Firefighter Fatalities in the 

United States in 2020

March 2022

Firefighter Fatalities in 

the United States in 2020

Prepared by

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Federal Emergency Management Agency

U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)

National Fire Data Center

and

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF)

firehero.org
In memory of all 

firefighters who 

answered their 

last call in 2020.

To their families 

and friends.

For their service 

and sacrifice.
Mission Statement

We support and strengthen fi re and emergency medical 

services and stakeholders to prepare for, prevent, mitigate 

and respond to all hazards.

Table of Contents i

Table of Contents

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

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

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

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

What constitutes an on-duty fatality?............................................................................. 4

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

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

2020 Findings ....................................................................................................................... 7

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

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

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

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

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

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

Responding/returning....................................................................................................... 14

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

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

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

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

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

Exposure ............................................................................................................................. 18

Vehicle crashes................................................................................................................... 20

Collapse............................................................................................................................... 22

Caught/trapped ................................................................................................................. 23

Out of air ............................................................................................................................. 24

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

Other ................................................................................................................................... 24

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

Nature of Fatal Injury.......................................................................................................... 26

Firefighter Ages.................................................................................................................... 28

Deaths by Time of Injury .................................................................................................... 29

Firefighter Fatality Incidents by Month of Year .............................................................. 29

State and Region.................................................................................................................. 30

Analysis of Urban/Suburban/Rural Patterns in Firefighter Fatalities.......................... 35

Appendix............................................................................................................................... 37

Acronyms.............................................................................................................................. 41
ii Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020
Acknowledgments | Background 1

Acknowledgments

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

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

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

as the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the National Park Service (NPS), the Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(FWS); the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ); the National Fire Protection Association 

(NFPA); and many others contributed important information to this report.

The NFFF was responsible for compilation of a large portion of the information used in 

this report. Their cooperation and work toward reducing firefighter deaths is gratefully 

acknowledged.

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

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

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

inherently dangerous profession, and unfortunate tragedies do occur. These are the risks 

that all firefighters accept every time they respond to an emergency incident. However, the 

risks can be greatly reduced through efforts to improve community risk reduction, training, 

emergency resource deployment, on-scene operations, and firefighter health and safety.

Background

Since 1976, the USFA has tracked the number of firefighter fatalities and conducted an 

annual analysis. Through the collection of information on the causes of firefighter deaths, 

the USFA can focus on specific problems and direct efforts toward finding solutions to 

reduce the number of firefighter fatalities in the future. This information is also used to 

measure the effectiveness of current programs directed toward firefighter health and 

safety. Several programs have been developed by the USFA in response to this annual 

report. For example, the USFA sponsors research to create safer operational environments 

for firefighters by increasing awareness about emergency vehicle operations safety, health 
2 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

and safety of the female emergency responder, fire service risk management, fire station 

safety, and roadway incident safety. The data developed for this report are also widely 

used in other firefighter fatality prevention efforts.

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

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

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

the individual’s fire department, are invited by the NFFF to the annual National Fallen 

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

Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland, during National Fire Prevention Week in October 

of each year. The 40th Annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend was held 

Oct. 2-3, 2021, and families who lost loved ones in 2019 and 2020 were invited to attend 

the ceremony. Additional information can be found at https://www.firehero.org/events/

memorial-weekend/ or by calling the NFFF at 301-447-1365.

Other resources and information regarding firefighter fatalities, including current fatality 

notices, the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial database and links to the Public Safety 

Officer Benefits (PSOB) program, can be found at https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighterfatalities/.
Introduction 3

Introduction

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

firefighter fatalities in the U.S. The specific objective of this study is to identify all on-duty 

firefighter fatalities that occurred in the U.S. and its territories in 2020 and to analyze 

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

approaches that may reduce the number of firefighter deaths in future years.

Who is a firefighter?

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

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

Columbia; and the territories of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the 

commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam. It includes career and 

volunteer firefighters; full-time public safety officers acting as firefighters; fire police; 

state, Native American tribal authorities and federal government fire service personnel; 

and privately employed firefighters, including employees of contract fire departments 

and trained members of industrial fire brigades, including full time or part time. It also 

includes contract personnel working as firefighters or assigned to work in direct support 

of fire service organizations (e.g., air-tanker crews).

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

seasonal and full-time employees of the USFS, the NPS, the BLM, the BIA, the FWS, and 

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

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

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

fire suppression activities; and civilian firefighters working at military installations.
4 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

What constitutes an on-duty fatality?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

on duty, and the firefighter became ill within 24 hours after engaging in such activity. 

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

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

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

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

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

included in this study. For firefighter fatalities after Dec. 15, 2003, firefighters are included 

in this report if they became ill as the result of a heart attack or stroke within 24 hours 

of a training activity or emergency response. Firefighters who became ill after going off 

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

or mental stress, are not included.

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

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

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

attributed to occupational illnesses also include a communicable disease, such as COVID19, contracted while on duty that proved fatal when the disease could be attributed to a 

documented occupational exposure.

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

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

analysis counts the fatality as having occurred in the year in which the death took place.1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1

The USFA has changed the methodology for the “Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020” report. With 

this report and all subsequent annual firefighter fatality reports, firefighter fatalities will be included based on 

the date of death as opposed to previous annual reports that included firefighter fatalities based on the date 

of occurrence of the injury that later resulted in death. All graphics in this “Firefighter Fatalities in the United 

States in 2020” report have been recalculated to reflect this change in methodology.
Introduction 5

Sources of initial notification

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

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

of other sources. These sources include the PSOB program administered by the DOJ, the 

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

and Health Administration, the U.S. Department of Defense, the National Interagency Fire 

Center, and other federal agencies.

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

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

International Association of Fire Fighters, NFPA, the National Volunteer Fire Council, state 

fire marshals, state fire training organizations, other state and local organizations, fire 

service internet sites, news services, and fire service publications.

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

reports

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

authorities by telephone to verify the incident, its location, the jurisdiction, and the fire 

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

the incident may be collected from the chief or designee of the fire department over 

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

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

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

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

Subsequently, more detailed information is routinely requested from fire departments 

that have experienced a fatality including National Fire Incident Reporting System 

(NFIRS)-1 (incident) and NFIRS-3 (fire service casualty) reports, the fire department’s 

own incident and internal investigation reports, copies of death certificates and autopsy 

results, special investigative reports, law enforcement reports, photographs and diagrams, 

and newspaper or media accounts of the incident. Information on the incident may also 

be gathered from NFPA or NIOSH reports.

After obtaining this detailed information, a final determination is made as to whether the 

death qualifies as an on-duty firefighter fatality according to the previously described 

criteria. With the exception of firefighter deaths after Dec. 15, 2003, and the inclusion of 

the new communicable disease, COVID-19, the same criteria were used for this study as in 

previous annual studies. If needed, further detailed information may be requested by the 

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

offices or other agencies. The final determination as to whether a fatality qualifies as an 

on-duty death for inclusion in its annual statistical analyses is made by the USFA.
6 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020
2020 Findings 7

2020 Findings

102 firefighters died in 2020 from injuries sustained while on duty. This is 37 more than the 

2019 total of 65 firefighter fatalities. The 2020 total includes 10 firefighters who died under 

circumstances that were part of inclusion criteria changes resulting from the Hometown 

Heroes Survivors Benefit Act. It also includes 36 firefighters who died from complications 

of COVID-19. When not including these fatalities, there were 56 firefighter fatalities in 2020 

that were non-Hometown Hero and did not occur as a result of complications relating to 

COVID-19 (Figure 1).

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

the changes from the December 2003 Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act as well 

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

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

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

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

their family and peers.
8 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

Figure 1 below shows the number of on-duty firefighter fatalities from 1977 through 2020. 

Figure 1. On-duty firefighter fatalities (1977-2020) 

0 100 200 300 400 500

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

1991

1990

1989

1988

1987

1986

1985

1984

1983

1982

1981

1980

1979

1978

1977

Year

Number of firefighter fatalities

152

173

126

140

137

128

113

119

119

106

106

106

103

98

99

93

112

105

453

101

116

106

104

96

106

110

81

73

69

72

100

71

75

70

76

70

55

56

76

82

126

122

132

136

plus 1 Hometown Hero

plus 10 Hometown Heroes and 36 COVID-19 fatalities

plus 10 Hometown Heroes

plus 15 Hometown Heroes

plus 17 Hometown Heroes

plus 22 Hometown Heroes

plus 15 Hometown Heroes

plus 26 Hometown Heroes

plus 10 Hometown Heroes

plus 14 Hometown Heroes

plus 22 Hometown Heroes

plus 16 Hometown Heroes

plus 14 Hometown Heroes

plus 12 Hometown Heroes

plus 13 Hometown Heroes

plus 15 Hometown Heroes

plus 17 Hometown Heroes

plus 11 Hometown Heroes
2020 Findings 9

From 2011 to 2020, there was a 27% decrease in on-duty firefighter fatalities (Figure 2).2

Figure 2. On-duty firefighter fatalities (2011-2020) 

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

Trend

Firefighter fatalities

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Number of firefighter fatalities

Year

65

85

92 93

90

110

97

86

91

66

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

from the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act but do not include COVID-19 fatalities for purposes of a trend analysis.

Career, volunteer and wildland agency fatalities

In 2020, firefighter fatalities included 49 career firefighters, 44 volunteer firefighters, and 

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

Figure 3. Career, volunteer and wildland agency firefighter fatalities (2020)

102 total firefighter 

fatalities

Career

49 deaths

Rural fire

departments

10 deaths

Urban/suburban

fire departments

39 deaths

Part-time or 

seasonal

9 deaths

Rural fire

departments

33 deaths

Urban/suburban

fire departments

11 deaths

Volunteer

44 deaths

Wildland agency

9 deaths

2This trend analysis does not include 36 firefighter fatalities in 2020 that occurred due to complications of COVID-19.
10 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

Gender

The gender of the firefighters who died while on duty in 2020 consisted of 1 female and 

101 males.

Multiple firefighter fatality incidents

The 102 deaths in 2020 resulted from a total of 99 fatal incidents, including 3 multiple 

firefighter fatality incidents taking the lives of 6 firefighters (Table 1).

Table 1. Multiple firefighter fatality incidents (2011-2020)

Year Number of multiple firefighter 

fatality incidents

Number of firefighter fatalities 

resulting from multiple 

firefighter fatality incidents

2020 3 6

2019 0 0

2018 2 4

2017 1 3*

2016 3 7

2015 3 7

2014 2 4

2013 4 34*

2012 4 10

2011 3 6

10-year average 3 8 

*

In 2013, there were 4 multiple firefighter fatality incidents that resulted in the deaths of 35 firefighters. Of these firefighters, 34 died 

in 2013 and 1 died in 2017.

Wildland firefighting fatalities

In 2020, 13 firefighters were killed during activities involving brush, grass or wildland 

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

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

a wildland fire (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Firefighter fatalities related to wildland firefighting (2011-2020)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Number of firefighter fatalities

Year

10

7

13 12

16

31

11 12

15

10
Type of Duty 11

From 1990 to 2020, there 

have been 522 firefighters 

killed during activities 

involving brush, grass or 

wildland firefighting — an 

average of 17 deaths per 

year. There was an average 

of 14 such deaths per year 

over the past decade.

Photo courtesy of USFS.
12 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

In 2020, there was 1 incident related to wildland firefighting that resulted in multiple 

firefighter fatalities when 2 aircraft (helicopters) collided (Tables 2 and 3).

Table 2. Firefighter fatalities associated with wildland firefighting (2011-2020)

Year

Number of 

firefighter 

fatalities related 

to wildland 

firefighting

Number of fatal 

incidents related 

to wildland 

firefighting

Number of 

firefighters 

killed in 

multiple-fatality 

incidents related 

to wildland 

firefighting

2020 13 12 2

2019 7 7 0

2018 10 10 0

2017 10 10 0

2016 15 13 4

2015 12 9 5

2014 11 11 0

2013 31 13 19

2012 16 12 6

2011 12 11 2

10-year average 14 11 4

Table 3. Aircraft firefighter fatalities associated with wildland firefighting

(2011-2020)

Year

Number of aircraft 

firefighter fatalities 

related to wildland 

firefighting 

Number of aircraft fatal 

incidents related to 

wildland firefighting

2020 6 5

2019 1 1

2018 0 0

2017 0 0

2016 0 0

2015 2 1

2014 2 2

2013 0 0

2012 2 1

2011 0 0

10-year average 1 1
Type of Duty 13

Type of Duty

Activities related to emergency incidents resulted 

in the deaths of 72 firefighters (71%) in 2020 (Figure 

5). This includes all firefighters who died responding 

to an emergenc y or at an emergenc y scene, 

returning from an emergency incident, and during 

other emergency-related activities. Nonemergency 

activities accounted for 30 firefighter fatalities (29%). 

Nonemergency duties include training, administrative 

activities and performing other functions that are not 

related to an emergency incident.

A multiyear historical perspective relating to the 

percentage of firefighter deaths that occurred during 

emergency duty is presented in Table 4.

Figure 5. Firefighter fatalities 

by type of duty (2020)

Emergency

70.6%

(72)

Nonemergency

29.4%

(30)

Table 4. Emergency duty firefighter fatalities (2011-2020)

Year Percentage of total firefighter fatalities

2020 70.6

2019 61.5

2018 52.9

2017 48.4

2016 41.3

2015 47.8

2014 45.4

2013 70.0

2012 53.5

2011 53.8

10-year average 54.5

The number of deaths by type of duty being performed for 2020 is shown in Figure 6. 

Figure 6. Firefighter fatalities by type of duty (2020)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Type of duty

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Training

Responding or returning

On-scene nonfire

On-scene fire

Other on duty 30

26

25

14

7
14 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

Fireground operations

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

2020. Of these fatalities, 14 were at the scene of a structure fire, and 12 were at the scene 

of a wildland or outside fire. The average age of the firefighters killed during fireground 

operations was 46 years old, with the youngest being 23 years old and the oldest being 67 

years old. 11 of those killed were volunteer, 9 were wildland firefighters and 6 were career 

firefighters. The nature of fatal injury while engaged in fireground operations for 10 of the 

firefighter deaths was heart attack (38%). The nature of fatal injury for the remaining 16 

deaths were trauma (6), asphyxiation (5), burns (2), crushed (1), cerebrovascular accident 

(CVA) (1) and COVID-19 (1).

Type of fireground activity during fireground operations

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

sustained their fatal injuries or illnesses during fireground operations. This total includes all 

firefighting duties on the fireground, such as wildland firefighting and structural firefighting. 

In 2020, the most common type of on-scene fire activity was advancing hoselines.

Table 5. Type of fireground activity (2020)

Type of fireground activity Number of firefighter fatalities

Advance hoselines 15 

Support 3 

Other 3 

Search and rescue 2 

Pump operations 1 

Scene safety 1 

Water supply 1

Fixed property use for structural firefighting fatalities

Of the fatalities that occurred during fireground operations in 2020, 14 were firefighters 

who became ill or injured while on the scene of a structure fire. Of these fatalities, 10 (71%) 

occurred while on the scene of a residential structure fire. Table 6 shows the distribution 

of these deaths by fixed property use.

Table 6. Structural firefighting fatalities by fixed property use (2020)

Type of structure Number of firefighter fatalities

Residential 10 

Commercial 4 

Responding/returning

In 2020, as shown in Table 7, 14 firefighters died or experienced an onset of symptoms 

while responding to or returning from incidents. Specifically, 10 were responding to, and 

4 were returning from, an incident. 
Type of Duty 15

The average age of the 14 firefighters was 48 years old. The youngest was 20 years old, 

and the oldest was 66 years old.

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

(2011-2020)

Year

Number of firefighter fatalities that 

occurred while responding to or 

returning from an incident

2020 14

2019 8

2018 11

2017 12

2016 13

2015 8

2014 14

2013 14

2012 17

2011 11

10-year average 12 

Training

In 2020, 7 firefighters died while engaged in training activities (Table 8). 2 of the 7 

firefighters died from heart attacks, 2 from COVID-19, 1 from asphyxiation, 1 from trauma 

and 1 from “other,” whose cause of death is still under investigation. 

Of the 7 firefighters who died while engaged in training activities, 3 firefighters died 

while performing fire department-mandated physical fitness training, 2 died when they 

contracted COVID-19 while attending training exercises, 1 died while involved in an 

equipment drill, and 1 died during a dive training exercise.

The average age of the 7 firefighters was 51 years old. The youngest was 29 years old, and 

the oldest was 70 years old.
16 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

Table 8. Firefighter fatalities while engaged in training (2011-2020)

Year Number of firefighter fatalities 

that occurred during training

2020 7

2019 5

2018 9

2017 12

2016 9

2015 7

2014 10

2013 7

2012 8

2011 8

10-year average 8 

Other on duty

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

situations, such as in-station duties, arson investigations and attending fire departmentmandated meetings. In 2020, 30 firefighters died under these circumstances. 

ĵ 18 firefighters died from exposure.

ĵ 8 firefighters died from stress or overexertion.

ĵ 2 firefighters died whose causes of death have not yet been determined.

ĵ 1 firefighter died in a vehicle collision while performing a maintenance check on a tanker.

ĵ 1 firefighter was shot and killed while performing an arson investigation.

The average age of the 30 firefighters was 57 years old. The youngest was 27 years old, 

and the oldest was 88 years old.

Nonfire emergencies

In 2020, 25 firefighters were killed during emergency duties not related to fire. These 

response calls included 19 EMS calls, 3 motor vehicle accidents, 1 hazmat incident, 1 

rescue/extrication and 1 firefighter who died from a water rescue. 

15 of the 25 firefighters died from COVID-19, 7 from heart attacks, 1 from trauma, 1 from 

asphyxiation and 1 from an aortic dissection. The average age was 52 years old. The 

youngest was 28 years old, and the oldest was 72 years old.
Cause of Fatal Injury 17

Cause of Fatal Injury

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

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

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

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

as the cause.

Figure 7 shows the distribution of deaths by cause of fatal injury or illness in 2020. In 2020, 

the leading cause of fatal injury was stress or overexertion followed closely by exposure.

Figure 7. Firefighter fatalities by cause of fatal injury (2020)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Cause of fatal injury

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Fall

Other

Struck by

Out of air

Caught or trapped

Collapse

Vehicle collision

Exposure

Stress or overexertion

36

37

3

4

15

2

2

2

1

Stress or overexertion

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

demanding of human activities. Stress or overexertion is a general category that 

includes all firefighter deaths that are cardiac or cerebrovascular in nature, such as heart 

attacks and strokes, as well as other events, such as extreme climatic thermal exposure. 

Classification of a firefighter fatality in this “cause of fatal injury” category does not 

necessarily indicate that a firefighter was in poor physical condition.

In 2020, 37 firefighters died due to stress or overexertion:

ĵ 29 firefighters died due to heart attacks.

ĵ 4 firefighters died from “other” causes (2 from aortic aneurysms; 1 from multiple 

complications, including a blood clot, kidney damage, CVAs and a heart attack; and 1 

from a pulmonary hemorrhage).

ĵ 3 firefighters died due to CVAs.

ĵ 1 died from asphyxiation due to drowning.

In addition, of the firefighters that died due to stress or overexertion, 10 (27%) were 

Hometown Heroes.
18 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

Table 9. Firefighter fatalities caused by stress or overexertion (2011-2020)

Year

Number of 

firefighter 

fatalities caused 

by stress or 

overexertion

Percentage 

of firefighter 

fatalities caused 

by stress or 

overexertion

Number of 

Hometown Hero 

fatalities caused 

by stress or 

overexertion

2020 37 36.3 10

2019 37 56.9 10

2018 37 43.5 13

2017 54 58.1 16

2016 44 47.8 22

2015 61 67.8 15

2014 62 63.9 25

2013 40 36.4 10

2012 49 57.0 14

2011 54 59.3 21

10-year average 48 52.7 16 

Exposure

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

for Disease Control and Prevention, the pandemic has killed over 700,000 individuals in 

the United States.3 This pandemic has spared no one, including first responders. In 2020, 

36 firefighters lost their lives due to exposure. Exposure was the second leading cause of 

fatal firefighter injuries for the year. All 36 firefighters died from complications of COVID-19.4

Table 10 shows the cities and states where these firefighters were stationed.

3https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

4The USFA counts those firefighters that contracted COVID-19 while on duty and died due to complications of 

the disease. All on-duty COVID-19 deaths have been verified with the fire department of which the firefighter 

was a member.
Cause of Fatal Injury 19

Table 10. COVID-19 on-duty firefighter fatalities, 2020

City/State Number of fatalities

Houston, Texas 3

Chicago, Illinois 2

Converse, Texas 2

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 2

Bay Head, New Jersey 1

Bristol, Tennessee 1

Clayton, North Carolina 1

Detroit, Michigan 1

Forsyth, Georgia 1

Fort Worth, Texas 1

Hollywood, Florida 1

Kansas City, Missouri 1

Los Angeles, California 1

Naples, Florida 1

Nauvoo, Alabama 1

New Rochelle, New York 1

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1

Passaic, New Jersey 1

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1

Poynette, Wisconsin 1

River Grove, Illinois 1

Rothbury, Michigan 1

Ruleville, Mississippi 1

Salem, West Virginia 1

Scranton, Pennsylvania 1

Shepherdsville, Kentucky 1

Sylva, North Carolina 1

Terre Haute, Indiana 1

Valley Stream, New York 1

Warren, Ohio 1

White Plains, New York 1

Total: 36
20 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

Vehicle crashes

In 2020, 15 firefighters (6 wildland, 5 volunteer and 4 career) lost their lives due to vehicle 

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

year. 4 deaths involved privately owned vehicles, 3 deaths involved helicopters, 3 deaths 

involved fixed wing aircraft, 3 deaths involved fire department engines, 1 death involved 

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

ĵ A captain was responding to a barn fire in his personal vehicle, a 2003 Chevrolet Impala. 

On a gravel portion of the roadway, he lost control and his vehicle rolled several times. 

He was not wearing a seatbelt and was fatally injured in the crash.

ĵ A firefighter was responding to a report of a residential structure fire. He was the 

driver and sole occupant of a 1996 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. As he responded, 

his vehicle left the right-hand side of the roadway in a curve. He attempted to regain 

control, but the vehicle skidded and rolled over. He was ejected in the rollover and 

sustained fatal injuries.

ĵ A chief and the members of his fire department were dispatched to a grass fire. The 

assistant chief responded in a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado pickup that was equipped with 

emergency lights. During the response, he entered a curve and lost control of his vehicle 

as it entered the curve in the roadway. The vehicle entered a broadside skid, left the 

left-hand side of the roadway, and came to rest on its roof in a ditch. The crash was 

not witnessed and was not reported. Early the next morning, 2 other fire departments 

were dispatched to a report of a vehicle crash. When they arrived on scene, firefighters 

discovered that the assistant chief was deceased in his vehicle. He was wearing a seatbelt. 

Unsafe speed was cited as a factor in the law enforcement crash report.

ĵ A firefighter was returning home after a 48-hour shift that included a ladder training 

class. He was the driver and sole occupant of a 2001 Ford SUV. For reasons unknown, 

his vehicle crossed the center line in a curve and hit an oncoming vehicle head-on. 

The estimated speed of both vehicles was the posted speed limit, 55 miles per hour. 

The firefighter, who was wearing his seatbelt, was killed in the collision. In addition, 

the airbags in his vehicle deployed.

ĵ A pilot was operating a Kaman K-1200 helicopter in support of the White River Fire in 

the Mount Hood National Forest in Montana. He was using a 140-foot-long line and 

water bucket to dip water from the White River for water drops when the helicopter 

crashed. Wreckage of the helicopter was found near a designated dip site on the river, 

and the pilot was killed in the crash.

ĵ A pilot was operating a Bell UH-1H helicopter in support of firefighters fighting the Polles 

Fire in the Tonto National Forest near Payson, Arizona. He was transporting supplies 

by longline to a drop location to support hotshot firefighters. He had made 3 trips and 

successfully delivered supplies. On the fourth trip, people on the ground observed the 

helicopter wobble in the air, recover temporarily and then crash. The pilot was killed 

in the crash. A cause for the crash has not yet been established.
Cause of Fatal Injury 21

ĵ A pilot was operating an Arrow-Falcon Exporters, Inc. UH-1H helicopter in support of 

firefighting efforts on the Hill Fire near Coalinga, California. He departed his base early 

in the morning and followed another helicopter. Both helicopters were carrying refillable 

bamboo water buckets on long lines. Each helicopter filled and then discharged water 

on the fire approximately 7 times. The pilot reported abnormal noises and vibrations 

with his helicopter, and subsequently planned a precautionary landing. The other 

helicopter followed with the intent of helping him locate an acceptable landing site. 

The pilot began to have trouble controlling his helicopter and declared a mayday. He 

crashed shortly thereafter and was killed in the crash.

ĵ A firefighter/pilot was supporting firefighting operations at the Schill Fire near Emmett, 

Idaho. He was the pilot of an Air Tractor AT-802A single engine air tanker (SEAT). He 

was in the process of making a fire-retardant drop. As he approached the drop site, 

according to a witness, he did not release his load of retardant and began to climb to 

avoid terrain. Unfortunately, the aircraft was not able to climb sufficiently, and it impacted 

the terrain near the peak of the ridgeline. The firefighter/pilot was killed in the crash.

ĵ 2 pilots were operating Air Tractor AT-802A SEATs. Both aircraft had completed 2 fireretardant drops that day in support of firefighting efforts at the Bishop Fire in southeastern 

Nevada. The aircraft were headed out for their third drop. The aircraft operated in 

tandem with 1 following close behind the other. During flight, the following aircraft got 

fire retardant from the leading aircraft on its windshield, impacting the following pilot’s 

ability to see. The following aircraft made a rapid climb and a turn to the left and collided 

with the leading aircraft. Both aircraft crashed, and both pilots were killed.

ĵ A firefighter was a front-seat passenger in an engine responding to a structure fire. 

For unknown reasons, as the engine responded, it left the right side of the roadway 

in a curve. The engine struck a boulder on the right side of the road, reentered the 

roadway, crossed the center line, left the roadway to the left, overturned on a steep 

embankment, and rolled onto its top. The firefighter was killed in the collision. He was 

wearing his seatbelt properly.

ĵ 2 captains were returning to the fire station after responding to a residential fire when 

their fire apparatus crashed at a sharp curve coming down a mountain road. The captain 

driving the apparatus was pronounced deceased at the scene. The other captain was 

pronounced deceased shortly after his arrival at the hospital emergency room.

ĵ A chief was driving a 2000-gallon tanker (tender) on a weekly maintenance check. The 

tanker left the right-hand side of the roadway. He applied the brakes and steered to the 

left to get back on the road. The vehicle entered a counterclockwise side skid across 

the roadway and overturned. The chief was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected. 

He died of traumatic injuries.

ĵ A fire marshal was returning from the scene of a structure fire in a staff support 

vehicle. For reasons unknown, the vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. He was 

killed instantly.
22 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

Figure 8. Firefighter fatalities in vehicle collisions (including aircraft) (2011-2020)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Number of firefighter fatalities

Year

12

13

7

15

5

18

10

12

5

19

Collapse

In 2020, 4 firefighters were killed during structure collapses.

ĵ A firefighter responded to a report of a structure fire in a duplex. He was operating in 

the interior of the structure when a floor collapse occurred and was pinned between 

floor joists. A rapid intervention crew (RIC) was immediately activated, and the firefighter 

was removed in approximately 7 minutes. He was unconscious and, despite treatment, 

could not be resuscitated. His death was caused by positional asphyxia.

ĵ In the late morning, an emergency call was received for a structure fire. The fire was 

reported to be in the laundry room of the home. The fire department arrived on the 

scene, and firefighters immediately were assigned to interior fire suppression/fire 

attack. During fire suppression activities, the captain of another unit reported that a 

ceiling collapsed, separating him from a firefighter. A mayday was called at that time. 

Fire conditions were rapidly deteriorating, and intense smoke was pushing out of the 

structure under pressure. Firefighters from a neighboring agency were assigned to 

locate and rescue the firefighter. The fire company assigned to rescue this firefighter, 

however, became trapped and also called a mayday. They were able to self-extract 

from the entrapment, removing themselves from the structure. Additional crews 

were sent into the structure to locate the firefighter who was still missing. Additional 

agencies arrived on scene and began additional rescue operations. The firefighter was 

located in the basement of the structure, having apparently fallen through the floor. 

He was found approximately 90 minutes after he became separated from his crew 

and was in cardiac arrest. Life-saving efforts were performed, and he was transported 

by ambulance to a regional medical center where he was pronounced deceased. His 

death was caused by asphyxiation due to the inhalation of toxic gases.
Cause of Fatal Injury 23

ĵ A senior airman/firefighter responded to a mutual aid call for a barn fire. He was killed 

while battling the blaze when a beam fell on him. The cause of the fire has been determined 

to be arson and is under investigation. His death was caused by traumatic injuries.

ĵ Firefighters were dispatched to a report of a house fire. When firefighters arrived on 

the scene, they found a well-involved house fire with reports of a person trapped and 

a burn injury to the other occupant of the home. A firefighter was directed to operate 

a 1-3/4-inch hoseline from a defensive position. A collapse of the home’s heavy timber 

roof occurred, trapping the firefighter under the roof. Firefighters were able to crawl 

under the collapse and locate him; he was unconscious. Due to the weight of the roof, 

however, firefighters were not able to lift it by hand. Eventually, extrication tools, 

ladders and lumber were used to lift the roof enough to remove the firefighter. He 

was treated by on-scene paramedics, but he could not be revived. His cause of death 

was listed as asphyxia and smoke inhalation/thermal burns.

Caught/trapped

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

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

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

who were trapped and/or crushed.

In 2020, 3 firefighters died from being caught or trapped.

ĵ An engine boss and her crew were assigned to a task force working the Complex 

Fire. Prior to the emergency, the firefighters were working to fight fire outside of the 

engine at the roadside. The engineer was inside the apparatus. Fire conditions changed 

rapidly, and the engine was directed to leave the area. The engineer honked the horn 

and attempted to communicate with his crew on the need to leave. The engineer 

exited the engine and directly communicated the need to leave. The crew headed 

for the engine. The engineer jumped in the back seat of the cab, the firefighter ran 

from the scene on foot, and the engine boss ended up in the driver’s seat. In a very 

stressful and confusing situation, she operated the engine in reverse, and it went off 

the roadway and down an embankment that was involved in fire. When the engine 

came to rest against a tree, the engineer was able to leave the engine and escape, but 

the engine boss was unable to exit. The engine became engulfed in flames. She died 

of asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation. The fire eventually consumed the engine.

ĵ A firefighter was assigned to the El Dorado Fire in the San Bernardino National Forest 

as a member of the Big Bear Interagency Hotshot Crew, from the San Bernardino 

National Forest. While conducting suppression efforts, the firefighter was burned over 

by the fire and passed away.

ĵ Fire department personnel responded to a call for a water rescue on the beach. A 

firefighter entered the water in rough surf conditions to rescue a man and a juvenile. 

He was swept up by the strong surf/current. The firefighter was rescued from the 

water and taken to the Weems Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead 

due to saltwater drowning. 
24 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

Out of air

In 2020, 2 firefighters died from being “out of air,” equal in the number of fatalities with 

the categories of “Struck by” and “Other.”

A captain and a firefighter were dispatched along with other fire department units to a 

report of a structure fire in a public library. The captain led a crew of 3 assigned to Engine 

71. The captain reported heavy smoke conditions. The company was directed to initiate 

a fire attack by the on-scene command officer. While preparing to initiate fire attack, the 

captain received information from a police officer that a physically handicapped person 

was trapped on the second floor. The captain and a firefighter entered the library without a 

hoseline or a tag line to initiate a search. Shortly thereafter, the captain initiated a mayday 

and stated that he and the firefighter were on the upper level, that they were low on air, 

were looking for the stairwell, and were activating their Personal Alert Safety System 

devices. A RIC entered the building to search for both the captain and the firefighter. The 

captain was located by firefighters. He was unconscious and removed from the building. 

He was transported by ambulance to the hospital but was unable to be revived. Due to 

low visibility and structural collapse, all interior operations were halted, and the fire was 

fought in a defensive mode. Urban Search and Rescue resources were called to the scene 

overnight. The firefighter was located and removed from the structure early the next 

morning. The cause of death for both the captain and the firefighter were asphyxiation 

and smoke inhalation.

Struck by object

In 2020, 2 firefighters died from being struck by an object.

ĵ A lieutenant and the members of his fire company were dispatched to a vehicle crash 

on an interstate highway. While they were on the scene of the crash in the northbound 

lanes, a southbound vehicle lost control, crossed the median, and struck the lieutenant, a 

police officer and another firefighter. Firefighters on the scene treated the lieutenant. He 

was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. His death was 

caused by traumatic injuries. The injured police officer also died as a result of his injuries.

ĵ An arson investigator was on duty and engaged in surveillance related to the investigation 

of several recent arson fires. He was attempting to obtain information from a vehicle 

when he encountered a suspect. The suspect fired upon him, fatally injuring him.

Other

In 2020, 2 firefighters died from causes of fatal injuries not previously categorized.

ĵ A firefighter/medic was working a shift at the fire department. When he failed to 

respond to a call, his co-workers became concerned and went to check on him. They 

found him unresponsive. They immediately performed CPR, and he was transported 

to a hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The cause of his death was found 

to be an accidental drug overdose. 

ĵ A firefighter/chaplain became ill while on duty and died. The nature of his death has 

not been disclosed.
Cause of Fatal Injury 25

Fall

In 2020, 1 firefighter was killed from an injury sustained in a fall.

A firefighter and the members of his engine company went out of service to the Division of 

Training to conduct a probationary firefighter pump drill. The intended drill was to practice 

for the standpipe evaluation for a probationary member of the crew. Due to COVID-19 

restrictions, the drill was conducted by only this engine company. During the drill, the 

firefighter was working on the third floor. He returned to the fire escape and inadvertently 

opened the gate on the side of the wye attached to the pressurized standpipe which 

did not have a hose line attached to it. The stream of water coming from the wye struck 

him in the chest, knocking him backwards into the fire escape railing, causing him to fall 

backwards off the fire escape. He was treated on scene for critical, traumatic injuries and 

transported to the closest trauma center where he succumbed to his injuries. 
26 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

Nature of Fatal Injury

Figure 9 shows the distribution of the 102 firefighter deaths that occurred in 2020 by the 

medical nature of the fatal injury or illness. In 2020, COVID-19 was the most common type 

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

Figure 9. Firefighter fatalities by nature of fatal injury (2020)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Nature of fatal injury

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Violence

Crushed

Burns

CVA

Other

Asphyxiation

Trauma

Heart attack

COVID-19 36

29

7

17

6

3

2

1

1

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

(2020)

Violence

Crushed

Burns

CVA

Other

Asphyxiation

Trauma

Heart attack

COVID-19

35.3

28.4

16.7

6.9

5.9

2.0

2.9 1.0

1.0
Nature of Fatal Injury 27

Figure 11 shows the type of duty involved for the 36 firefighters who died due to COVID-19. 

Figure 11. COVID-19 by type of duty (2020)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Type of duty

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

On-scene fire

Training

On-scene nonfire

Other on duty

1 

18

15

2

Figure 12 shows the type of duty involved for the 29 firefighters who died of a heart attack. 

Figure 12. Heart attacks by type of duty (2020)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Type of duty

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Training

Responding

Other on duty

On-scene nonfire

On-scene fire

2

10

4

7

6
28 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

Firefighter Ages

Figure 13 shows the distribution of firefighter deaths by age at the time of death. Table 11 

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

Figure 13. Firefighter fatalities by age at death (2020) 

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

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

Over 75

Under 21

Firefighter ages

Number of firefighter fatalities by age

5 5

7

15

14

9

15

10

11

3 3

1

4

Table 11. Firefighter fatalities by age and nature of fatal injury (2020)

Age

Number of 

firefighter fatalities 

caused by trauma/

asphyxiation/other

Number of 

firefighter fatalities 

caused by COVID-19

Number of 

firefighter fatalities 

caused by heart 

attack/CVA

Under 21 1 0 0

21 to 25 3 0 1

26 to 30 4 1 0

31 to 35 3 1 1

36 to 40 4 1 2

41 to 45 5 6 4

46 to 50 2 5 7

51 to 55 3 4 2

56 to 60 4 7 4

61 to 65 4 3 3

66 to 70 0 4 7

71 to 75 1 1 1

Over 75 0 3 0
Deaths by Time of Injury | Firefighter Fatality Incidents by Month of Year 29

Deaths by Time of Injury

For 2020, the distribution of firefighter deaths, according to the time of day when the fatal 

injury occurred, is illustrated in Figure 14. Primarily due to the unknown time that firefighters 

contracted COVID-19 while on duty, the time of fatal injury for 25 firefighters was unknown.

Figure 14. Firefighter fatalities by time of fatal injury (2020)

Time of fatal injury

Number of fatal injuries

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Unknown times

11:01 p.m. - Midnight

10:01 - 11 p.m.

9:01 - 10 p.m.

1:01 - 2 p.m.

2:01 - 3 p.m.

3:01 - 4 p.m.

4:01 - 5 p.m.

5:01 - 6 p.m.

6:01 - 7 p.m.

7:01 - 8 p.m.

8:01 - 9 p.m.

12:01 - 1 p.m.

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

10:01 - 11 a.m.

9:01 - 10 a.m.

1:01 - 2 a.m.

2:01 - 3 a.m.

3:01 - 4 a.m.

4:01 - 5 a.m.

5:01 - 6 a.m.

6:01 - 7 a.m.

7:01 - 8 a.m.

8:01 - 9 a.m.

12:01 - 1 a.m.

25

3

1

7

1 1

6

1

4 5 6

2 1

4 33

0

5 6

2 1 

4 3

5

3

Note: The time of fatal injury for 25 firefighters was unknown. Times are shown using the following formula: 12:01-1:00 a.m.; 

1:01-2:00 a.m.; 2:01-3:00 a.m., etc.

Firefighter Fatality Incidents by Month 

of Year

Figure 14 illustrates when the 2020 firefighter fatalities occurred by month of year. Most 

fatalities occurred in the month of December, followed by the months of April and August.

Figure 15. Firefighter fatalities by month of year (2020)

Number of firefighter fatalities

Month of year

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

December 

November 

October 

September 

August 

July 

June

May 

April

March 

February 

January 9

5

8

13

12

4

10

14

4

13

6

4
30 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

State and Region

The distribution of firefighter deaths in 2020 by state is shown in Table 12. Firefighters 

based in 36 states died in 2020.

The highest number of firefighter deaths in 2020 (based on the location of the fire service 

organization) occurred in Texas, with 12 losses. California and Pennsylvania had 8 deaths 

each, followed by the state of Michigan which experienced 7 losses. 

Table 12. Firefighter fatalities by state based on location of fire service (2020)*

State Number of firefighter 

fatalities

Percentage of firefighter 

fatalities

Texas 12 11.8

California 8 7.8

Pennsylvania 8 7.8

Michigan 7 6.9

West Virginia 6 5.9

Illinois 5 4.9

North Carolina 5 4.9

New York 5 4.9

Georgia 4 3.9

Missouri 4 3.9

Florida 3 2.9

Indiana 3 2.9

Alabama 2 2.0

American Samoa 2 2.0

Arizona 2 2.0

Colorado 2 2.0

New Jersey 2 2.0

Ohio 2 2.0

Oregon 2 2.0

Tennessee 2 2.0

Alaska 1 1.0

Connecticut 1 1.0

Hawaii 1 1.0

Idaho 1 1.0

Kansas 1 1.0

Kentucky 1 1.0

Maine 1 1.0

Minnesota 1 1.0

Mississippi 1 1.0

Montana 1 1.0

Nebraska 1 1.0

New Hampshire 1 1.0

Oklahoma 1 1.0

Virginia 1 1.0

Washington 1 1.0

Wisconsin 1 1.0

Total 102 100.0

*

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

the death occurred. They are listed by those states for statistical purposes and for the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the NETC.
State and Region 31

Figure 16.

Source: USFA - National Fire Data Center, NFFF.
32 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020 Figure 17.

Source: USFA - National Fire Data Center, NFFF.
State and Region 33

Figure 18.

Source: USFA - National Fire Data Center, NFFF.
34 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020
Analysis of Urban/Suburban/Rural Patterns in Firefighter Fatalities 35

Analysis of Urban/Suburban/Rural 

Patterns in Firefighter Fatalities

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

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

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

rural, that lies within a metropolitan area defined by the Census Bureau, but not within 1 

of the central cities of that metropolitan area.

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

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

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

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

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

community or location in which the fatality occurred.

The following patterns were found for 2020 firefighter fatalities. These statistics are based 

on responses from fire department personnel, and when no data from the departments 

were available, the data were based upon population and area served, as reported by the 

fire departments.

Table 13. Firefighter fatalities by coverage area type (2020)

Urban/suburban Rural Total

50 52 102
36 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020
Appendix 37

Appendix

Firefighter fatality inclusion criteria — national fire service 

organizations

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

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

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

each organization and data consistency.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

appear starting on page 6 of this report.

For 2020, the USFA reported 102 on-duty firefighter fatalities.

Firefighter fatalities in 2020*

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

USFA NFPA NFFF

Number of firefighter fatalities

National fire service organization

102

140

87

*USFA methodology for the analyses of firefighter fatalities was changed in 2020. For this report and all annual reports to follow, 

firefighter deaths are counted in the year that the death occurred rather than the year that the fatal incident occurred.
38 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

Inclusion criteria for the National Fire Protection Association’s 

annual firefighter fatality study

Introduction

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is a firefighter?

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

of organized fire departments, whether career, volunteer or combination, or contract; fulltime public service officers acting as firefighters; state and federal government fire service 

personnel; temporary fire suppression personnel operating under official auspices of 1 of 

the above; and privately employed firefighters including trained members of industrial or 

institutional fire brigades, whether full or part time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What does “on duty” mean?

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

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

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

testimony and fundraising; and being on call, under orders or on standby duty other than at 

home or at the individual’s place of business. Fatalities that occur at a firefighter’s home may 

be counted if the actions of the firefighter at the time of injury involved firefighting or rescue.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

death to the specific injury is required for inclusion of these cases in the study.
Appendix 39

Categories not included in the study

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

factors as causes of firefighter deaths. This is recognized as a gap the size of which cannot 

be identified at this time because of the limitations in tracking the exposure of firefighters to 

toxic environments and substances and the potential long-term effects of such exposures.

2020 experience

In 2020, a total of 140 on-duty firefighter deaths occurred in the United States, according 

to the NFPA inclusion criteria. This total includes 78 firefighters that died in 2020 as a result 

of COVID-19 and its complications.5

5For firefighter deaths due to COVID-19, the NFPA is following inclusion criteria similar to what is used by the DOJ 

PSOB Program and the International Association of Fire Fighters. The Safeguarding America’s First Responders 

Act allows PSOB to create a general presumption that a public safety officer who dies from COVID-19-related 

complications sustained a personal injury in the line of duty if the COVID-19 diagnosis occurred within 45 days 

of their last day on duty.
40 Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2020

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

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

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

the following standards:

1. Deaths meeting the DOJ PSOB Program guidelines for a favorable determination.

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

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

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

technical rescue incidents, and search and rescue missions.

3. Deaths directly resulting from traumatic injuries sustained while engaged in 

department-authorized training drill or activity that requires participants to be 

engaged in physical activity.

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

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

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

fitness or agility tests.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The U.S. Congress created the NFFF to lead a nationwide effort to remember America’s 

fallen firefighters. Since 1992, the tax-exempt, nonprofit foundation has developed and 

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

by providing them with resources to rebuild their lives. Since 1997, the foundation has 

managed the National Memorial Service held each October to honor the firefighters who 

died in the line of duty the previous year.

The NFFF honored 112 firefighters who died in the line-of-duty at the planned October 2021 

Memorial Weekend. Of those, 87 firefighters being honored were associated with incidents 

and deaths that occurred in 2020 and 25 firefighters being honored died in previous years. 

Of the 87 deaths from 2020, 14 were as the result of COVID-19 and its complications.6

6For firefighter deaths due to complications of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, the Safeguarding America’s First 

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

complications sustained a personal injury in the line of duty if the COVID-19 diagnosis occurred within 45 days 

of their last day on duty. Based on the NFFF criteria for deaths due to infectious disease, the circumstances of 

the fatality can be determined to meet the criteria for inclusion on the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial 

when the death is approved for death benefits at the federal level or meets the criteria outlined by the DOJ 

PSOB Program.
Acronyms 41

Acronyms

BLM Bureau of Land Management

BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs

CVA cerebrovascular accident

DOJ U.S. Department of Justice

EMS emergency medical services

FWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

NETC National Emergency Training Center

NFFF National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

NFIRS National Fire Incident Reporting System

NFPA National Fire Protection Association

NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

NPS National Park Service

PSOB Public Safety Officer Benefits

RIC rapid intervention crew

SEAT single engine air tanker

USFA U.S. Fire Administration

USFS U.S. Forest Service
16825 South Seton Ave.

Emmitsburg, MD 21727

usfa.fema.gov

October 2020