A firefighter/squad boss and his crew were working at a wildland fire. The crew was 

putting in a cold line on the edge of the fire. The sheriff’s report on the incident 

determined that a green tree snapped, slid down the slope and struck the firefighter/

squad boss. He suffered numerous, very serious injuries and was deceased before 

he could be extricated from under the 4-foot-diameter tree.
Cause of Fatal Injury 25

ĵ A firefighter was on the scene of a vehicle crash on an interstate. Fire apparatus was 

placed in the left-hand lane of the 2-lane highway. As firefighters prepared to leave 

the scene, a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee entered the scene on the right shoulder 

and struck the firefighter, 2 other firefighters and a law enforcement officer. The 

firefighter was fatally injured. Other firefighters at the scene began CPR, and the 

struck firefighter was transported to the hospital but did not survive. The driver 

of the Jeep was charged with driving while intoxicated and third-degree murder.

ĵ A fire police officer was working at the scene of a vehicle crash. As the incident was 

concluded and the scene cleared, a fire police vehicle was backed up by another fire 

police officer. The fire police officer was at the rear of the vehicle being moved and 

was struck. She was transported to a local hospital but did not survive her injuries.

ĵ A firefighter and the members of her fire department were dispatched to a vehicle 

crash on a local section of an interstate. A fire department vehicle was being 

repositioned at the scene. As the vehicle was operated in reverse, the firefighter 

was fatally struck.

ĵ A chief was on the scene of a vehicle crash on a highway. As firefighters were 

preparing to clear the scene, the chief entered the roadway to stop traffic so that 

an on-scene fire apparatus could make a U-turn. He was wearing a reflective jacket 

and was utilizing a flashlight. A 2015 Toyota Corolla approached the scene at an 

estimated speed of 60 miles per hour, straddled the shoulder, struck the chief and 

then collided with the fire apparatus making the U-turn. The chief was severely 

injured and was tended to by other firefighters. A medical helicopter arrived, but 

he was judged too unstable for helicopter transport. He was taken to a hospital 

by ground ambulance. The chief died the next day.

ĵ A firefighter was performing maintenance on 1 of the department’s firetrucks 

when the apparatus’ tire exploded. He was immediately transported to the hospital 

where he passed away from his injuries a short time later.

ĵ A firefighter was on duty in his assigned fire station. He was shot and killed by an 

off-duty co-worker in an instance of workplace violence.

Fall

In 2021, 4 firefighters were killed from injuries sustained in falls, equal to the number 

of firefighters killed where the cause of fatal injury was classified as “Other.”

ĵ A lieutenant was on duty for a 24-hour shift that began at 7:00 a.m. At 11:04 p.m., 

he and his crew were dispatched to an automatic aid structure fire. Firefighters 

arriving on the scene found a fire in an attached garage that had extended into 

the house. The firefighters, including the lieutenant, advanced hoselines into the 

garage and house, extinguished most of the fire, and opened up the ceiling to access 

fire in the attic. The lieutenant and his crew were running low on air, so they were 

relieved by other firefighters. The lieutenant met face-to-face with the incoming 

firefighters and then headed outside. As he exited the building, he fell through a 

fire-weakened part of the floor into the basement. His fall was not observed by 

anyone on the scene. At approximately 12:42 a.m., firefighters determined that 

the lieutenant was not accounted for, and a Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) 

was ordered. It was determined that he was missing, and a search commenced. 
26 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

The lieutenant was found unconscious in the basement of the house. Up to this 

point, the presence of a basement had been unknown to firefighters because the 

exterior basement windows had been painted over and access to the basement 

from the home was not obvious. The lieutenant was transported by ambulance to 

Community General Hospital in Sterling and was pronounced dead a short time 

later. His death was caused by asphyxiation. 

ĵ A lieutenant was operating the pump panel during a car fire on a highway when he 

suffered a medical emergency. He collapsed and struck his head on the top-mount 

pump panel. On-scene firefighters immediately got the lieutenant down from the 

truck and began first aid. He was not breathing and had no pulse. Firefighters 

used an automated external defibrillator and were able to revive him on-scene. 

He was flown by medical helicopter to a regional hospital where treatment for his 

head injury continued. The lieutenant succumbed to his head injuries 2 days later.

ĵ A lieutenant/paramedic was on duty at his fire station. At approximately 9:43 p.m., 

he responded to a report of a brush fire near a state route. The apparatus arrived 

on scene at approximately 9:49 p.m. and parked on the state route overpass. The 

lieutenant/paramedic exited the apparatus to begin searching for signs of the 

reported brush fire. Shortly thereafter, he fell from the overpass. He was located 

a short time later beneath the overpass. The lieutenant/paramedic was confirmed 

deceased having fallen 210 feet from the overpass.

ĵ A smokejumper/firefighter suffered critical injuries in a hard landing while 

parachuting into a wildland fire. He was transported by air ambulance to a hospital 

for treatment. He died approximately a week and a half later as a result of his 

injuries.

Other

In 2021, 4 firefighters died from causes of fatal injuries not listed in a specialized cause 

of fatal injury category such as COVID-19, stress/overexertion, struck by, etc.

ĵ A firefighter/emergency medical technician (EMT) was working with other firefighters 

at the scene of a large mutual aid residential structure fire when he suffered a 

medical emergency. He was transported to the hospital where it was discovered 

that he suffered from an undiagnosed medical condition that caused his illness. 

The firefighter/EMT was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. He passed 

away 2 days later.

ĵ An engine boss was dispatched from her base to a wildland fire. She and her 

crew worked in the area, and she developed shortness of breath and congestion. 

Approximately a week and a half later, she visited an urgent care clinic and was 

prescribed medications for her illness. A few days later, she and her crew were 

working in the field and were directed to a local fire station around noon to shelter 

from inclement weather. At approximately 3:00 p.m. that day, the engine boss was 

discovered unresponsive in the fire station. She was treated and transported but 

did not recover. An autopsy and toxicology tests were performed and found that 

she had died due to polydrug intoxication. In addition to the prescribed drugs, 

other drugs were discovered in her system.
Cause of Fatal Injury 27

ĵ A firefighter was attending a Recruit Firefighter Training Program. During a crawl 

through of an SCBA prop, the firefighter became incapacitated. He was removed 

from the prop by other students and instructors. He was transported to a local 

hospital and then to a regional hospital. He died as the result of an anoxic brain 

injury approximately a week later.

ĵ A probationary firefighter was in his sixth week of firefighter training. He became 

ill during morning physical training and was immediately transported to a hospital 

where he passed away the next day. In May 2022, the medical examiner stated that 

the probationary firefighter died of complications of exertional rhabdomyolysis — 

the result of muscles breaking down and releasing proteins into the bloodstream. It is 

associated with strenuous exercise or normal exercise under extreme circumstances.

Collapse

In 2021, 3 firefighters were killed during structure collapses.

ĵ A captain and the members of his engine company were dispatched to a structure 

fire in a large residence. Upon their arrival on-scene, firefighters found a working 

fire. The captain and his crew advanced an attack line to the rear of the structure 

and entered the home. A floor collapse occurred, and the captain fell into the 

basement. A mayday was called, and firefighters worked to reach him. When 

the captain was removed, he was unconscious. Firefighters and EMS responders 

provided treatment, but he could not be revived. The captain’s death was caused 

by asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation.

ĵ A chief and the members of his fire department were dispatched to a residential 

structure fire. They entered the home and located 2 trapped people. As the chief 

and a firefighter attempted to make rescues, the home’s roof collapsed and trapped 

the chief, the firefighter, and the 2 occupants of the residence. All 4 were killed by 

the collapse.

Lost or disoriented 

In 2021, 3 firefighters were killed by becoming lost or disoriented inside of a burning 

structure fire.

ĵ A firefighter was a member of an engine company crew dispatched with other 

firefighters to a report of a residential building fire with people trapped. Firefighters 

arrived on the scene and found a 21⁄2 story wood-frame home with heavy smoke 

showing. Firefighters located and removed a resident trapped in the home. A second 

alarm was struck. The firefighter and members of his crew advanced a hoseline 

to the second floor to search and fight fire. With their air supplies running low, 

firefighters began to exit the building. The firefighter became disoriented in the 

structure, realized that he was lost and placed a mayday call. A Rapid Intervention 

Crew (RIC) was activated and sent to the home’s second floor. The firefighter 

was located in the structure by his company officer, but he was out of air, likely 

suffering from carbon monoxide inhalation, and was uncooperative with his 

rescuers. The company officer that had attempted to help the firefighter also 

became incapacitated. A second mayday was initiated and both the firefighter and 

his company officer were removed from the building due to the efforts of other 

firefighters. The company officer was transported to the hospital and recovered. 

The firefighter did not recover. His death was caused by asphyxiation.
28 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

ĵ A firefighter/EMT and other firefighters were dispatched to a report of a fire in a 

2-story apartment building. The firefighter/EMT and other firefighters entered the 

structure to fight the fire. He became separated from his crew. The firefighter/EMT 

died 5 days later as a result of asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation.

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

roof fire in a residence. First-arriving firefighters found a working fire and extended a 

hoseline to the third floor of the residence to locate and fight the fire. The firefighter 

arrived on an engine company and assisted with establishing a water supply to the 

first-due apparatus. Once the initial water supply was secured, he was assigned 

with other firefighters to relieve the initial attack crew that was running low on air. 

The firefighter entered the structure wearing full personal protective equipment 

and SCBA. At the 20-minute mark, the Incident Commander reported a working 

attic fire with 2 hoselines in service. At 11:02 p.m., 28 minutes into operations, a 

mayday was declared. The RIC was activated, the Incident Commander requested 

additional resources, the building was evacuated and a PAR was conducted. At 

approximately 11:12 p.m., the firefighter was removed from the structure and 

transported to a local hospital. He passed away early the next morning. The cause 

of death was burns.

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 2021, 3 firefighters died from being caught or trapped, equal in severity to the 

causes of fatal injury of “Collapse” and “Lost or Disoriented.”

ĵ A firefighter, the members of his fire department and numerous other fire 

departments responded to a fire in a multistory assisted living facility. The firefighter 

rushed into the burning building to save residents, but the fire’s intensity grew and 

he also became trapped. He sent out a mayday call and fellow firefighters tried 

to pull him out, but heavy flames and smoke prevented them from reaching him. 

For hours after the fire was under control, firefighters scoured the rubble for the 

firefighter. His body was found nearly 24 hours after he became trapped. 

ĵ A lieutenant was injured while fighting a residential fire. He received severe burns 

and was transported to a local hospital. He was transferred to a regional burn 

treatment center where he died approximately 1 month later.

ĵ A firefighter and the members of his fire department responded to a large mutual 

aid wildland fire. The firefighter drove a fire department tanker (tender) to the 

scene. A wind shift caused the fire to overtake his location and he was unable to 

escape. He died as the result of thermal burns and asphyxiation.
Cause of Fatal Injury 29

Contact with

In 2021, 1 firefighter was killed when he came in contact with electrical lines.

ĵ A firefighter responded to a vehicle rollover crash. While searching for victims, 

he came in contact with downed power lines and was electrocuted. Emergency 

responders at the scene immediately performed CPR. The firefighter was rushed 

to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later. 

Suicide

In 2021, 1 firefighter died as the result of suicide.

ĵ A firefighter took his own life while on duty at the fire station.

Nature of Fatal Injury 31

Nature of Fatal Injury

Figure 9 shows the distribution of the 141 firefighter deaths that occurred in 2021 by 

the medical nature of the fatal injury or illness. In 2021, COVID-19 was the most leading 

type of nature of fatal injury, followed by heart attack. Trauma was the third leading 

type of nature of fatal injury. 

Figure 9. Firefighter fatalities by nature of fatal injury (2021)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Nature of fatal injury

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Violence

Heat exhaustion

Electrocution

Crushed

CVA

Burns

Asphyxiation

Other

Trauma

Heart attack

COVID-19 63 (44.7%)

33 (23.4%)

7 (5.0%)

22 (15.6%)

5 (3.5%)

3 (2.1%)

3 (2.1%)

2 (1.4%)

1 (0.7%)

1 (0.7%)

1 (0.7%)

Figure 10 shows the type of duty involved for the 63 firefighters who died due to 

COVID-19. Figure 11 shows the type of duty involved for the 33 firefighters who died 

of a heart attack.

Figure 10. COVID-19 by type of duty (2021)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Type of duty

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

On-scene fire

Other on duty

On-scene nonfire 32

26

5
32 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

Figure 11. Heart attacks by type of duty (2021)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Type of duty

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Returning

Responding

Training

On-scene nonfire

Other on duty

On-scene fire

1

9

9

4

5

5
Firefighter Ages 33

Firefighter Ages

Figure 12 shows the distribution of firefighter deaths by age at the time of death. Table 11 

provides a count of firefighter fatalities by age at death and the nature of the fatal injury.

Figure 12. Firefighter fatalities by age at death (2021) 

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

21 to 2526 to 3031 to 3536 to 4041 to 4546 to 5051 to 5556 to 6061 to 6566 to 7071 to 75

Over 75

under 21

Firefighter ages

Number of firefighter fatalities

8

15

8

14 14

22

21

15

9

3

5

1

6

Table 11. Firefighter fatalities by age at death and nature of fatal injury (2021)

Age

Number of 

firefighter fatalities 

caused by trauma/

asphyxiation/other

Number of 

firefighter fatalities 

caused by COVID-19

Number of 

firefighter fatalities 

caused by heart 

attack/CVA

Under 21 1 0 0

21 to 25 3 1 2

26 to 30 7 1 0

31 to 35 7 6 2

36 to 40 2 1 5

41 to 45 6 7 1

46 to 50 3 8 3

51 to 55 0 16 6

56 to 60 5 9 7

61 to 65 7 7 1

66 to 70 1 6 2

71 to 75 0 1 2

Over 75 0 0 5

Deaths by Time of Injury | Firefighter Fatality Incidents by Month of Year 35

Deaths by Time of Injury

For 2021, 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 52 

firefighters was unknown, primarily because the exact time that firefighters contracted 

COVID-19 while on duty was often unknown.

Figure 13. Firefighter fatalities by time of fatal injury (2021)

Time of fatal injury

Number of fatal injuries

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Unknown times

11:01 p.m. - Midnight

10:01 - 11 p.m.

9:01 - 10 p.m.

1:01 - 2 p.m.

2:01 - 3 p.m.

3:01 - 4 p.m.

4:01 - 5 p.m.

5:01 - 6 p.m.

6:01 - 7 p.m.

7:01 - 8 p.m.

8:01 - 9 p.m.

12:01 - 1 p.m.

11:01 a.m. - 12 p.m.

10:01 - 11 a.m.

9:01 - 10 a.m.

1:01 - 2 a.m.

2:01 - 3 a.m.

3:01 - 4 a.m.

4:01 - 5 a.m.

5:01 - 6 a.m.

6:01 - 7 a.m.

7:01 - 8 a.m.

8:01 - 9 a.m.

12:01 - 1 a.m.

52

6

0

5 2 3 4 2 2 1

5

1 2 5 3 1 4 2

8

3

7 7

3 5 8

Note: The time of fatal injury for 52 firefighters was unknown. Times are shown using the following formula: 12:01-1 a.m.; 

1:01-2 a.m.; 2:01-3 a.m., etc.

Firefighter Fatality Incidents by 

Month of Year

Figure 14 illustrates when the 2021 firefighter fatalities occurred by month of year. 

Most fatalities occurred in the month of September, followed by the month of August.

Figure 14. Firefighter fatalities by month of year (2021)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Month of year

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

December 

November 

October 

September 

August 

July 

June

May 

April

March 

February 

January 14

4

8

20

23

14

10

11

10

7

12

8
36 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021
State and Region 37

State and Region

The distribution of firefighter deaths in 2021 by state is shown in Table 12. Firefighters 

based in 41 states died in 2021.

The highest number of firefighter deaths in 2021 (based on the location of the fire 

service organization) occurred in Texas, with 10 losses. Florida, North Carolina, New 

Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania had 8 deaths each, followed by California, which 

experienced 7 losses.

Table 12. Firefighter fatalities by state based on location of fire service (2021)*

State Number of firefighter 

fatalities

Percentage of firefighter 

fatalities

Texas 10 7.1

Florida 8 5.7

New Jersey 8 5.7

North Carolina 8 5.7

Ohio 8 5.7

Pennsylvania 8 5.7

California 7 5.0

Colorado 6 4.3

Arkansas 5 3.5

Arizona 5 3.5

Georgia 5 3.5

Illinois 5 3.5

New York 5 3.5

Tennessee 5 3.5

Indiana 3 2.1

Kentucky 3 2.1

Maryland 3 2.1

Mississippi 3 2.1

South Carolina 3 2.1

Connecticut 2 1.4

Kansas 2 1.4

Louisiana 2 1.4

Michigan 2 1.4

Missouri 2 1.4

Montana 2 1.4

New Mexico 2 1.4

Oklahoma 2 1.4

Washington 2 1.4

West Virginia 2 1.4
38 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

Table 12. Firefighter fatalities by state based on location of fire service (2021)* 

(continued)

State Number of firefighter 

fatalities

Percentage of firefighter 

fatalities

Wyoming 2 1.4

Alaska 1 0.7

Alabama 1 0.7

Delaware 1 0.7

Idaho 1 0.7

Minnesota 1 0.7

Nebraska 1 0.7

Oregon 1 0.7

Utah 1 0.7

Virginia 1 0.7

Virgin Islands 1 0.7

Wisconsin 1 0.7

Total 141 100.0

*

This list attributes the deaths according to the state in which the fire department or unit was 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.
State and Region 39

Figure 15

Sources: USFA’s National Fire Data Center and NFFF.
40 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021 Figure 16

Sources: USFA’s National Fire Data Center and NFFF.
State and Region 41

Figure 17

Sources: USFA’s National Fire Data Center and NFFF.

Analysis of Urban/Suburban/Rural Patterns in Firefighter Fatalities 43

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 1 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 2021 firefighter fatalities. These statistics are 

based on responses from fire department personnel, 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 13. Firefighter fatalities by coverage area type (2021)

Urban/suburban Rural Total

 87 54 141

Appendix 45

Appendix

Firefighter Fatality Inclusion Criteria — National Fire Service 

Organizations

The NFPA, the NFFF, the USFA and other organizations individually collect information 

on firefighter fatalities in the United States. Each organization uses a slightly different 

set of inclusion criteria 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 occurred 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 7 of this report.

For 2021, the USFA reported 141 on-duty firefighter fatalities. This number includes 63 

firefighters that died in 2021 as a result of COVID-19 and its complications.

Firefighter fatalities in 2021*

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

USFA NFPA NFFF

Number of firefighter fatalities

National fire service organization

141

135

148

*USFA methodology for the analyses of firefighter fatalities was changed in 2020. Starting with the 2020 report,

firefighter deaths are counted in the year that the death occurred rather than the year that the fatal incident

occurred.
46 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

Inclusion criteria for the National Fire Protection Association’s 

Annual Firefighter Fatality Study

Introduction

Each year, the NFPA collects data on all the firefighter fatalities in the U.S. that resulted 

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

duty” refers to the following: 

ĵ Being at the scene of an alarm, whether it is a fire or nonfire incident (including 

EMS calls).

ĵ Responding to or returning from an alarm.

ĵ Participating in other fire department duties, such as training, maintenance, public 

education, inspection, investigation, court testimony or fundraising.

ĵ Being on call or standby for assignment at a location other than the firefighter’s 

home or place of business. 

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

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

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

The types of injuries included in the first category are mainly those that occurred at 

a fire or other emergency incident scene, in training, or in crashes while responding 

to or returning from alarms. Illnesses (including heart attacks) are included when the 

exposure or onset of symptoms occurred during a specific incident or on-duty activity. 

What is a firefighter?

The types of firefighters included in this study are the following:

ĵ Members of local career and volunteer fire departments.

ĵ Seasonal, full-time and contract employees of state and federal agencies who have 

fire suppression responsibilities as part of their job description.

ĵ Prison inmates serving on firefighting crews.

ĵ Military personnel performing assigned fire suppression activities.

ĵ Civilian firefighters working at military installations.

ĵ Members of facility or industrial fire brigades.

Fatal injuries and illnesses are included even in cases where death was considerably 

delayed. When the injury and death occurred in different years, the incident is counted 

for the year of the injury. In the case of COVID-19 deaths, the NFPA is following 

inclusion criteria similar to that used by the PSOB program and the IAFF in counting 

active on-duty firefighters who were working at the time their illness was diagnosed. 

The Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act allows PSOB to recognize the 

eligibility of COVID-19 diagnoses for firefighters within 45 days of their last day on 

duty. NFPA recognizes that other organizations report the number of duty-related 
Appendix 47

firefighter fatalities using different, more expansive definitions, and some include 

deaths that occurred when the victims were off-duty (See, for example, the USFA 

and NFFF websites). Readers comparing reported losses should carefully consider the 

definitions and inclusion criteria used in any study.

Categories not included in the study

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

nonuniformed employees of fire departments, or EMTs 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.

2021 experience

In 2021, a total of 135 on-duty firefighter deaths occurred in the United States, 

according to the NFPA inclusion criteria. This total includes 65 firefighters who died in 

2021 as a result of COVID-19 and its complications.**

**For firefighter deaths due to COVID-19, the NFPA is following inclusion criteria similar to what is used by the DOJ PSOB 

program and the IAFF. The Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act allows PSOB to create a general presumption that 

a public safety officer who dies from COVID-19-related complications sustained a personal injury in the line of duty if the 

COVID-19 diagnosis occurred within 45 days of their last day on duty.
48 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

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 U.S. 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 co-workers 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. In 2023, the 

National Memorial Service was held in May.

*The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial line-of-duty deaths shall be 

determined by the following standards:

1. For the purpose of this memorial the term “firefighter” means an individual whose 

official duties include fire suppression, fire investigation or fire police activities and 

who is actively employed on a full-time, part-time, volunteer or contract basis by 

a local county, state or federal agency, with or without compensation, to provide 

primary fire protection for an organized jurisdiction having authority.

This definition also includes seasonal and full-time employees of USFS, BLM, FWS, 

NPS, and the U.S. Department of Energy and state wildland agencies; contract fire 

suppression personnel and pilots working under the official auspices of one of the 

above; prison inmates serving on fire crews; civilian firefighters working at military 

installations; and privately employed firefighters including trained members of 

industrial or institutional fire brigades.

In 2010, the foundation expanded the definition of firefighter to include activeduty, enlisted and officer U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy and Marine 

Corps military personnel assigned to fire stations who die performing emergency 

services in accordance with their position description. The 2 exclusions from this 

policy are: (1) personnel who die fighting fire on board Navy ships where all sailors 

are considered firefighters, and (2) personnel who die from direct enemy action 

or attack.

2. “Line of duty” means any activity or action that a firefighter is obligated or authorized 

by statute, rule, regulation, condition of employment or service, official mutual-aid 

agreement, or other law, or for which they are compensated to perform under the 

auspices of the fire service protection agency they serve, and that such agency 

legally recognizes that the activity or action to have been obligated or authorized 

at the time performed.

Additionally, the following criteria will be applied when evaluating circumstances of each death for inclusion on the national memorial:

ĵ Deaths meeting the DOJ’s PSOB program guidelines for a favorable determination. 

(See PSOB site for current information.)

ĵ 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 Jan. 1, 2018.)
Appendix 49

In all cases, documentation must be provided showing a direct link from a single 

emergency incident or training activity to the firefighter’s injury and subsequent 

death. Examples of documentation that can be submitted are: department incident 

or run reports, newspaper articles, notarized witness statements, hospital records, 

physician reports, and disability records. For deaths resulting from a heart attack or 

stroke, documentation must be provided showing the firefighter’s participation in 

emergency response or training activities within the designated time frame (24 hours) 

before the onset of the cardiovascular event. If the injury or cardiovascular event 

results in long-term disability or hospitalization, documentation will also be required 

indicating that the individual did not return to full-duty status as a firefighter prior to 

their death.

In certain cases, the foundation will abstain from rendering a decision regarding 

eligibility for inclusion on the national memorial until the PSOB program makes its 

determination.

Such cases are:

ĵ Deaths where the decedent is under the age of 18.

ĵ Deaths that occur while the firefighter was engaged in a nonemergency fire 

department duty (i.e., station or apparatus maintenance, special-event standby 

assignments, parades, community service details, fundraising events, etc.).

ĵ Deaths that occur during the firefighter’s commute to/from their assignment.

ĵ Deaths where there is a report of alcohol or controlled substance involvement.

If a claim for death benefits has been filed with the PSOB office, the foundation will 

hold the case in a “Pending” status until the PSOB renders its decision. If the DOJ 

determines the firefighter’s death was line of duty based on their guidelines, the 

foundation will rule the death eligible for inclusion on the national memorial. If the DOJ 

determines the firefighter’s death does not meet their criteria for payment of death 

benefits, the foundation will rule the death ineligible for inclusion on the national 

memorial. If no claim for PSOB benefits is filed within 1 year of the firefighter’s death, 

the foundation will close out the file as “Not Eligible” for inclusion on the national 

memorial.

Specific cases will be excluded from consideration for inclusion on the national 

memorial, such as:

ĵ Deaths attributed to alcohol or controlled substance abuse.

ĵ Deaths resulting from the firefighter acting in a grossly negligent manner at the 

time of their death.

Acceptance for inclusion on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in no way 

impacts decisions made by the federal government regarding the awarding of PSOB 

benefits. 

The NFFF honored 148 firefighters who died in the line of duty at the planned 

October 2022 Memorial Weekend. Of those, 108 firefighters that were honored are 

associated with incidents and deaths that occurred in 2021 and 40 deaths as the 
50 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2021

result of incidents that occurred prior to 2021. Of the 148 deaths, 20 were the result 

of COVID-19 and its complications that occurred in 2021 and 16 from previous years.**

* Criteria for Inclusion on the National Memorial - National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (firehero.org)

**For firefighter deaths due to complications of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, the Safeguarding America’s First Responders 

Act creates a general presumption that a public safety officer who dies from COVID-19-related complications sustained a 

personal injury in the line of duty if the COVID-19 diagnosis occurred within 45 days of their last day on duty. Based on the 

NFFF criteria for deaths due to infectious disease, the circumstances of the fatality can be determined to meet the criteria 

for inclusion on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial when the death is approved for death benefits at the federal level 

or meets the criteria outlined by the DOJ PSOB program.
Acronyms 51

Acronyms

BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs

BLM Bureau of Land Management

CAROL Case Analysis and Reporting Online

CVA cerebrovascular accident

DOJ U.S. Department of Justice

EMS emergency medical services

EMT emergency medical technician

FWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

IAFF International Association of Fire Fighters

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

NPS National Park Service

NTSB National Transportation Safety Board

PAR Personnel Accountability Report

POV privately owned vehicle

PSOB Public Safety Officer Benefits

RIC Rapid Intervention Crew

SCBA self-contained breathing apparatus

USFA U.S. Fire Administration

USFS U.S. Forest Service

UTV utility terrain vehicle
16825 South Seton Ave.

Emmitsburg, MD 21727

usfa.fema.gov

July 2023