Week 1 Seminar Firefighter Fatalities in the United States

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.

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

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?

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

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

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 2001

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

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

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 2-5

Improving Firefighter Safety Elimination of all injuries is unlikely Risk management system can reduce: –Injury levels –Lost time –Medical costs NFPA 1500

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

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

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