Week 1 Seminar Chapter Firefighter Fatalities in the United States 1

Objectives The rate of firefighter deaths in the United States and why they happen The factors contributing to and causing firefighter line of duty deaths The impact on the populations and regions of the United States as they move towards improving firefighter safety The similarity between event types and causes leading to line of duty deaths through statistics and case studies. 2

Decline in Firefighter Fatalities? As of 2001 the Number of LODD’s at structure fires has dropped 58% 54% decrease in total structure fires during this period Why return to fatality rate –PPE and Equipment –Training –Experience –Incident management 3

Decline in Firefighter Fatalities? During the last several years, firefighters in the U.S. are dying at structure fires at the same rate as they were in 1977 Not counting the 340 deaths at the World Trade Center 4

Decline in Firefighter Fatalities? They discovered that fire fighter death rates at structure fires declined until 1987, when they began to rise again. The rate continued increasing, and by the late 1990s, it was roughly the same as it had been in the late 1970s, despite firefighting improvements. 5

Decline in Firefighter Fatalities? There are several possible reasons for this return to a fatality rate of 20 years ago. What are they? Over reliance on those same advances in protective clothing and equipment; training Not improving enough; less experience; and not following accepted incident management protocol 6

Decline in Firefighter Fatalities? Over reliance on those same advances in protective clothing and equipment; Training not improving enough less experience Not following accepted incident management protocol 7

Why Deaths Occur National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Firefighter deaths since1990 –Smoke inhalation Lost / disoriented –Rapid fire spread, backdraft, flashover –Structure collapse Why are statistics and data collection important? 8

Why Deaths Occur Most of these traumatic injuries occurred when fire fighters became lost inside a structure, the structure collapsed, or they were overtaken by a rapidly spreading fire, including backdraft and flashover 9

Why Deaths Occur These statistics raise several important questions. Are fire fighters putting themselves at greater risk while fighting fires inside structures? Do fire fighters think modern protective equipment provides a higher level of protection but don’t realize the equipment’s limitations? 10

Why Deaths Occur Have some aspects of modern building construction or changes in the burning properties of today’s contents and furnishings changed the way fires develop? 11

Reducing LODD Personnel accountability programs Rapid intervention teams Situational awareness Personal safety devices Training and experience National Fire Protection Association codes and standards 12

Reducing LODD For one thing, we can make sure personnel accountability programs are in place to ensure that incident commanders know where their crews are. And fire fighters must stay with their partners while operating inside structures. If they encounter difficulties, 13

Reducing LODD If they encounter difficulties, rapid intervention teams (RITs) can be crucial in saving lives, but RITs only work if they can find the endangered fire fighters. 14

Reducing LODD Conditions can change rapidly, and fire fighters who move too far into a building may find their escape route cut off or too long to traverse. Fire fighters must recognize the danger signs—fires in basements and attics, indications of potential collapses, flashover, and backdraft—and respect them. 15

Factors Contributing to Death The causes of death are considered separately than the contributing factors –Type of duty –Cause of fatal injury –Nature of fatal injury –Rank –Age –Fixed property use –Years of service 16

Most Common Contributing Factors Stress and overexertion –40 firefighters in 2001 Firefighters struck or contact with an object –Vehicle or falling tree –27 firefighters in 2001 Firefighter caught or trapped –24 firefighters in

Injuries By Population And Region US census bureau regions –Northeast –North central –South –West Northeast had significantly more injuries for communities of almost any size than anywhere else in the US. –5.7 injuries per 100 fires –Twice anywhere else in the US P.25 18

Average Number of Fireground Injuries Per Department The number of fires that a department responds to is directly related to size of population it protects –The number of fires a department attends has a direct bearing on the number of firefighter injuries Demonstrated by the range of injury numbers (Table 2-4) –112.1 for communities 500,000 – 999,999 –.2 for departments in communities less than 2,500 19

Community Size and Hospitalization Community size also influences the number of firefighter hospitalizations Departments that protect the smallest communities incurred 7.5 injuries requiring hospitalization per 100 injuries This number is twice rate of department of larger communities Table

Improving Firefighter Safety Elimination of all injuries is unlikely Risk management system can reduce: –Injury levels –Lost time –Medical costs NFPA

Local Level Improvements Commitment Safety committee SCBA program Ensure safe driving Sufficient personnel Medical examinations Physical fitness programs 22

Firefighter Fatality Incidents Texas: trapped fire captain and rescuer burned –Contributing factors New York: Blaze traps Firefighter –Contributing factors California: Firefighter suffers smoke inhalation –Contributing factors 23

Summary Inherent dangers of firefighting is focus of public’s attention Factors involved in current LODD’s involve the same factors as those over the past decade Structure fires –Decrease in number of deaths and injuries –Decrease in total number of structure fires 24