A PROVISIONAL REPORT
ON-DUTY FIREFIGHTER FATALITIES IN THE UNITED STATES

93 Firefighters Died in the Line-Of-Duty in 2009

Date Range 1/1/2009 to 11/30/2009
Number of On-Duty Firefighter Fatalities: 80
Count of Hometown Heroes: 11
Classification:
40 Volunteer 50%
32 Career 40%
4 Wildland Contract 5%
3 Wildland Full-Time 3.75%
1 Part-Time(Paid) 1.25%

Number of Multiple Firefighter Fatality Incidents: 6
Number of Firefighter Fatalities Associated with Wildland Incidents: 16
Type of Duty:
26 On-Scene Fire 32.5%
15 After 18.7%
12 Other On-Duty 15%
10 Responding 12.5%
8 On-Scene Non-Fire 10%
6 Training 7.5%
3 Returning 3.75%

Percent of Fatalities Related to Emergency Duty: 63.7%
Number of firefighter fatalities associated with incendiary fires: 6
Type of Incident:
30 Not Incident Related 37.5%
22 Structure Fire 27.5%
15 Wildland 18.7%
5 MVA 6.25%
3 EMS 3.75%
3 Other 3.75%
1 Vehicle Fire 1.25%
1 False Alarm 1.25%




Cause of Fatal Injury:
47 Stress/Overexertion 58.7%
15 Vehicle Collision 18.7%
6 Fall 7.5%
3 Struck by 3.75%
3 Caught/Trapped 3.75%
2 Collapse 2.5%
2 Lost 2.5%
1 Contact with 1.25%
1 Other 1.25%

Nature of Fatal Injury:
38 Heart Attack 47.5%
24 Trauma 30%
8 CVA 10%
5 Asphyxiation 6.25%
2 Burns 2.5%
1 Heat Exhaustion 1.25%
1 Violence 1.25%
1 Electrocution 1.25%

Age of Firefighter When the Fatal Injury Was Sustained:
2 - Under 21
2 - 21 to 25
5 - 26 to 30
14 - 31 to 40
23 - 41 to 50
21 - 51 to 60
13 - 61 and Over
Percent of Firefighter Fatalities Under Age 40: 26.3%