USFA Releases Report on Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2005

News Release Date: July 19, 2006

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EMMITSBURG, MD - With deep regret, the United States Fire Administration announced today that 115 onduty firefighter fatalities occurred in the United States in 2005, plus four additional fatalities resulting from injuries sustained while on duty from previous years.

"One of the most difficult elements in this job is to hear that annual number of onduty firefighter deaths," Acting United States Fire Administrator Charlie Dickinson said. "Across the country, over one hundred more families are struggling with the terrible losses of loved ones, from an 18-year old firefighter in training to the 55 firefighters who suffered fatal heart attacks."

In 2005, there were 4 multiple-firefighter fatality incidents. Two New York City firefighters died in January when rapid fire progress forced them to jump from a fire-involved structure; 3 firefighters were killed in the crash of a helicopter in Texas in March as they assisted with a controlled burn; 2 Wyoming firefighters died in a residential structure fire in April; and 3 firefighters were killed in the crash of an airtanker in California.

Six firefighters died of Cerebral Vascular Accidents (CVAs). Vehicle crashes took 25 lives. Heart attack was the cause of 55 deaths, which is lower than the 61 from 2004.

The average age of firefighters who died in 2005 was 47 years - the youngest was 18 and the oldest was 76.

"Positive strides are being made through the growth of new and active firefighter health and safety programs, national safety stand downs, and the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation's Everyone Goes Home efforts," Dickinson emphasized. "USFA is committed to doing everything we can to reduce these losses and hopefully all fire departments will share and join our commitment to protect all firefighters serving their communities."

The report, Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2005, FA-306, can be downloaded from www.usfa.dhs.gov. Orders for printed copies will be accepted beginning in September 2006 through the USFA Publications Center.

Additional information on firefighter fatalities, including the annual fatality reports from 1986 through 2004 and the Firefighter Fatality Retrospective Study 1990-2000, can be found at USFA's Web site: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fatalities/.