NFPA Journal - Spring 2024 - 72

NFPA Research The Reports
was handling charged hose lines, which
accounted for one in five injuries (19 percent).
Injuries during overhaul (8 percent)
and while victims were using hand tools
during extinguishment (5 percent) were
the next leading causes of injury.
Factors relating to fire development
(such as smoke conditions or explosions)
contributed to more than two in five
injuries (45 percent), while slippery or
uneven surfaces contributed to another
19 percent of injuries.
Sprains or strains were the most
common injury symptom experienced
by firefighters, accounting for nearly a
quarter of all fireground injuries. The
prevalence of sprain or strain injuries is
consistent with prior research findings.
Firefighters experienced different forms
of physical trauma, such as smoke inhalation,
thermal burns, cuts or lacerations,
contusions or bruises, fractures, and swelling
injuries. Firefighters also experienced
a variety of symptoms influenced by the
physical demands of their work tasks, the
environmental conditions in which they
were working, or their own personal conditioning,
such as exhaustion or fatigue,
dizziness, fainting or weakness, breathing
difficulties, or cardiac symptoms.
Injuries to lower (17 percent) and
upper (16 percent) extremities together
accounted for approximately one-third of
injuries, with one in ten of these injuries
(9 percent) involving hands or fingers.
Acute trauma may have caused some
of these injuries, but they also involve
parts of the body that may be injured as
a result of repetitive or acute strain.
Fireground injuries were highest in the
months of January and July, with 10 percent
of injuries occurring in each of these
months. February, March, and May each
accounted for 9 percent of injuries. Injuries
were lowest in September, October,
and November.
Slightly more than two of five fireground
injuries occurred in fires that took place
between noon and 8 p.m., but these hours
also accounted for over half of all fires.
Although there were fewer fires between
midnight and 8 a.m., injuries were substantially
higher relative to the share of fires
at these hours. Such factors as working in
dark environments or sleep disturbance
may play a role in this injury pattern.
The data from the report is derived
from the U.S. Fire Administration's
National Fire Incident Reporting System
(NFIRS) in conjunction with the annual
Fire Experience Survey administered
by NFPA. The data in this report is an
estimate of firefighter injuries from fires
reported to U.S. municipal fire departments
and exclude firefighter injuries
reported only to state or federal agencies
or industrial fire brigades. Fatal
firefighter injuries are detailed in a separate
NFPA report.
RICHARD CAMPBELL is senior research analyst
at NFPA.
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NFPA Journal - Spring 2024

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