USFA Releases 2012 On-Duty Firefighter Fatality Numbers
September 28, 2013
The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has released its report of firefighter fatalities in the United States in 2012. According to the report, there were 81 on-duty firefighter fatalities in the United States. Heart attack remained the leading cause of death, but the total number of on-duty deaths from heart attack was down.
Some statistics from the report include:
- Fatalities occurred in 31 states, one Territory, and one overseas military facility.
- The total breakdown included 42 volunteer, 28 career, and 11 wildland agency firefighters.
- North Carolina and Pennsylvania had the highest number of fatalities with nine each. Texas and New York followed with six each, and California with five.
- 45 firefighters died as a result of stress or overexertion, including 39 due to heart attacks. This is compared with 48 firefighters who died of heart attack in 2011.
- Deaths by vehicle crashes were back up in 2012, with 18 firefighters killed.
- Eight firefighters died while engaged in training activities.
View the full report on the USFA web site.
The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend will be held on October 5-6, and 73 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2012 along with eight firefighters who died in previous years will be honored. Click here to learn more about this event.
