Firefighter Fatalities

in the

United States

in 1998

United States Fire Administration

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Contract Number EME-1998-CO-0202-T0004

August, 1999
Prepared for

United States Fire Administration

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Contract No. EME-1998-CO-0202-T0004

Prepared by

IOCAD Emergency Services Group

August 1999

Firefighter Fatalities

in the

United States

in 1998
Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....................................................................................................1

BACKGROUND...................................................................................................................2

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................3

Who Is a Firefighter?..........................................................................................................3

What Constitutes an On-Duty Fatality? .............................................................................4

Sources of Initial Notification.............................................................................................5

Procedure for Including a Fatality in the Study .................................................................6

1998 FINDINGS ...................................................................................................................7

TYPE OF DUTY........................................................................................................................10

CAREER, VOLUNTEER, AND WILDLAND DEATHS BY TYPE OF DUTY........................................14

TYPE OF EMERGENCY DUTY....................................................................................................15

CAUSE OF FATAL INJURY.......................................................................................................16

NATURE OF FATAL INJURY....................................................................................................19

FIREFIGHTERS AGES ...............................................................................................................22

FIXED PROPERTY TYPE...........................................................................................................24

FIREGROUND DEATHS ............................................................................................................25

TYPE OF ACTIVITY..................................................................................................................25

TIME OF ALARM ....................................................................................................................27

MONTH OF THE YEAR............................................................................................................28

STATE AND REGION...............................................................................................................29

ANALYSIS OF URBAN/RURAL/SUBURBAN PATTERNS IN FIREFIGHTER FATALITIES..................31

SPECIAL TOPICS ..............................................................................................................32

BACK TO BASICS ...................................................................................................................32

FIREFIGHTER HEALTH ............................................................................................................35

CONCLUSIONS.................................................................................................................37

APPENDIX A....................................................................................................................A-1
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 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, the National Interagency Fire Center, US Forest Service

personnel, the US military, the Department of Justice, the National Fire Protection Association,

and many others contributed important information for this report.

IOCAD Emergency Services Group of Emmitsburg, Maryland (a division of IOCAD Engineering

Services, Inc.) conducted this analysis for the United States Fire Administration under contract

EME-1998-CO-0202-T0004.

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. Fire

fighting, rescue, and other types of emergency operations are essential activities in an inherently

dangerous profession, and unfortunate tragedies occur. This is the risk all firefighters accept

every time they respond to an emergency incident. However, the risk can be greatly reduced

through efforts to increase firefighter health and safety.

The United States Fire Administration would like to extend its thanks to the following individuals

for providing photographs for the cover of this report:

Master Firefighter Martin Grube with the Virginia Beach Fire Department.

Bill Tompkins with the New Jersey Metro Fire Photographers Association.

Orlando Dominguez with the Brevard County Fire/Rescue.

G. Emas with the Edmonton Emergency Response Department.

This report is dedicated to the families of those firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in

1998. May the lessons learned from their passing not go unheeded.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 2

BACKGROUND

For over 20 years, the United States 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 is able to focus on specific problems and direct efforts

towards 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.

In addition to the analysis, the USFA maintains a list of firefighter fatalities for the Fallen

Firefighters Memorial Service. The fallen firefighter’s next of kin, as well as members of the

individual fire department, are invited to the annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service, which is

held at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland every fall. Additional

information regarding the memorial service can be found on the internet at

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/ffmem/service.htm or by calling the National Fallen Firefighters

Foundation at (301)-447-1365. An updated list of firefighter fatalities from 1981, through the

present, including a searchable database, can be found at

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/ffmem/ffmem_search.cfm
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 3

INTRODUCTION

This report continues a series of annual studies by the United States Fire Administration (USFA)

of on-duty firefighter fatalities in the United States.

The specific objective of this study was to identify all of the on-duty firefighter fatalities that

occurred in the United States in 1998, 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.

In addition to the 1998 overall findings, this study includes special analyses on basic safety

concepts that have the potential of saving firefighter’s lives and a discussion of firefighter health.

Who Is a Firefighter?

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

departments, including career and volunteer firefighters; full-time public safety officers acting as

firefighters; state and federal government fire service personnel; including wildland firefighters; and

privately employed firefighters, including employees of contract fire departments and trained

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

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

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

and full-time employees of the United States Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management,

the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Fish and Wildlife, the National Park Service, and state

wildland agencies. The definition also includes prison inmates serving on fire fighting crews;

firefighters employed by other governmental agencies such as the United States Department of

Energy; military personnel performing assigned fire suppression activities; and civilian firefighters

working at military installations.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 4

What Constitutes an On-Duty Fatality?

On-duty fatalities include any injury or illness sustained while on-duty that proves fatal. The term

on-duty refers to being involved in operations at the scene of an emergency, whether it is a fire or

non-fire incident; being en route to or returning from an incident; performing other officially

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

testimony and fund-raising; and being on-call, under orders, or on stand-by duty, except at the

individual's home or place of business.

These fatalities may occur on the fireground, in training, while responding to or returning from

alarms, or while performing other duties that support fire service operations.

A fatality may be caused directly by accident or injury, or it may be attributed to an occupationalrelated fatal illness. A common example of a fatal illness incurred on duty is a heart attack.

Fatalities attributed to occupational illnesses would also include a communicable disease

contracted while on duty that proved fatal, where the disease could be attributed to a

documented occupational exposure.

Accidents that claim the lives of on-duty firefighters are also included in the analysis, whether or

not they are directly related to emergency incidents.

Injuries and illnesses are included where 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 that the incident occurred. One firefighter died in 1998 as the result of an

injury suffered in 1989. The firefighter died of medical complications that resulted from a fall from

a pumper that was responding to an emergency in 1989. Because this death was the result of an

incident that occurred prior to 1998, it is counted as 1989 fatality for statistical purposes. This

death is not included in the 91 fatalities for 1998 that are analyzed in this report. Since this death

occurred in 1998, this firefighter will be included in the 1998 annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial

Service at the National Emergency Training Center, and his name will be included on the list of

firefighters who died in 1998.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 5

Two other firefighter deaths that occurred in 1998 are not included in this report. Two firefighters

died in separate incidents in Puerto Rico during 1998. The circumstances surrounding the deaths

of these two firefighters are included, along with all other firefighters, in the appendix of this

report. Their deaths, however, are not included in this analysis. The scope of this analysis

includes firefighter fatalities where the fire department is based within the fifty states and the

District of Columbia.

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

over long periods of time, such as cancer, which may be related to occupational exposure to

hazardous materials or products of combustion. It has proven to be very difficult over several

years to provide a full evaluation of an occupational illness as a causal factor in firefighter deaths,

because of the limitations in the ability to track the exposure of firefighters to toxic hazards, the

often delayed long-term effects of such 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, USFA solicits

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

sources. These sources include the Public Safety Officer's Benefit Program (PSOB) administered

by the Department of Justice, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

(NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the US military, the

National Interagency Fire Center, and other federal agencies.

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

service organizations such as the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the International

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

National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), state fire marshals, state training organizations, other

state and local organizations, fire service internet sites, and fire service publications. The USFA

also keeps track of fatal fire incidents as part of its Major Fire Investigations Project and

maintains an ongoing analysis of data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS)

for the production of the report “Fire in the United States”.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 6

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’s contractor to verify the incident, its location and jurisdiction, and the

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

incident may be obtained from the Chief of the fire department or his or her designee over the

phone or by other data collection forms.

Information that is routinely requested includes NFIRS-1 (incident) and NFIRS-3 (fire service

casualty) reports, the fire department's own incident reports and internal investigation reports,

copies of death certificates or autopsy results, special investigative reports such as those

produced by the USFA or NFPA, police reports, photographs and diagrams, and newspaper or

media accounts of the incident.

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. The same criteria were

used for this study as in previous annual studies. Additional information may be requested, either

by follow-up with the fire department directly, from state vital records offices, or other agencies.

The determination as to whether a fatality qualifies as an on-duty death for inclusion in this

statistical analysis is made by the USFA. The final determination as to whether a fatality qualifies

as a line of duty death for inclusion in the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service is made

by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 7

1998 FINDINGS

Ninety-one (91) firefighters died while on duty in 1998.1 This represents a drop of three deaths

from 1997, and continues the downward trend from the level of 104 firefighter fatalities in 1994.

The total of 91 fatalities is the third lowest number recorded in the 21 years that this data has

been collected, and is only the sixth time that the total has been less than 100 fatalities. The

lowest years were 1992, with 75 fatalities, and 1993, with 77 fatalities.

This year’s total continues the long-term downward trend of reduced fatalities that began in 1979,

after a peak of 171 in 1978. The overall trend in firefighter fatalities is down twenty-three percent

over the last ten years. However, the rate of reduction in the last five years has slowed to five

percent, partly due to the uncharacteristically low number of deaths that occurred in 1992 and

1993 (Figure 1).

 

1

 As mentioned earlier, the 91 on-duty fatalities in 1998 do not include a firefighter who died in 1998 as the

result of injuries he received in 1989 or two Puerto Rican firefighters who died in 1998.

Figure 1 - On-Duty Firefighter Fatalities (1977-1998)

157

171

126

140

135

125

113

119

126

121

131

136

119

108 109

75 77

104

91 94

96 95

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998

Year

Number of Deaths
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 8

The 1998 firefighter fatalities included 54 volunteer firefighters and 37 career firefighters (Figure

2). Among the volunteer firefighter fatalities, 49 were from local or municipal volunteer fire

departments and five were seasonal or contract members of wildland fire agencies. Of the career

firefighters who died, 33 were members of local or municipal fire departments, three were

wildland firefighters, and one was a member of the Air Force. All ninety-one of the fatalities were

men.

Figure 2 – Career vs. Volunteer Deaths

METRO

28 Deaths

SUBURBAN

5 Deaths

MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS

33 Deaths

WILDLAND CAREER

3 Deaths

MILITARY

1 Death

CAREER

37 Deaths

WILDLAND SEASONAL/PART-TIME

2 Deaths

SUBURBAN / URBAN

14 Deaths

RURAL

35 Deaths

MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS

49 Deaths

WILDLAND CONTRCT

3 Deaths

VOLUNTEER

54 Deaths

FIREFIGHTER ON-DUTY FATALITIES 1998

91 Total Deaths
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 9

The 91 deaths resulted from 79 incidents. Ten multi-fatality incidents resulted in 22 firefighter

deaths. Three California firefighters were killed when their fire department helicopter crashed

during a medical transport and three New York firefighters died when they were trapped by rapid

fire progress while fighting a high rise apartment building fire. Two Ohio firefighters died when

they were trapped by rapid fire progress in a residential basement fire, two Illinois firefighters died

when they became disoriented as the result of a backdraft in a commercial building, two Iowa

firefighters were killed when they were struck by pieces of a large propane tank that experienced

a BLEVE, two New York firefighters were killed as the result of a floor collapse in a

commercial/residential occupancy, two firefighters were killed in the crash of an airtanker in New

Mexico, two Mississippi firefighters were killed as the result of a roof collapse during a

commercial building fire, two firefighters were killed in North Carolina fighting a fire in an auto

wrecking yard storage building, and two Kansas firefighters were killed when the ladder that they

were repositioning contacted an electric wire and electrocuted both firefighters.

The number of deaths associated with brush, grass or wildland fire fighting rose to thirteen, from

the nine deaths experienced in 1997, and the five deaths experienced in 1996. These three years

reflect a significant drop from the 18 firefighters that died in wildland activities in 1995. Three

firefighters were killed in two wildland fire fighting aircraft crashes in California and New Mexico;

two died in separate apparatus collisions in California, one firefighter died while filling tankers

(tenders) at a wildfire, one firefighter died when he was involved in a vehicle collision while driving

his personal vehicle to a reported wildland fire, one firefighter was killed when the tanker he was

driving rolled over while responding to a wildfire, one firefighter was killed while riding the back

step of a pumper when he was crushed between the pumper and a utility pole, one firefighter

suffered a heart attack after fighting a wildfire for four hours, one firefighter died of burns he

received when his bulldozer was overcome by fire progress, one firefighter died of a heart attack

that he suffered while protecting exposures at an wildland interface fire, and one firefighter was

killed in an unwitnessed rollover while using a bulldozer to maintain a fire road in California.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 10

In 1998, six of the thirteen wildland-related firefighter deaths involved vehicle collisions. One

involved a firefighter who was riding the back step of a pumper as it was relocated during a

wildfire, one firefighter was killed in a collision involving his personal vehicle while responding to a

wildland fire, and a third involved the rollover of a home-built tanker (tender) in Texas. None of

these firefighters were wearing a seat belt. One seasonal firefighter and one inmate wildland

firefighter were killed in separate collisions involving their wildland fire fighting vehicles. The status

of their seat belts were unknown. The seat belt use of the California firefighter killed while

maintaining a fire road was also unknown.

Type of Duty

In 1998, 70 firefighter on-duty deaths were associated with emergency incidents, accounting for

77 percent of the 91 fatalities (Figure 3). This includes all firefighters who died while responding

to an emergency, while at the emergency scene, or after the emergency incident. Non-emergency

activities accounted for 21 fatalities (23 percent). Non-emergency duties include training,

administrative activities, or performing other functions that are not related to an emergency

incident.

Figure 3 - Firefighter Deaths While Performing 

Emergency Duty (1998)

Emergency

77%

NonEmergency

23%
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 11

The number of deaths by type of duty being performed is shown in Table 1 and presented

graphically in Figure 4. As in previous years, the largest number of deaths occurred during

fireground operations. There were 42 fireground deaths, which accounted for 46 percent of the

fatalities, up slightly from 44 percent in 1997. Of the 42 fireground deaths, two in five (17)

resulted from heart attacks that occurred on the fire scene. Other fireground deaths included 14

from asphyxiation, seven from internal trauma, and two from burns. One firefighter died when he

lost too much blood due to a partial leg amputation and one firefighter died as the result of a

stroke that occurred after he complained of feeling ill at the scene of a structure fire.

Table 1. Type of Duty – 1998 Number Percent*

Fireground Operations 42 46%

Responding / Returning from Alarm 14 15%

Non-Fire Emergencies 14 15%

Training 12 13%

Other On-Duty 9 10%

TOTAL 91 99%

* - Does not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Figure 4 - Fatalities by Type of Duty

Fireground 

Operations

47%

Non-Fire 

Emergencies

15%

Responding/ 

Returning from 

Alarm

15%

Training

13%

Other On-Duty

10%
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 12

Fourteen firefighters died while responding to or returning from emergencies and fourteen died in

relation to training activities.

Responding to or returning from emergency incidents has been the second leading type of duty in

which firefighter deaths have occurred each year since 1993. There is reason for hope – the

fourteen firefighters killed during this activity in 1998 is less than half of the number of deaths that

occurred in 1995 when twenty-nine firefighters died. In 1998, ten of these deaths involved

volunteer firefighters. Six were killed in motor vehicle collisions – five were killed enroute to the

emergency and one was killed while returning to the station. A Fire Police officer died of a heart

attack as he arrived at the scene of a motor vehicle collision, one firefighter died while preparing

to search for a lost child, and two firefighters suffered heart attacks upon returning to the station.

Two career firefighters died while returning from emergencies, both of heart attacks. Two

wildland firefighters, one seasonal and one inmate, died in separate vehicle collisions.

Fourteen deaths were related to activities at the scene of non-fire emergency incidents. Five of

the deaths involved fire police officers. Three died of heart attacks while directing traffic and two

were killed when they were struck by vehicles as they conducted their duties. Three Los Angeles

City firefighters were killed when their helicopter crashed during a medical transport, the patient

was also killed and two other firefighters were injured. Two firefighters were killed when they

were struck by other vehicles while working on the scene of earlier motor vehicle collisions, one

firefighter died when a tractor trailer lost control and struck an ambulance and one died when a

vehicle lost control on ice and struck a firefighter working in the median of a highway. Two

firefighters died of heart attacks, one while searching for a person who was going to commit

suicide and one died after providing patient care at the scene of a motor vehicle collision. One

firefighter drowned while attempting a rescue and one firefighter was killed as he attempted to

remove a fallen tree from a roadway.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 13

Twelve firefighters died during training exercises. This number is significantly higher than has been

experienced in the last several years. In 1997, five firefighters died while training, six died in

1996, and the total for 1995, was three. The firefighter deaths in 1998, involved the following

circumstances:

- Heart attack after completing annual physical agility test

- Heart attack after completing 30 minutes on a treadmill

- Heart attack during a drill at a home for the elderly

- Heart attack after setting up for live fire training drill

- Heart attack at home after complaining of feeling ill at a drill

- Heart attack while preparing for a CPR class in station

- Heart attack while participating in airport fire fighting training

- Heart attack after completing an SCBA drill

- Fall from a pickup truck while setting up competition training

- Struck by a non-fire department vehicle at the scene of a drill

- Collision on the way to a paramedic training class

- Stroke/Seizure from head injury suffered in training

Nine of the firefighters who died in relation to training exercises were volunteers. Two career

firefighters died of heart attacks, one after SCBA training and one during a simulated victim

rescue from an aircraft. One career firefighter died of a stroke/seizure some time after bumping

his head while completing an SCBA training maze.

There were nine deaths that occurred during non-emergency duty activities. These deaths include

three firefighters who died from heart attacks while on duty – one while conducting an inspection,

one while in his sleep, and one while the firefighter was working in a light duty assignment in the

department’s SCBA maintenance shop. Two firefighters were electrocuted as they repositioned

a metal ladder for a painting contractor, a firefighter was killed in a vehicle collision as he drove a

fire truck to a remote airfield to standby for touch and-go-landings, one firefighter was killed in an

unwitnessed tractor rollover as he performed maintenance on a fire road, one firefighter died of a

CVA while on duty, and one firefighter died when a blood clot lodged in his lung.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 14

Career, Volunteer, and Wildland Deaths by Type of Duty

Figure 4a depicts career, volunteer, and wildland firefighter deaths by type of duty. Wildland

career, wildland seasonal, and wildland contractor deaths were grouped together. This chart

demonstrates the disproportionate number of fatalities experienced by volunteer firefighters

responding to and returning from alarms when compared with career and wildland firefighters.

The large number of career firefighter deaths while on-duty but not involved in incident or training

activity may be attributed to the fact that career firefighters are on-duty for longer periods of time

than volunteer firefighters. The on-duty periods for volunteer firefighters are generally related to

an emergency incident or other official functions such as training. Some volunteer fire

departments staff stations overnight similar to a career department but their number is small when

compared to the total number of volunteer fire departments.

Figure 4a - Career, Volunteer, and Wildland Deaths by Type of 

Duty (1998)

16

5

2

3

8

21

9

10

9

5

2

1

0 5 10 15 20 25

Fireground

Operations

Non-Fire Emergencies

Responding/Returning

from Alarm

Training

Other On-Duty

Number of Deaths

Wildland

Volunteer

Career
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 15

Type of Emergency Duty

65 firefighters died while directly engaged in emergency service delivery, including deaths that

were the result of injuries sustained on the incident scene or enroute to the incident scene. Figure

4b shows the percentage of firefighters killed in fire fighting, emergency medical services,

hazardous materials, and technical rescue related incidents. 46 firefighters were killed in relation

to fires, 14 were killed in relation to EMS calls, two were killed in association with hazardous

materials emergencies, one was killed while engaged in a technical rescue, and two firefighters

died while preparing for or participating in searches for lost persons.

Figure 4b – Type of Emergency Duty

On-Scene or Responding – 65 of 91

Emergency Medical

22%

Technical Rescue

2%

Fire Fighting

70%

Hazardous Materials

3%

Other

3%
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 16

Cause of Fatal Injury

As used in this study, the term ‘cause of injury’ refers to the action, lack of action, or

circumstances that directly resulted in the fatal injury, while the term nature of injury refers to the

medical cause of the fatal injury or illness, often referred to as the physiological cause of death. A

fatal injury usually is the result of a chain of events, the first of which is recorded as the cause.

For example, if a firefighter is struck by a collapsing wall, becomes trapped in the debris, runs out

of air before being rescued, and dies of asphyxiation, the cause of the fatal injury is recorded as

“struck by collapsing wall” and the nature of the fatal injury is “asphyxiation”. Similarly, if a

wildland firefighter is overrun by a fire and dies of burns, the cause of the death would be listed as

“caught/trapped,” and the nature of death would be “burns”. This follows the convention used in

NFIRS casualty reports.

Figure 5 shows the distribution of deaths by cause of fatal injury or illness and Table 2 presents

the exact number.

Figure 5 – Fatalities by Cause of Fatal Injury

Fell or 

Jumped

1%

Caught or 

Trapped

18%

Struck by/ 

Contact with

11%

Collision

19%

Stress or 

Overexertion

46%

Other

1%

Lost

4%
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 17

Table 2. Cause of Fatal Injury - 1998 Number Percent

Stress or Overexertion 42 46%

Collisions 17 19%

Caught or Trapped 16 18%

Struck By/Contact with an Object 10 11%

Lost 4 4%

Fell or Jumped 1 1%

Other 1 1%

91 100%

As in most previous years, the largest cause category is stress or overexertion, which was listed

as the primary factor in 46 percent of the deaths, up from 43 percent in 1997, but returning closer

to the 50 percent level that has been experienced in the last several years. Fire fighting is

extremely strenuous physical work and is likely one of the most physically demanding activities

that the human body performs. Most firefighter deaths attributed to stress result from heart

attacks. Of the 42 stress-related fatalities in 1998, 38 firefighters died of heart attacks, two died

of CVA’s, one died of a gastric hemorrhage, and one died of a seizure. Thirteen of the 42 deaths

whose cause is listed as stress/exertion occurred during non-emergency activities.

Seventeen firefighters were killed in collisions. Three were killed in the crash of their fire

department helicopter and three were killed in two separate airtanker crashes while fighting

wildland fires. The other eleven involved motor vehicle collisions. Two wildland firefighters were

killed in separate apparatus collisions in California, one firefighter was killed while on his way to a

training class, two firefighters were killed while driving their personal vehicles to emergencies in

Oklahoma and Texas, one firefighter who was an off-duty Sheriff’s deputy was killed as he

responded as a part of his duties as a volunteer firefighter to a trailer fire in his cruiser, and one

firefighter was killed when his tractor rolled as he was performing maintenance on a fire road.

Four firefighters were killed in rollovers, one involved a pumper enroute to standby duty, one

involved a tanker (tender) responding to a fire, one involved a pumper responding to an illegal

burn, and one firefighter died when he was ejected from the pumper he was driving back from an

EMS incident.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 18

The third leading cause of firefighter fatalities was being caught or trapped, which accounted for

16 deaths (18 percent), up more than six percent from 1997. Five firefighters died after

becoming trapped by collapses and eight firefighters were trapped by rapid fire progress in Ohio,

Chicago, New York City, and Arkansas. One firefighter drowned while attempting a rescue, one

firefighter was trapped by the movement of a fallen tree he was in the process of removing from

the roadway, and one firefighter was caught and crushed between a utility pole and a pumper.

The next leading cause of firefighter fatalities for 1998, was being struck by or coming into

contact with an object. There were ten deaths in this category including two firefighters in Kansas

that were electrocuted when a ladder that they were repositioning came into contact with an

electrical line and two firefighters that were struck and killed by pieces of an 18,000 gallon

propane tank after it experienced a BLEVE. Five firefighters were killed when they were struck

by other motor vehicles. Two were fire police officers directing traffic, one was a firefighter

crossing a road at a drill, one firefighter was struck while he worked in the road median, and one

firefighter was killed in a chain reaction crash as he worked in the back of an ambulance at an

EMS call. One firefighter was struck by a falling parapet wall as he opened doors at a recycling

warehouse to allow for a defensive fire attack.

Four firefighters died when they became lost inside of burning structures. One firefighter died in a

pet food processing plant in Los Angeles, one firefighter became lost in a supermarket fire in

West Virginia, and two firefighters died when they became lost in a auto salvage yard storage

facility in North Carolina.

One firefighter was killed due to a fall from a fire department pickup. He was riding in the bed of

the pickup while setting up for competition training, he fell and hit his head on the pavement.

Another firefighter died when a blood clot became lodged in his lungs.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 19

Nature of Fatal Injury

Table 3 and Figure 6 show the distribution of the 91 deaths by the medical nature of the fatal

injury or illness. The leading nature of death in 1998 was heart attacks, which accounted for 38

firefighter fatalities (two more than in 1997).

Table 3. Nature of Fatal Injury Number Percent

Heart Attacks 38 42%

Internal Trauma 27 30%

Asphyxiation (includes drowning) 15 17%

CVA/Stroke 3 3%

Burns 3 3%

Electrocution 2 2%

Other 2 2%

Amputation 1 1%

TOTAL 91 100%

Figure 6 – Fatalities by Nature of Fatal Injury

Heart Attacks

43%

Internal Trauma

30%

Electrocution

2%

Asphyxiation

16%

Amputation

1%

Other

CVA/Stroke 2%

3%

Burns

3%
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 20

Figure 6a provides a detailed breakdown of heart attacks by type of duty. Seventeen of the heart

attacks occurred at the fire scene and six occurred while enroute to or returning from an

emergency incident, including one firefighter who died in his personal vehicle as he arrived on the

scene of an emergency to perform fire police duties. At the conclusion of the incident, he was

found by other firefighters at the wheel of his vehicle, with the vehicle running, in drive, with the

firefighter’s foot on the brake pedal. Seven occurred at training incidents and five occurred

during non-fire incidents. Three heart attacks occurred during other on-duty situations including a

heart attack that struck down a firefighter as he slept.

Figure 6a - Heart Attacks by Type of Duty

17

7

5

3

6

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Fire Scene

Enroute/Returning

Other On-Duty

Non-Fire Scene

Training
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 21

Internal trauma was the second leading nature of death, responsible for 27 deaths (down from 32

in 1997). This total includes 11 firefighters who were involved in vehicle accidents, five

firefighters who were hit by vehicles while on the emergency scene or training, three firefighters

who died in wildland fire fighting aircraft crashes, three firefighters that died in the crash of a fire

department helicopter, two firefighters that were killed in a BLEVE, one death as a result of a fall

from a fire department pickup, one firefighter that was crushed by a falling wall, and one firefighter

who died in a basement fire.

Asphyxiation was the third leading medical reason for firefighter deaths, responsible for 15

deaths, the same as in 1997, and up from five deaths from 1996. Four incidents claimed nine

firefighters. Fourteen of these deaths occurred during structural fire fighting and one was a

drowning.

Three of the 91 firefighter fatalities that occurred in 1998 were attributed to burns. One

firefighter was severely burned when fire progress overran his bulldozer while he was plowing a

fireline, one firefighter was burned when a floor collapse occurred and dropped the firefighter into

a fire area, and one firefighter was burned to death when his cruiser collided with a utility pole and

burned.

Three firefighters were felled by strokes (CVA’s), one of which occurred in the fire station. One

stroke occurred after a chief officer complained of not feeling well at a structure fire, he died the

next day at home. One stroke/seizure resulted from head injuries that were received in a training

maze.

 Two firefighters died from electrocution. They were electrocuted while they repositioned a

ladder that was going to be loaned to painting contractors working on a church.

One firefighter died when a blood clot became lodged in his lung as he slept, one died of a gastric

hemorrhage, and one died of blood loss as the result of a partial leg amputation.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 22

Firefighters Ages

Figure 7 shows the distribution of firefighter deaths by age and cause of death. Younger

firefighters were more likely to have died as a result of traumatic injuries from an apparatus

accident or after becoming caught or trapped during fire fighting operations. Stress was shown to

play an increasing role in firefighter deaths as age increased.

Figure 7 - Fatalities by Age and Cause

1

4

1

4

2

1

2 2

2

1

1

2

8

10

7

9

6

1 1

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

3

1

5

2

1 1

1

1

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Fall 1

Caught/Trapped 2 3 1 5 2 1 1 1

Struck by/or contact with object 1 1 1 1 2 2 2

Other 1

Stress/Overexertion 2 8 10 7 9 6

Lost 2 1 1

Collision 1 4 1 4 2 1 2 2

Under 

21

21 to 

25

26 to 

30

31 to 

35

36 to 

40

41 to 

45

46 to 

50

51 to 

55

56 to 

60

61 and 

Over
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 23

This is also reflected in Figure 8, which shows the distribution of deaths by age and medical

nature of injury. Trauma and asphyxiation were responsible for most of the deaths of younger

firefighters, while heart attacks were much more prevalent among older firefighters. Heart attacks

accounted for 65 percent of firefighter deaths where the firefighter was age 41 or higher.

Figure 8 – Fatalities by Age and Nature

2

4 4

1

3

1 1

1

2

1

1

1

7

10

6

8

6

1

1

1

2

4

1

4

3

2

2

2

5

2

1 1

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Amputation 1

Drowning 1

Internal Trauma 2 4 1 4 3 2 2 2 5 2

CVA/Stroke 1 1 1

Heart Attack 1 7 10 6 8 6

Electrocution 1 1

Burns 1 2

Asphyxiation 4 4 1 3 1 1

Other 2

Under 21 21 to 25 26 to 30 31 to 35 36 to 40 41 to 45 46 to 50 51 to 55 56 to 60 Over 60
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 24

Fixed Property Type

There were 42 fireground deaths in 1998. Figure 9 and Table 4 show the distribution by fixed

property use.

Table 4. Property Use for Fireground Deaths Number Percent

Residential 17 40%

Commercial 11 26%

Outdoor Property 7 17%

Street / Road 3 7%

Manufacturing 2 5%

Storage 2 5%

TOTAL 42 100%

Figure 9 – Fatalities by Fixed Property Use

Fireground deaths only - 42 of 91

Commercial

26%

Residential

40%

Street/Road

7%

Outdoor Property

17%

Storage

5%

Manufacturing

5%
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 25

Fireground Deaths

Structural fires accounted for 32 fireground deaths. As in most years, residential occupancies

accounted for the highest number of these fireground fatalities, with 17 deaths (half of all structural

fire deaths). Residential occupancies usually account for 70-80 percent of all structure fires and a

similar percentage of the civilian fire deaths each year2. The frequency of firefighter deaths in

relation to the number of fires is much higher for non-residential structures.

Fires that occurred on outdoor properties and “street/road” accounted for a total of ten deaths.

Three deaths were the result of wildland fire fighting aircraft crashes, three were heart attacks at

the scene of vehicle fires, one firefighter died of burns when his bulldozer was overrun by fire

progress, one firefighter died of a heart attack while filling brush trucks with water, a firefighter

died of a heart attack after working a wildland fire for four hours, and one firefighter was crushed

between his pumper and a utility pole as the truck was relocated at a wildland fire.

Type of Activity

Figure 10 and Table 5 show the type of fireground activity that the 42 firefighters were engaged in

at the time they sustained their fatal injuries or illnesses.

Table 5. Type of Activity for Fireground Deaths Number Percent

Advancing Hose Lines / Fire Attack 18 42%

Search and Rescue 7 17%

Water Supply 4 10%

Support Duties 3 7%

Ventilation 3 7%

Other 3 7%

Incident Command 2 5%

Cutting Fire Breaks (Wildland) 2 5%

TOTAL 42 100%

 

2

 Complete NFIRS data for 1998 fire incidence was not available at the time of this report, but residential fires

typically account for between 70 and 80 percent of all civilian fatalities each year.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 26

Figure 10 – Fatalities by Type of Activity

Fireground Operations Deaths Only - 42 of 91

Eighteen firefighters died while engaged in fire attack and advancing hose lines. This is a small but

significant decrease compared to the 21 firefighters killed performing this activity in 1997. Nine

of the eighteen firefighters were killed engaged in structural fire fighting, two were killed in

explosions, three were killed in wildland fire fighting aircraft crashes, two others were killed at

wildland fires, one firefighter died at a dumpster fire, and one died at a vehicle fire.

Seven firefighters were killed during search and rescue operations (up two from the levels

experienced in 1997 and 1996). Two were trapped in a collapse of a residential structure fire as

they searched for a fire victim, three were overcome by rapid fire progress while searching a high

rise apartment building, one firefighter was killed searching for fire in a supermarket, and one

firefighter was killed as he attempted to rescue another firefighter in an auto salvage yard storage

building.

Ventilation

7%

Search and Rescue

17%

Incident Command

5%

Support Duties

7%

Advancing Hose 

Lines/ Fire Attack

42%

Water Supply

10%

Other

7%

Cutting Fire Breaks 

(Wildland)

5%
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 27

Four firefighters were killed while engaged in water supply operations (the same level as 1997).

Two died at structural fires and two at wildland fires.

Three firefighters died while performing support duties at fires, all three were structural fires.

Three firefighters were killed while performing ventilation duties, one fell through the roof at a

structural fire, one had entered a residential structure by ground ladder when he succumbed to a

heart attack, and one was prying open the hood of a car when he experienced a heart attack.

Two firefighters died while cutting fire breaks, one when his bulldozer was overrun by fire and

one of a heart attack. Two firefighters died while performing incident command tasks, one at a

car fire and the other at a structural fire.

Time of Alarm

The distribution of all 1998 firefighter deaths according to the time of day when the fatal injury

occurred is illustrated in Figure 11 (46 times were not reported). For structural fire fighting

deaths only, 71% occurred between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.

12 times were not reported

Figure 11 - Fatalties by Time of Fatal Injury (1998)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0

1:00 - 2:59 a.m.

3:00 - 4:59 a.m.

5:00 - 6:59 a.m.

7:00 - 8:59 a.m.

9:00 - 10:59 a.m.

11:00 a.m. - 1259 p.m.

1:00 - 2:59 p.m.

3:00 - 4:59 p.m.

5:00 - 6:59 p.m.

7:00 - 8:59 p.m.

9:00 - 10:59 p.m.

11:00 p.m. - 12:59 a.m.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 28

Month of the Year

Figure 12 illustrates firefighter fatalities by month of the year. Firefighter fatalities peaked in

September. Other than the fact that wildland fires occur in the wildland season, no trends were

identified.

Figure 12 - Deaths by Month of the Year

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 29

State and Region

The distribution of firefighter deaths by state is shown in Table 6.3 Thirty-three states had at least

one firefighter fatality. New York had the highest number of deaths with 15 followed by

California with 9. Figure 13 shows the firefighter fatalities divided by region of the country and

their status as career, volunteer, or wildland firefighters.

 

3

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

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

National Fallen Firefighter Memorial at the National Emergency Training Center.

Figure 13.

Firefighter Deaths By Region 1998

Career - 8

Volunteer - 17

Wildland - 2

Total - 27

WEST

Career - 6

Volunteer - 1

Wildland - 6

Total - 13

NORTHCENTRAL

Career - 9

Volunteer - 11

Total - 20

NORTHEAST

Career - 11

Volunteer - 20

Total - 31

SOUTH
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 30

Table 6.

1998 State with On-Duty Firefighter Fatalities

State Number of Deaths State Number of Deaths

Alabama 2 Missouri 1

Arkansas 1 Montana 2

California 9 New Jersey 1

Delaware 1 New Mexico 1

Florida 1 New York 15

Georgia 1 North Carolina 4

Illinois 5 Ohio 3

Indiana 5 Oklahoma 2

Iowa 2 Oregon 1

Kansas 2 Pennsylvania 6

Kentucky 1 South Carolina 1

Louisiana 1 Tennessee 3

Maine 1 Texas 6

Maryland 4 Vermont 2

Massachusetts 1 West Virginia 2

Minnesota 1 Wisconsin 1

Mississippi 2

Total - 91
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 31

Analysis of Urban/Rural/Suburban Patterns in Firefighter Fatalities

The US Bureau of the Census 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 for the

census. For example, fire departments organized by counties or special fire protection districts

may have both urban and rural coverage areas. In such cases, it may not be possible to

characterize the entire coverage area of the fire department as rural or urban, and 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 1998 firefighter fatalities. These statistics are based on

answers from the fire departments and where no data from the department was available, the data

is based upon population and area served reported by the fire departments.

Table 7.

Urban/Suburban Rural Federal or State

Parks/Wildland

Total

Firefighter

Deaths

46 38 7 91
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 32

SPECIAL TOPICS

Back to Basics

In 1998, firefighters continued to die at least partly as the result of violations of basic safety rules.

The use of seat belts, the use of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), limitations on

where firefighters can ride on moving fire apparatus, and the use of PASS devices are basic

safety concepts that can save firefighter’s lives. Nothing about these areas is new, all four are

specifically addressed in NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety

and Health Program. The only way that these concepts will work is through the development

of necessary procedures, provision and proper maintenance of needed equipment, and – most

importantly - constant vigilance on the part of every individual firefighter and fire officer.

Seat Belts

At least six of the eleven firefighters killed in vehicle collisions were not wearing seat belts.

The lives of Firefighter Timothy Allen, Training Officer Brian Cannon, Firefighter Allen

Heirtzler, Junior Firefighter Jake Hoeffner, Firefighter Patrick McKinney, and Assistant

Chief Richard Rice might have been spared if they had taken the simple precaution of

fastening their seat belts. Most of these collisions were survivable – three of these

incidents involved the survival of passengers in the firefighter’s vehicle. Four of these

firefighters were partially or fully ejected from their vehicles.

Firefighter’s lives are at risk during every emergency response. A study of fire apparatus

traffic collisions was performed for the Freightliner Corporation by the University of

Michigan Transportation Research Institute in 1998. The study looked at fire apparatus

collision experience for 1994-1996. The study found the following:

There are 2,472 Fire Apparatus Accidents Each Year

Six Occupants of Fire Apparatus are Killed Each Year

413 Occupants of Fire Apparatus are Injured Each Year

20% of Fire Apparatus Collisions Result in Rollovers

47% of Fire Apparatus Collisions are at Intersections

Almost all Firefighter Fatalities Were From Rollovers – 73%

76% of the Firefighters Killed Were Not Wearing Seat Belts

In addition to the firefighter injuries and deaths, the study found that 21 civilians are killed

each year as the result of collisions with fire apparatus and 642 are injured.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 33

SCBA Use

One firefighter killed in 1998 was not wearing an SCBA when he suffered a heart attack

while fighting a structural fire. At the time Lieutenant Stephen Murphy was stricken with

the heart attack, he was inside of the involved structure conducting ventilation activities.

While there may not be any direct connection between the lack of SCBA use and this

firefighter’s death, this serves as a reminder of the need to wear and use an SCBA.

NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program,

requires SCBA use when firefighters are engaged in any operations where they might

encounter atmospheres that are known to be Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health

(IDLH), atmospheres that are potentially IDLH, or where the safety of the atmosphere is

unknown.

Vehicle Riding Positions

Two firefighters were killed in 1998 as they rode in exposed positions on fire department

vehicles. Firefighter Barvon Hamilton was killed as he rode the back step of a pumper

and Junior Firefighter Jake Hoeffner was killed when he fell from the bed of a fire

department pickup. In addition to riding in an unsafe location, neither firefighter was

wearing any form of restraint device.

Riding in exposed positions on fire department vehicles cannot be allowed under any

circumstances. Firefighter Hamilton was riding the back step for a short trip to another

fire location and Firefighter Hoeffner was riding in the bed of a pickup as it crossed a

parking lot.

National Fire Protection Association Standards call for the provision of an interior seated

and belted position for each firefighter expected to ride a piece of fire apparatus since

1991. Apparatus manufactured prior to the implementation of the standard will be in use

for decades to come. There are a number of alternatives to riding the back step of

apparatus including cab modifications to existing apparatus, the use of smaller vehicles to

transport firefighters that cannot safely ride on apparatus, and construction of safe riding

compartments on existing apparatus.

Each fire department should have a policy in place that makes riding in exposed positions

on fire department vehicles, even for short trips, unacceptable.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 34

Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS Devices)

PASS devices are small electronic boxes that attach to a turnout coat or SCBA. They

are about the size of a pack of cigarettes. They are designed to sound a loud alarm if a

firefighter is motionless for more than thirty seconds. The alarm is intended to guide other

firefighters to the firefighter in need of assistance. PASS devices may be stand-alone or

they may be integrated into the SCBA and activate automatically when the SCBA is

activated (turned on).

The PASS status of many firefighters who died in 1998 is unknown. At least two

firefighters who died in 1998 did so while wearing PASS devices that were not turned on

or armed. First Lieutenant Robby Blizzard and Firefighter

Gregory Carter were reported to be wearing PASS devices but they did not activate

them. Both firefighters most certainly knew that they were in trouble, Firefighter Blizzard

was attempting to rescue the Fire Chief of a neighboring fire department and Firefighter

Carter was out of air and placed his breathing air tube inside of his coat, yet neither

firefighter remembered and activated his PASS.

Many firefighters neglect to turn on or activate their stand-alone PASS devices as they

enter the emergency scene. Reasons that are cited for this lack of action include

forgetfulness, being occupied with the task at hand, and a desire to avoid PASS false

alarms. Even when confronted with emergencies, such as being lost or trapped in a

structure, firefighters seldom remember to activate their PASS devices.

The accuracy and sensitivity of PASS devices has improved dramatically since they were

introduced in the mid-1980’s. The latest edition of the NFPA standard on PASS

devices, NFPA 1982 - Standard on Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS) for Fire

Fighters, requires automatic activation for stand-alone and integrated PASS devices.

Most SCBA manufacturers offer PASS devices that are integrated into the SCBA.

When the SCBA is turned on or activated, the PASS device is armed. The PASS

cannot be deactivated until the SCBA is shut off and drained of air. These PASS devices

are also available in versions that can be retrofitted into existing SCBA’s.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 35

Firefighter Health

In 1998, 41 firefighters died of heart attacks and strokes. In the last four years, 171 firefighters

have died of heart attacks and strokes. Many of the firefighters who died had pre-existing

medical conditions that placed them at higher risk for heart disease and strokes. In many cases,

these conditions were known to the fire department. In many more cases, the health of the

firefighter was unknown prior to their death.

In 1998, at least 19 of the 41 firefighters who died of heart attacks had pre-existing conditions

such as prior heart problems, bypass surgery, or diabetes which can indicate the possibility of

heart and cardiovascular disease.

In order to reduce the terrible toll taken by heart disease and strokes, the following steps can be

taken:

Firefighters should be required to submit to periodic health assessments to

determine their fitness for duty. NFPA 1982, Standard on Medical Requirements

for Fire Fighters, provides criteria for use by physicians as they perform physical

examinations for firefighters. The standard requires medical evaluations for firefighters

prior to their entry into the fire service, when a firefighter returns to duty after an illness,

and on an annual basis. The standard describes a limited number of medical conditions

that preclude a firefighter from participating in training or fire fighting activities and a larger

list of medical conditions that may preclude a firefighter from such activities.

Of the 41 firefighters who died of heart attacks or strokes in 1998, only eight were

required to have annual health checks and seventeen had either never had a medical

evaluation or had not had one since they joined their department.

Fire Departments should provide their members with information on healthy

eating and diets that reduce the risk of heart disease. Firefighters are like many

members of the general public in that they need more information on which foods have

been shown to lessen the occurrence of heart disease. Career firefighters often eat

together every shift and a change in eating habits for the entire crew may be more

acceptable than modification of these habits alone. Free information is available from a

number of sources including the American Heart Association at http://www.american

heart.org and from the American Diabetes Association at http://www.diabetes.org
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 36

Firefighters should participate in physical fitness programs. The physical

requirements of fire fighting are well known. A physical fitness program sponsored by the

fire department may improve individual health, individual effectiveness, and may also be

seen in more efficient fire fighting activity. There are a number of options available for

such programs, some involve the purchase of fitness equipment for fire stations and others

enlist the help of local fitness clubs, school fitness facilities, and local parks.

Fire Departments should assure that immediate medical care is available at

every emergency scene. NFPA 1500 has long required the availability of basic level

life support at emergency scenes and higher level life support at special operations

incidents. Firefighters should be trained in basic skills that can be used to save the people

we serve and ourselves. Every firefighter should be trained in at least basic first aid and

CPR.

Fire Departments should ensure that an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)

or paramedic level care is available on every incident scene. In the past decade,

the cost and level of training needed to operate an AED have dropped considerably.

AED’s can be found in malls, airports, and state legislatures across the country. While

they are not a substitute for paramedic level Advanced Life Support (ALS), they do save

lives. With the number of firefighters who die each year from heart attacks, the provision

of this life saving tool at every incident scene has the potential to save a number of lives

each year.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 37

CONCLUSIONS

The analysis of firefighter deaths in 1998 indicates that the overall long-term trend toward fewer

firefighter fatalities is continuing. The 91 fatalities in 1998 are the third lowest recorded since the

inception of this study, and only the sixth time the total number of fatalities has dropped below

100. Four of the last five years have resulted in less than 100 firefighter fatalities. Firefighters die

while engaged in a wide range of services to the community. The addition of emergency medical

services provision, hazardous materials response, and technical rescue service has brought with

them risks and accompanying firefighter deaths.

Although the long term reduction in the number of deaths is reason for hope, firefighters are still

dying at an unacceptable rate.

Stress-induced heart attacks remained the top cause of firefighter deaths. Continued focus on

firefighter health and wellness may likely reduce the impact of this killer in the future. There have

been a number of studies of this issue including the recent Fire Service Joint Labor

Management Wellness-Fitness Initiative which was developed cooperatively by the

International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the International Association of Fire Fighters

(IAFF), and members of ten fire departments. This document, released in 1997, provides a

framework for long term attention to issues of firefighter health and wellness. Copies of this

report are available for sale from the IAFC. Copies are also available to IAFF members from

the IAFF. A cost may be involved.

International Association of Fire Chiefs

4025 Fair Ridge Drive

Fairfax, VA 22033-2868

http://www.iafc.org

International Association of Fire Fighters

1750 New York Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20006

http://www.iaff.org
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

Page - 38

Internal trauma was the second leading nature of death for 1998. This total includes eleven

firefighters who were involved in vehicle collisions and five firefighters who were struck and killed

by vehicles at the emergency scene. Three deaths involving flight crews of wildland fire fighting

aircraft remind us of the hazards associated with their deployment.

Of the eleven firefighters killed in vehicle collisions, at least six were not wearing seat belts, a

basic safety precaution.

Scene safety was addressed in the 1997 report on firefighter fatalities and has remained a

concern. Three of the firefighters killed in 1998 when they were struck by other motor vehicles

were members of the Fire Police. The other two firefighters killed when they were struck at an

emergency scene were involved in emergency medical calls and were off of the roadway when

they were struck.

One firefighter death occurred in 1998 as the result of an injury that occurred in a previous year.

Two Puerto Rican firefighters died while performing their duties. While their deaths are not

included in this analysis, these firefighters will be included in the 1998 annual Fallen Firefighter

Memorial Service at the National Emergency Training Center, and their names will be included on

the list of firefighters who died in 1998.

Fourteen firefighters died of asphyxiation in structure fires. An operating PASS device may not

have saved all of them but would have likely changed the outcome of some of these incidents. In

at least two cases, PASS devices were worn but not activated. Most SCBA manufacturers offer

integrated PASS devices that activate when the SCBA is utilized. Kits are available from most

manufacturers to retrofit existing SCBA’s with this life saving device.

New developments in respiratory protection standards and their impact on fire department

operations, and therefore firefighter safety, will begin to be seen in the next few years.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-1

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

If additional information is available regarding a firefighter fatality, the reader is directed to these

sources. Contact information for these sources is provided at the end of the appendix.

1/5/98

Harold E. Roemer, Jr., Firefighter

Age 55, Volunteer

Greenlawn Fire District, New York

Firefighter Roemer had just completed thirty minutes on a treadmill in the gym located at Fire

Department Headquarters. He signed out of the gym, took a drink of water, and collapsed due

to a heart attack.

1/6/98

Prince Albert Mousley, Jr., Firefighter

Age 58, Career

Wilmington Fire Department, Delaware

Firefighter Mousley was a member of a ladder company on the scene of an oil burner fire in the

basement of a residential structure. As he and a partner entered the rear of the structure,

Firefighter Mousley stated that he was tired and collapsed of a heart attack. Firefighter Mousley

had just returned to duty after a battle with cancer. Further information related to this incident can

be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation 98-F-13.

1/12/98

Robert J. O’Toole, Firefighter

Age 25, Part-Time Paid

Washington Township Fire Department, Ohio

Firefighter O’Toole responded to an automobile collision on an interstate highway. The victim of

the original collision had been loaded into an ambulance and had left the scene. As Firefighter

O’Toole and others began to disconnect the battery on the vehicle which was located in the

median, he was struck and killed by another vehicle that had lost control on the ice. A police

officer was also killed and another firefighter was severely injured in this incident.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-2

1/16/98

Brian Allen Cannon, Training Officer

Age 30, Volunteer

Taylors Bridge Fire Department, Inc., North Carolina

Firefighter Cannon and a Fire Captain were returning to the station from the scene of a traffic

collision. The pumper left the roadway and overturned. Firefighter Cannon, who was not

wearing a seat belt, was ejected and sustained blunt trauma injuries to the head.

1/21/98

Gregory Scott Carter, Firefighter

Age 24, Volunteer

Fairlea Volunteer Fire Department, West Virginia

Firefighter Carter responded to a report of smoke in a supermarket. The market was contained

in a strip mall which also included a post office and a photo-processing store. Firefighter Carter

had been employed at the supermarket in the past. Firefighter Carter and a Captain entered the

front of the store in full protective clothing and SCBA to search for the fire. They became

disoriented while trying to exit the store. The Captain alerted other firefighters by radio that he

and Firefighter Carter were lost and in need of rescue. Firefighter Carter ran out of air and

placed the breathing tube from his SCBA into his coat in an attempt to breathe. The Captain was

able to escape without significant injury. Immediate attempts were made by on scene firefighters

to rescue Firefighter Carter but rescuers were driven back by intense heat and smoke. Firefighter

Carter was wearing a PASS device but it was not turned on. No hose line or search rope was

used. The cause of death was smoke and soot inhalation, carbon monoxide poisoning, and

complete body charring. This was an accidental fire caused by an electrical malfunction in a wall.

Further information related to this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality

Investigation 98-F-04.

1/27/98

Stephen Earl Murphy, Lieutenant

Age 47, Career

Philadelphia Fire Department, Pennsylvania

Lieutenant Murphy responded to a fire in a rowhouse dwelling. He carried a sixteen-foot

portable ladder to the rear of the structure, raised the ladder, broke out windows, climbed the

ladder, and entered a bedroom. Other firefighters who ascended the ladder reported seeing

Lieutenant Murphy in the bedroom. He ordered them to proceed into the structure and continue

ventilation. When the firefighters returned to the bedroom, they found Lieutenant Murphy face

down and unresponsive suffering from an apparent heart attack. Emergency medical treatment

was initiated and Lieutenant Murphy was transported to the hospital where a heartbeat was

restored. Lieutenant Murphy died on February 3, 1998. The cause of the fire was ruled
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-3

accidental as a result of a portable kerosene heater placed too close to combustibles. Lieutenant

Murphy was not wearing an SCBA.

2/5/98

Stephen D. Carletti, Firefighter, Age 43

David P. Theisen, Firefighter, Age 29

Volunteer

Crooksville Fire Department, Ohio

Firefighter Carletti and Firefighter Theisen responded to a report of a fire in the basement of a

single story home. They entered the basement with other firefighters and extinguished fire in the

ceiling. In the process of moving around the basement, the attack line was pinched off when it

was caught in a folding chair. Firefighters were not aware that their water supply had been cut

off. When they began to pull additional ceiling tiles, the room experienced a flashover. Of the

five firefighters in the basement when the flashover occurred, two escaped, one was rescued, and

two were killed. An adjacent room, which had not been discovered by the firefighters, was fully

involved in fire and fire spread to the other room when tiles were removed. Repeated radio

requests for help and water were received from the basement but rescuers were unable to reach

the firefighters in distress due to severe heat and fire. Both firefighters were wearing their PASS

devices, they were turned on, and they activated. The fire cause was determined to be

accidental. Firefighter Carletti died of asphyxiation and burns and Firefighter Theisen died as the

result of a crushing injury. Firefighter Theisen was also a career firefighter in Westerville. The

Crooksville Fire Department suffered a firefighter fatality in 1997. Further information related to

this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation 98-F-06.

2/10/98

Richard L. Kalous, Firefighter

Age 50, Career

De Pere Fire Rescue, Wisconsin

Firefighter Kalous responded as a member of an engine company to a car fire. Upon arrival at

the scene, he hand stretched a five-inch supply line to a fire hydrant about 75 feet from the engine.

When it was determined that the supply line would not be needed, he was directed to don an

SCBA and assist with fire attack. He was discovered by other firefighters on a side step of the

engine unresponsive and suffering from a heart attack. Despite the immediate efforts of

firefighters at the scene and other responding firefighters, he was not successfully revived.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-4

2/11/98

Warren D. Myers, Jr., Firefighter

Age 48, Career

Tulsa Fire Department, Oklahoma

Firefighter Myers and his crew responded to a gas leak at a single-family dwelling. The line was

shut off and, after repairs were made, Firefighter Myers turned the gas back on. Firefighter

Myers was observed to be fatigued at the incident. When his engine company returned to

quarters, Firefighter Myers did not get off the truck and was seen to be in distress. Despite

immediate medical treatment by his crew and others, Firefighter Myers died of a heart attack.

Further information related to this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality

Investigation 98-F-29.

2/11/98

Patrick Joseph King, Firefighter Paramedic, Age 40

Anthony E. Lockhart, Firefighter, Age 40

Career

Chicago Fire Department, Illinois

Firefighter King and Firefighter Lockhart responded on different companies to a report of a

structural fire in a tire shop. No visible fire was encountered, there was no excessive heat, and

only light smoke was found in most of the building with heavier smoke in the shop area. Ten

firefighters were in the interior of the structure when an event that has been described as a

flashover or backdraft occurred. The firefighters were disoriented by the effects of the backdraft.

Some were able to escape but Firefighter King and Firefighter Lockhart were trapped in the

structure. A garage door that self-operated due to fire exposure may have introduced oxygen

into the fire area and may have been a factor in the backdraft. The exit efforts of firefighters were

complicated by congestion in the building. Within minutes of the backdraft, the building was

completely involved in fire and rescue efforts were impossible. Both firefighters died from carbon

monoxide poisoning due to inhalation of smoke and soot. Further information related to this

incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation 98-F-05.

2/17/98

Keith C. Thomas, Fire Chief

Age 56, Volunteer

Aubbeenaubbee Volunteer Fire Department, Indiana

Chief Thomas was helping to prepare for a CPR training session in his fire station when he

collapsed and died due to a heart attack.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-5

2/25/98

William E. Bonnar, Sr., Battalion Chief

Age 61, Career

Orland Fire Protection District, Illinois

Chief Bonnar collapsed and died of a heart attack approximately 20-30 minutes after the

completion of an SCBA drill in a commercial structure.

3/8/98

Joseph C. Dupee, Fire Captain I

Age 38, Career

Los Angeles City Fire Department, California

Captain Dupee and his company were dispatched to a structure fire in a pet food processing

company and were assigned to backup interior crews. When fire conditions worsened, all

firefighters exited the building with the exception of Captain Dupee who had somehow been

separated from his crew. The situation was further complicated by the activation of an emergency

signal by another firefighter that had become disoriented (he was rescued by his company officer).

Shortly after firefighters left the building, a partial roof collapse occurred. When it was

determined that Captain Dupee was missing, a rapid intervention crew forced entry in the rear of

the structure and removed Captain Dupee. He was burned over 95% of his body, was provided

with advanced life support care, and pronounced dead at the hospital. The cause of death was

determined to be asphyxiation and burns. The fire was accidental and started as a grease fire in a

convection oven. Further information related to this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter

Fatality Investigation 98-F-07.

3/8/98

Edward J. Matter, Jr., Firefighter

Age 56, Volunteer

Westford Volunteer Fire Department, New York

Firefighter Matter and other members of his Department were dispatched to a report of a tree

down blocking the roadway. Firefighter Matter and another fire department member arrived at

the scene in their personal vehicles, each carried his own chain saw. They set to work removing

parts of the tree from the roadway. The firefighters agreed that they would use a rope to pull the

remnants of the tree to the ground to make a safer operation. While the rope was being

prepared, Firefighter Matter continued to remove loose debris and began to use his chain saw to

cut at one of the larger branches supporting the tree. Firefighter Matter was caught and carried

by the tree as it rotated and became pinned face down under the largest section of the tree.

Despite immediate removal of the tree by other firefighters, Firefighter Matter died from crushing

injuries.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-6

3/9/98

David John Good, Firefighter

Age 36, Volunteer

Lionville Fire Company, Pennsylvania

Firefighter Good was killed when he was struck by a tractor trailer truck that had lost control and

slid into firefighters providing treatment at the scene of an earlier automobile collision. Firefighter

Good was in the rear of the ambulance when he was struck. Nine other responders were injured,

three of them severely. All emergency response personnel were out of the travel lanes when the

incident occurred. The incident occurred in heavy rain.

3/23/98

Michael A. Butler, Firefighter/Lead Paramedic, Age 33

Michael D. McComb, Apparatus Operator, Age 48

Eric F. Reiner, Firefighter/Lead Paramedic, Age 33

Career

Los Angeles City Fire Department, California

These three firefighters died when the fire department helicopter in which they were flying crashed

in a park. The crash occurred while they were transporting an eleven year old child to the

hospital that had been injured in a vehicle collision. In addition to these fatalities, the child was

killed in the crash and the pilot and one additional crew member were severely injured. The

reason for the crash has been attributed to the inflight failure of the tail rotor system. More

information related to this incident can be found in National Transportation Safety Board report

LAX98GA127.

3/28/98

Richard K. Rice, Assistant Chief

Age 38, Volunteer

Nassauville Volunteer Fire Department, Florida

Chief Rice was killed in a vehicle collision while enroute to the scene of an illegal burn. Chief Rice

was operating a pumper when the truck left the road, rolled one and a half times, and ended up

on its roof in a ditch. Chief Rice was partially ejected and was pronounced dead at the scene.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-7

4/1/98

Jeffrey William Reick, Safety Officer

Age 34, Volunteer

Aurora Fire Department, Indiana

Safety Officer Reick experienced a gastric hemorrhage while setting up for a live fire training

exercise. Firefighter Reick was stricken when he exited the structure after another firefighter set

the training fires. CPR was initiated immediately but Safety Officer Reick succumbed to this

illness on 4/2/98.

4/9/98

Thomas James Archer, Jr., Firefighter, Age 46

Larry R. Walsh, Firefighter, Age 45

Volunteer

Albert City Community Fire Department, Iowa

Firefighter Archer and Firefighter Walsh were killed when they were struck by pieces of an

18,000 gallon propane tank when the tank experienced a BLEVE. The piping leading from the

tank was damaged when it was struck by an all terrain vehicle. A fire developed as a result of the

leak and the fire department responded. While firefighters were protecting exposures, the tank

exploded. Six other firefighters and a deputy sheriff were injured in the explosion. More

information related to this incident is available in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation 98-F14, report number 98-007-I-IA from the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board,

and from the National Fire Protection Association.

4/13/98

Michael Curtis Wiborg, Firefighter

Age 46, Paid-on-Call

Chanhassen Fire Department, Minnesota

Firefighter Wiborg died of a heart attack after completing an annual physical agility test/screening.

4/22/98

Ralph William Stanbery, Firefighter

Age 62, Volunteer

Granby Fire Department, Missouri

Firefighter Stanbery was assisting with the filling of brush trucks from a tanker (tender) at an arson

wildland fire. He collapsed and subsequently died of a heart attack.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-8

4/25/98

William J. Robertson, Battalion Chief

Age 46, Career

Ridge Road Fire District, New York

After exercising for 45 minutes on a treadmill at the fire station, Chief Robertson responded to a

report of a car fire. When the incident proved to be in another jurisdiction, Chief Robertson

began to return to quarters. He suffered a heart attack, his command vehicle left the roadway

and struck a metal pole. The vehicle collision was observed by a security guard who rendered

aid and was joined by a police officer and paramedics. The car fire was found to be arson.

4/29/98

Raymond Nakovics, Firefighter

Age 49, Career

New York City Fire Department, New York

Firefighter Nakovics suffered a heart attack at the scene of a multiple alarm highrise fire.

5/2/98

Joseph Kroboth, Jr., Fire Police Captain

Age 59, Volunteer

The Volunteer Fire Company of Halfway Maryland

Captain Kroboth was directing traffic at the scene of a serious motor vehicle collision. The scene

was very busy and a medical helicopter was in the process of landing. A pickup truck suddenly

changed lanes and struck Captain Kroboth, the driver’s attention was directed toward incident

operations. According to the police report, Kroboth was thrown 150 feet. Captain Kroboth

was wearing a reflective vest and utilizing a flashlight with safety wand. Captain Kroboth died of

massive head and chest injuries on 5/3/98.

5/5/98

Patrick Henry McKinney, Jr., Firefighter

Age 72, Volunteer

Colorado City Volunteer Fire Department, Texas

Firefighter McKinney was driving a converted tanker from one brush fire to another when he lost

control of the tanker as it crossed a narrow bridge. The tanker rolled three times after the right

rear wheels of the vehicle caught on a concrete guardrail. A firefighter who was a passenger in

the tanker was injured in the collision. Firefighter McKinney was ejected.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-9

5/7/98

Victor Clement Castillo, Fire Suppression Technician

Age 43, Career

El Paso Fire Department, Texas

Fire Suppression Technician Castillo was participating in a mandatory maze training exercise.

During the event, Technician Castillo bumped his head twice, but told instructors that he was

okay. After going off duty and going home, Technician Castillo became ill and was taken to the

hospital by his wife. Later that month he was hospitalized for seizures and remained under a

doctor’s care until his death. He never returned to duty. The cause of death was ruled as

cardiopulmonary arrest leading to anoxic brain injury. Underlying causes were aspiration

secondary to a seizure, and seizure disorder secondary to the head injury that occurred in May of

1998. Further information related to this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality

Investigation 99-F-08. Technician Castillo died on January 21, 1999.

5/9/98

Daniel W. Mumford, Firefighter/Driver

Age 48, Volunteer

West Haverstraw Fire Department, New York

Firefighter/Driver Mumford was the operator of a tower ladder apparatus at a mutual aid

structure fire. While preparing to leave the scene, Firefighter/Driver Mumford was struck with an

apparent heart attack. He had previously been under a doctor’s care for a cardiac condition but

had been released to drive a fire truck. Rain slicked surfaces and a fall by Firefighter/Driver

Mumford may have contributed to his death.

5/19/98

Eugene Williard Blackmon, Jr., Firefighter

Age 38, Career

Chicago Fire Department, Illinois

Firefighter Blackmon was conducting an underwater search for two reported drowning victims in

the Calumet River. While going from shore to a boat he lost his grip on a flotation device and

slipped under the water. He had removed his SCUBA tank prior to entering the water.

Firefighter Blackmon was recovered after approximately 10-15 minutes and provided with

emergency medical care. He was airlifted by Fire Department helicopter to a local hospital but

was pronounced dead at the hospital. Further information related to this incident can be found in

NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation 98-F-18.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-10

5/26/98

Jake M. Hoeffner, Junior Fire Department Captain

Age 17, Volunteer

Yaphank Fire Department, New York

Firefighter Hoeffner was a passenger in the bed of a fire department pickup as it proceeded

across a parking lot during preparation for fire department training. Firefighter Hoeffner fell from

the pickup and struck his head, sustaining fatal injuries. He was not wearing a seat belt.

Firefighter Hoeffner died on May 31, 1998.

5/27/98

Walter A. Ernst, Firefighter

Age 61, Volunteer

East Meadow Fire Department, New York

Firefighter Ernst assisted in the training of firefighters using SCBA’s in a simulated smoke filled

structure. He complained of pain in his left shoulder and was extremely fatigued at the conclusion

of the training exercise as well as later in the fire station. He died at home in bed a few hours later

of a heart attack.

5/29/98

Robert W. Munter, Fire Chief

Age 56, Career

Berlin Fire Department, Massachusetts

Chief Munter, the only paid member of his department, was conducting an inspection of a new

school that was under construction in his jurisdiction. At some point during the inspection, Chief

Munter suffered an unwitnessed medical emergency. He was found by construction workers

lying prone with a head injury that likely occurred as he fell. Chief Munter was treated by

members of his own Department and transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced

dead. Chief Munter died of a heart attack.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-11

6/2/98

Dennis L. Buroker, Sergeant

Age 44, Career

Muncie Fire Department, Indiana

Sergeant Buroker had gone to bed after responding to a brush fire at approximately 1:00 a.m.

He was found dead in his bed by other firefighters in the morning. Sergeant Buroker had died in

the night as the result of a heart attack due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a genetic disease).

6/5/98

James Blackmore, Lieutenant, Age 48

Scott J. LaPiedra, Captain, Age 40

Career

New York City Fire Department, New York

Along with other firefighters, Lieutenant Blackmore and Captain LaPiedra were conducting a

search on the second floor of a commercial/residential structure. A civilian fire victim had been

reported to be trapped in the area. Without warning, the second floor collapsed into the fire area

on the first floor, trapping firefighters in a live fire on the first floor. Two firefighters died and four

were seriously injured. The civilian fire victim had escaped through a back entrance. Lieutenant

Blackmore was pronounced dead at the hospital after being recovered by other firefighters, the

cause of death was crushing trauma and burns resulting in a heart attack. Captain LaPiedra

suffered severe burns (70%) and died on July 4, 1998, the cause of death was thermal burns

resulting in cardiac arrest. More information related to this incident is available in NIOSH Fire

Fighter Fatality Investigation 98-F-17.

6/26/98

Douglas L. Rohrbaugh, Fire Police Lieutenant

Age 52, Volunteer

Laurel Fire Company, Pennsylvania

Fire Police Lieutenant Rohrbaugh was directing traffic at the scene of a motor vehicle collision.

He was struck from the rear by a pickup truck. The pickup left the scene without stopping.

Lieutenant Rohrbaugh was thrown 97 feet and landed along the side of the road. EMS was

provided at the scene but Lieutenant Rohrbaugh’s injuries were too severe.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-12

6/27/98

Jerry David Donahue, Pilot, Age 57

Charles Franklin Key, Copilot, Age 59

Wildland Contractor

Neptune Aviation Services, Missoula, Montana

Gila National Forest, New Mexico

Pilot Donahue and Copilot Key were killed as a result of the crash of their Lockheed SP-2H

aircraft while fighting the Leggert wildland fire under contract for the United States Forest

Service. The crash occurred about five miles West of Reserve, New Mexico. The tanker had

completed a dry pass over the fire area, then circled around to make a second pass and release

its load. At that time it contacted trees, crashed, and burned. The aircraft was carrying 2,450

gallons of fire retardant. More information related to this incident can be found in National

Transportation Safety Board report FTW98GA86.

6/27/98

Johnnie Ray Park, Captain

Age 43, Career

Cullman Fire Department, Alabama

Captain Park died of a heart attack that occurred at the scene of a motor vehicle collision. The

incident had been in progress for about an hour. Captain Park had assisted with patient treatment

and scene cleanup. He was sitting in the cab of his engine beginning to complete an incident

report when he was stricken. He was immediately transported to the hospital in the engine by his

crew. The weather was hot and humid. Further information related to this incident can be found

in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation 98-F-22.

6/29/98

Timothy D. Allen, Firefighter

Age 25, Volunteer

Central High Fire Department, Oklahoma

Firefighter Allen was responding to his fire station in his personal vehicle when he was involved in

a collision with another vehicle at an uncontrolled intersection. Firefighter Allen was thrown

through the windshield of his vehicle and landed almost twenty feet away. Two children that were

passengers in Firefighter Allen’s vehicle were injured. The driver of the other vehicle was injured.

No one in either car was wearing a seat belt.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-13

7/6/98

Tulon Lee Goodwin, Firefighter/Forestry Worker

Age 50, Wildland Career

Alabama Forestry Commission, Alabama

Firefighter Goodwin was stricken with a heart attack at the scene of a wildland fire. The fire was

caused by children playing with bottle rockets. Firefighter Goodwin had been operating on the

scene for about four hours. He had been plowing a fire line.

7/17/98

John Rochford Kennedy, Fire Police Officer

Age 75, Volunteer

Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department, Maryland

Fire Police Officer Kennedy was stricken with a heart attack as he directed traffic at the scene of

a motor vehicle collision.

7/23/98

Matthew P. Casboni, Firefighter

Age 55, Volunteer

Saint John Volunteer Fire Department, Indiana

Firefighter Casboni died of a heart attack that occurred as he was acting as the air supply officer

at a working structure fire.

7/23/98

Thomas E. Prendergast, Captain

Age 56, Career

Chicago Fire Department, Illinois

Captain Prendergast and his crew were fighting a two alarm fire in a residential occupancy.

Captain Prendergast and his crew were operating hose lines when he complained of chest pain

and shortness of breath. He was immediately escorted to an ambulance and transported to the

hospital. Captain Prendergast died as a result of a heart attack. He died on August 8, 1998.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-14

8/1/98

Barvon Coy Hamilton, Firefighter

Age 71, Volunteer

Southern Oaks Volunteer Fire Department, Texas

Firefighter Hamilton was on the back step of a pumper as it was relocated at the scene of a brush

fire. The pumper was backing up, Firefighter Hamilton was on the back step to secure hose that

had been reloaded. As the pumper backed up, Firefighter Hamilton attempted to warn the driver

about a utility pole that was behind the apparatus. He apparently lost his grip and was crushed

between the pumper and the pole. His right leg was amputated below the knee. Despite the

efforts of local EMS providers, Firefighter Hamilton died of hypovolemic shock (loss of blood).

Further information related to this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality

Investigation 98-F-19.

8/3/98

Donald Claude Martin, Firefighter

Age 34, Volunteer

Van Buren Fire Department, Maine

Firefighter Martin was in his fire station preparing to respond to assist with a search for a missing

child. He became ill and was transported by other firefighters to the hospital. He was

pronounced dead upon arrival. Firefighter Martin died of a heart attack.

8/16/98

Larry Joe King, Firefighter

Age 42, Paid-Call

Maury City Fire Department, Tennessee

Firefighter King was attempting to pry open the hood of a pickup truck that was on fire. He

suffered a heart attack and died.

8/18/98

Calvin Harbaugh, Sr., Fire Police Officer

Age 56, Volunteer

Ebenezer Fire Company, Pennsylvania

Fire Police Officer Harbaugh was stricken with a heart attack while directing traffic at the scene

of a motor vehicle collision.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-15

8/20/98

John M. Walker, Private

Age 58, Career

Memphis Fire Department, Tennessee

Private Walker was assigned on light duty to the Department’s SCBA maintenance shop. He

was stricken with a heart attack while on duty. Despite immediate ALS care, Private Walker

died.

8/29/98

Justin Melton, Firefighter, Age 22

Scott Selby, Firefighter, Age 35

Volunteer

Marks Fire Department, Mississippi

Firefighters Melton and Selby were working in different areas of a structure fire that involved a

commercial building. A collapse occurred which trapped Firefighter Melton as he and other

firefighters were advancing a hoseline on the fire. Firefighter Selby was on the roof of the fire

structure attempting ventilation when he fell into the fire area and was killed. Both firefighters died

of asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation. Further information related to this incident can be found

in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation 98-F-21.

8/29/98

Robert F. Peters, Lieutenant

Age 52, Volunteer

Hastings on Hudson Fire Department, New York

Lieutenant Peters was completing paperwork after returning from a response to an automatic fire

alarm. Lieutenant Peters had driven an aerial apparatus to the incident. He was stricken with a

heart attack and died.

8/31/98

Brian Carrasco, Inmate Handcrew Firefighter

Age 35, Wildland Part-Time

Los Angeles County Fire Department, California

Firefighter Carrasco was killed in a vehicle collision while working as a member of an inmate

handcrew. The brush/engine vehicle in which we was riding rolled over. Eleven others were

injured.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-16

9/4/98

Juan Manuel Hernandez, Jr., Firefighter

Age 21, Wildland Full-Time Seasonal

United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, New Mexico

Firefighter Hernandez was killed in a vehicle collision while working near Willows, California.

The engine in which he was riding was struck by a pickup truck that crossed the center line and

impacted the engine along the left underside and rear dual wheels. The engine flipped and landed

upside down. Firefighter Hernandez was wearing a seat belt but was partially ejected from the

vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

9/4/98

Allen Lawrence Heirtzler, Firefighter

Age 22, Volunteer

Slaughter Volunteer Fire Department, Louisiana

Firefighter Heirtzler was responding to a trailer fire in his role as a volunteer firefighter. He was

responding is his Sheriffs Department cruiser when he was involved in a collision. Firefighter

Heirtzler’s vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed when it began a skid, the vehicle struck a

cow in the roadway, then crashed into a utility pole, rolled over, and burned. Firefighter Heirtzler

was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision.

9/5/98

Eugene P. McDonough, Firefighter

Age 54, Career

Saint Johnsbury Fire Department, Vermont

Firefighter McDonough responded with other members of his Department to a mutual aid fire in a

recycling facility. While opening a large door to allow a master stream attack, Firefighter

McDonough was crushed when a parapet wall collapsed. The cause of the fire was arson.

Further information related to this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality

Investigation 98-F-20.

9/9/98

Ernest Alan McElroy, Forest Ranger II

Age 40, Wildland Career

Arkansas Forestry Commission, Arkansas

Forest Ranger McElroy was plowing a fire line with a bulldozer. The fire overcame his position,

he attempted to back out but struck a tree. Ranger McElroy dismounted the bulldozer and

proceeded down the fire line on foot. He was burned over 60% of his body but still managed to

walk the half mile to a waiting ambulance. Ranger McElroy died of his injuries on October 28,
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-17

1998. Further information related to this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality

Investigation 98-F-30.

9/14/98

Randy Sims, Captain

Age 44, Volunteer

Antioch Volunteer Fire Department, South Carolina

Captain Sims was at the scene of a structure fire assisting with overhaul. He was stricken with a

heart attack and died.

9/18/98

Donald Trotochaud, Firefighter-Senior Airman

Age 23, Career

Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas

Firefighter Trotochaud was killed in a single vehicle collision while enroute to standby at a remote

airfield. One other firefighter was injured.

9/21/98

David M. Brinkley, Firefighter – Past Chief

Age 43, Volunteer

United Communities Volunteer Fire Department, Maryland

Firefighter Brinkley was stricken with a heart attack while refilling SCBA cylinders after a

response to a vehicle fire.

9/24/99

Tony B. Chapin, Firefighter/EMT

Age 19, Volunteer

Willamina Fire Department, Oregon

Firefighter Chapin was killed while on the way to a paramedic training class in his personal

vehicle. A car crossed the center line and struck the vehicle that Firefighter Chapin was driving.

He survived the initial impact but died the next day. Firefighter Chapin was wearing his seat belt.

9/27/98

Preston Edgar Patterson, Firefighter – Fire Police

Age 66, Volunteer

The Manchester Fire Engine and Hook and Ladder Company Number One, Maryland

Firefighter Patterson was stricken with a heart attack while performing Fire Police duties at the

scene of a motor vehicle collision.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-18

9/28/98

Neil A. Holmes, Captain

Age 55, Career

Fresno City Fire Department, California

Captain Holmes was found unconscious in the restroom of his fire station. He had succumbed to

a brain aneurysm.

9/28/98

Paul P. Satterfield, Battalion Chief

Age 60, Career

Nashville Fire Department, Tennessee

Chief Satterfield was in command of a fire on September 28th. He complained of illness at the fire

and went off duty in the morning. He was found dead at home. He had died of a brain

aneurysm. Chief Satterfield died on 9/29/98.

9/30/98

Robert Odell Lee, Fire Chief

Age 56, Volunteer

North River Valley Volunteer Fire Company, West Virginia

Chief Lee was monitoring pump operations during a drill at a nursing home. He was wearing full

protective clothing but no SCBA. He was not performing any strenuous activity, however the

day was hot and humid. Chief Lee suddenly collapsed and died of a heart attack. Further

information related to this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation 98-

F-11.

10/5/98

Gary D. Nagel, Airtanker Pilot

Age 62, Wildland Contractor

San Joaquin Helicopters, California

Airtanker Pilot Nagel was killed in the crash of a Grumman TS-2A airtanker when he misjudged

his maneuvering altitude and impacted the terrain. He had made two drops on the Mount Edna

fire near Banning, California and was preparing to make a third. Other factors that contributed to

the crash were the mountainous terrain, tailwind conditions, and turbulence in the area. Airtanker

Pilot Nagel was an employee of San Joaquin Helicopters, a contractor to the California

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. More information related to this incident can be

found in National Transportation Safety Board report LAX99GA005.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-19

10/5/98

Thomas Oscar Wall, Captain

Age 44, Career

Orange County Fire Authority, California

Captain Wall died at the Taylor fire in Riverside, California. He was protecting exposed

dwellings when he told other firefighters that he did not feel well and collapsed. Captain Wall

died of a heart attack.

10/13/98

Barry L. Wary, Firefighter

Age 51, Volunteer

Klingerstown Volunteer Fire Company, Pennsylvania

Firefighter Wary was actively involved in the suppression of a fire in an industrial occupancy.

Upon exiting the structure, he collapsed and died of a heart attack.

10/24/98

Carson L. Gosey, Sr., Firefighter – Fire Police

Age 60, Volunteer

Shiloh/Danieltown/Oakland Fire Department, North Carolina

Firefighter Gosey was struck by a vehicle at the scene of a training exercise as he assisted a water

tanker that was crossing the road.

10/24/98

Lawrence D. Thrower, Lieutenant

Age 51, Volunteer

Sidney Fire Department, New York

Lieutenant Thrower responded to the scene of a dumpster fire at a manufacturing facility. He was

equipped in full protective clothing and SCBA as he and his crew extinguished and overhauled the

fire. Lieutenant Thrower had removed his facepiece at the conclusion of operations and was

beginning to remove his other protective clothing when he collapsed. ALS was administered at

the scene and he was transported to the hospital. Lieutenant Thrower was pronounced dead of a

heart attack a short time later.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-20

11/6/98

Hubert Sidney Jones, Fire Chief

Age 29, Volunteer

Thoroughfare Volunteer Fire Department, North Carolina

Robby Dean Blizzard, First Lieutenant

Age 24, Volunteer

Arrington County Volunteer Fire Department

Chief Jones and First Lieutenant Blizzard were killed as they fought a fire in an automobile salvage

yard storage building. Firefighters believed that they had found the seat of the fire and were

applying water when a rapid change in conditions occurred. Chief Jones ran out of air while

trying to escape. Lieutenant Blizzard entered the structure to search for Chief Jones. He ran out

of air, became disoriented, and failed to exit the building. Lieutenant Blizzard was wearing a

PASS device but it was not activated. Chief Jones was not equipped with a PASS device. The

cause of death for Chief Jones was listed as carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation

and the cause of death for Lieutenant Blizzard was listed as carbon monoxide poisoning.

Lieutenant Blizzard was also a career firefighter in another community but was off duty at the time.

Further information related to this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality

Investigation 98-F-32.

11/7/98

Paul Allen Laux, Captain

Age 50, Volunteer

Cool Spring Township Fire Department, Indiana

Captain Laux drove a water tanker to the scene of a reported structure fire. When the report

turned out to be steam, the incident commander released all units to return to station. As reports

were completed and units prepared to return to station, a firefighter noticed that the door to the

tanker was open. As he looked inside, he observed Captain Laux slumped over the wheel and

unconscious. Captain Laux was removed from the tanker and provided with medical care,

including the arrival of ALS. No defibrillator was available initially but one was utilized upon the

arrival of ALS. Captain Laux had a history of cardiovascular disease including bypass surgery

but had been cleared for fire fighting by his personal physician. Further information related to this

incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation 99-F-05.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-21

11/8/98

Charles Peter Frank III, Deputy Chief

Age 56, Volunteer

West Weatherfield Fire Department, Vermont

Deputy Chief Frank was in command of a vehicle fire on a local highway. He participated in

forcible entry, water supply, and fire attack. After the fire was extinguished, Chief Frank began

to speak with the people who reported the fire when he suddenly collapsed. Despite immediate

EMS assistance on the scene and the arrival of ALS, Chief Frank died of a heart attack.

11/9/98

Thomas Benjamin Rice, Fire Police Officer

Age 70, Volunteer

Village of Perry Fire Department, New York

Fire Police Officer Rice had been directing traffic at the scene of a commercial structure fire. His

duties were completed and he had been released. A passing firefighter noticed Officer Rice on

the ground near his vehicle. Despite immediate aid, he died of a heart attack. Nothing unusual

preceded the attack. Officer Rice had a history of heart problems.

11/13/98

William Dwight Yankey, Firefighter

Age 35, Career

Harrodsburg Fire Department, Kentucky

Firefighter Yankey’s Captain was awakened when Firefighter Yankey fell out of bed. His

Captain found him not breathing and began CPR with the assistance of other firefighters.

Firefighter Yankey regained consciousness at least twice and spoke with other firefighters. He

was transported to the hospital and was pronounced dead. The cause of death was listed as

acute cardiorespiratory failure due to occlusive pulmonary thromboemboli (blood clot in the

lungs).

11/18/98

Roger DeWayne Bookout, Heavy Fire Equipment Operator

Age Unknown, Wildland Career

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, California

Heavy equipment operator Bookout was killed in an unwitnessed rollover of the tractor that he

was using to perform fire lookout road maintenance.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-22

11/24/98

Norman Neal Almond, Captain, Age 46

Craig Daniel Brown, Driver/Operator, Age 27

Career

Parsons Fire Department, Kansas

A painting contractor found that their ladders were not long enough to reach the upper portion of

the church. A representative of the church contacted city hall and requested an aerial ladder.

After an assessment by the fire chief, a reserve pumper was sent to the scene to allow for the use

of its ground ladders. Captain Almond and Driver/Operator Brown were assisting with the

positioning of a ladder on the exterior of a church that was being painted. The aluminum ladder

made contact with an electrical service line, resulting in the fatal electrocution of both firefighters

and injury to one additional firefighter. The firefighters were positioning the ladder since it was

too cumbersome for the two painters to position by themselves. Further information related to

this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation 98-F-31.

12/2/98

Steven C. Mayfield, Firefighter

Age 47, Career

Houston Fire Department, Texas

Firefighter Mayfield was participating in Federal Aviation Administration mandated Aircraft

Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) training at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport training facility. Firefighter

Mayfield was in the interior of an aircraft fuselage mockup lifting and pulling a mannequin when he

experienced a fatal heart attack.

12/9/98

Steve Austin Tippins, Assistant Chief

Age 37, Volunteer

Etolie Volunteer Fire Department, Texas

Chief Tippins was responding in his personal vehicle to an EMS incident. He failed to yield at a

stop sign and was broadsided on the driver’s side by a truck. Chief Tippins was killed instantly.

His wife, as passenger in his vehicle, was injured.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-23

12/12/98

Stephen E. Gessler, First Assistant Chief

Age 44, Volunteer

Little Falls Fire Department, New Jersey

Chief Gessler was in command of a search effort to find a missing civilian. The man was located

and Chief Gessler ordered an ambulance to transport him. Immediately after giving the order,

Chief Gessler complained of being dizzy and collapsed. Immediate EMS efforts were begun but

were not successful in saving Chief Gessler. He died of dilated cardiomyopathy (a disorder in

which the heart muscle is weakened and cannot pump blood efficiently).

12/18/98

James F. Bohan, Firefighter, Age 25

Christopher M. Bopp, Firefighter, Age 27

Joseph P. Cavalieri, Lieutenant, Age 42

Career

New York City Fire Department, New York

Firefighter Bohan, Firefighter Bopp, and Lieutenant Cavalieri were killed while fighting a

residential high rise structure fire. As they rushed to the tenth floor to search for victims, they

were overcome by a wave of heat and smoke that killed all three. The heat wave, or fireball, may

have been propelled by a gust of wind coming through the fire apartment. The automatic closing

device on the apartment door had been removed or had malfunctioned. The building’s hallway

sprinklers did not activate due to a closed valve. Six firefighters were injured in the fire.

12/18/98

Thomas J. Concannon, Fire Police Lieutenant

Age 55, Volunteer

Wormleysburg Fire Company #1, Pennsylvania

Fire Police Lieutenant Concannon responded in his duties as a Fire Police member to a motor

vehicle collision. He parked his vehicle short of the incident scene. Members working on the

incident scene assumed that he had stopped in that location to divert traffic. At the conclusion of

the incident, Lieutenant Concannon failed to respond to a radio call. Shortly thereafter, he was

found slumped over the steering wheel of his vehicle, unresponsive, with the vehicle still in gear

and his foot on the brake. Despite immediate medical care, Lieutenant Concannon died of a

heart attack. Further information related to this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter

Fatality Investigation 99-F-10.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-24

12/31/98

Kennon Loy Williams, Captain

Age 27, Volunteer

Banks County Fire Department, Georgia

Captain Williams and other members of his Department were conducting an offensive attack on a

arson fire of a church built around 1850. Captain Williams was caught under heavy timbers in a

roof collapse. Further information related to this incident can be found in NIOSH Fire Fighter

Fatality Investigation 99-F-04.

The following firefighters died in 1998. They are not included in the analysis since one

died as the result of an injury sustained in a previous year and two worked and died

outside of the fifty states and the District of Columbia that have historically been

included in this analysis.

7/11/89

Walter Bitner, Firefighter

Age 38, Career

Paterson Fire Department, New Jersey

Firefighter Bitner died on October 24, 1998, as a result of injuries he received on July 11,

1989. Firefighter Bitner was responding to what turned out to be a false alarm when he

fell from the jumpseat of his engine company and sustained severe head injuries.

Firefighter Bitner was in a coma for six months. He remained under medical care for the

rest of his life, unable to perform any physical task other than moving his hands and his

eyes.

2/5/98

Luis A. Rivera-Rivas, Firefighter

Age 58, Career

Puerto Rico Fire Department, Puerto Rico

Died of a heart attack after being exposed to smoke at a grass fire in the town of Papillas.

The wind shifted resulting in the smoke exposure for Firefighter Rivera-Rivas.

5/7/98

Jesus Mercado, Firefighter

Age 35, Career

Puerto Rico Fire Department, Puerto Rico

Firefighter Mercado was killed in the rollover of a ladder truck while enroute to a

furniture warehouse fire in the town of Bayamon. One of the rear tires on the apparatus

failed, resulting in the collision. Four other firefighters were injured.
 1998 Firefighter Fatality Report

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF 1998 INCIDENTS

PAGE A-25

Additional information about many of the firefighter fatalities presented

in this appendix is available from the sources below. Where known, the

report number for each incident is listed in the appendix along with the

incident description. Many reports are available through the mail and

the internet.

National Fire Protection Association

1 Batterymarch Park

P.O. Box 9101

Quincy, MA 02269

(617)-770-3000

http://www.nfpa.org

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program

1095 Willowdale Road

Mail Stop P-180

Morgantown, WV 26505-2888

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firehome.html

(800)-35-NIOSH

National Transportation Safety Board

http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/Query.htm

US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board

Office of External Relations

2175 K Street, Northwest

Washington, DC 20037

(202)-261-7600

http://www.chemsafety.gov