NFPA Journal - Fall 2023 - 72

NFPA Research The Reports
REPORT SUMMARY
Fatal Firefighter Injuries
in the U.S. in 2022
AN UPTICK IN FIREGROUND DEATHS LAST YEAR
CONTRIBUTES TO THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF
FIREFIGHTER FATALITIES IN A DECADE
By Richard Campbell and Jay T. Petrillo
I
n 2022, NFPA reported a
total of 96 fatal firefighter
injuries in the United
States while the victims
were on duty. This count is
higher than recent years and the highest
since 2013, when 98 on-duty deaths were
reported. Much of the increase is due to
the inclusion of sudden cardiac deaths,
strokes, and aneurysms that occurred
within 24 hours of duty. These deaths were
previously not counted unless there was a
specific physical complaint while on duty.
Of the 96 firefighters who died of
on-duty injuries in 2022, 51 were volunteers,
38 were career firefighters, six were
contractors to state and federal land-management
agencies, and one was a full-time
federal land management employee.
There were six multiple-fatality incidents
in 2022, tied for the highest number
of multiple-fatality incidents since 2009.
Five of these incidents resulted in two
firefighter deaths apiece, and one
resulted in three firefighter deaths.
Since 1977, NFPA data has shown a
consistent downward trend in fatalities,
with the high count over each decade
being lower than the previous. The highest
fatal injury total was 174 firefighter
deaths in 1978 and the lowest was 48
deaths in 2019. Fatal injuries for 2022
were recorded as an overall total of 96
deaths and subdivided to designate 79
deaths as being within the traditional
inclusion criteria of this study and 17
deaths occurring within 24 hours of duty.
The fatalities included in the research
are those resulting from traumatic injury,
72 | NFPA JOURNAL * FALL 2023
sudden cardiac death, or strokes or aneurysms
while victims were on duty or
within 24 hours of duty. The " on-duty "
designation refers to a variety of injury
scenarios eligible for inclusion in this
research, including injuries sustained
while at the scene of an alarm (including
fire, emergency medical, or other
responses; responding to or returning
from an alarm; participating in other
department duties such as training,
maintenance, public education, and
investigations; and while on call or
standby for assignment at a location
other than at the firefighter's home or
place of business.
Illnesses or medical conditions other
than heart attacks or strokes or aneurysms
are not included in the study.
Type of duty
The largest share of deaths occurred on the
fireground while firefighters were operating
at fires or explosions (34 deaths).
Although this continues a downward
trend in deaths since the late 1970s-when
the number of fireground deaths annually
averaged more than 80 per year-the
2022 total is higher than the average for
the previous 10 years, and is the highest
total since 2013, when 57 firefighters were
killed in fireground incidents.
Of the 34 fireground deaths, 18
occurred at structure fires, nine at
wildland fires or prescribed burns, two
involved vehicles, and one involved a
commercial dumpster fire. Fourteen of
the 34 fireground victims were volunteer
firefighters, 13 were career firefighters,
and seven were contractors to or employees
of state or federal land management
agencies. Eleven of the deaths were cardiac-related
and two others were due to
medical issues.
Just over one-fifth of the firefighter
deaths (21) occurred while responding
to or returning from alarms. Fatal injuries
due to overexertion/strain/stress
KARL MERTON FERRON/BALTIMORE
SUN/TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE VIA
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