According to data from Nfpa.org:
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently published its annual report on U.S. firefighter fatalities, revealing that 60 firefighters lost their lives in the line of duty in 2017. This marked the lowest number of on-duty firefighter deaths since 1977, when the NFPA first started tracking such incidents. It was also the sixth consecutive year with fewer than 70 fatalities, showing a positive trend in firefighter safety over the past decade.
Of the 60 fatalities, 32 were volunteer firefighters, 21 were career firefighters, and the remaining 17 included federal employees, contractors, and even prison inmates. Both volunteer and career firefighters saw their second-lowest fatality numbers in 2017, indicating progress in reducing risks for all types of firefighting personnel.
Notably, 17 of the deaths occurred directly at fire scenes, which is the second-lowest figure since the report began. This is also the second year in a row that the number has remained under 20, suggesting improved on-scene safety measures.
Traditionally, a significant portion of firefighter deaths occurs while responding to or returning from emergency calls. However, in 2017, the second-largest group of fatalities—11 in total—happened at non-fire emergencies. These included five motor vehicle accidents, three incidents involving downed wires, one downed tree, one odor investigation, and one flood check. Ten of these 11 were struck by vehicles, while one died of sudden cardiac arrest.
In fact, 10 firefighters were killed by vehicle strikes in 2017, far exceeding the average of four per year over the past 30 years. This highlights an increasing risk associated with traffic-related incidents during emergency responses.
Overexertion, stress, and medical conditions accounted for more than half of the 2017 fatalities. Out of 32 deaths in this category, 29 were sudden cardiac events, two were strokes, and one resulted from complications following a recent medical procedure. While the number of cardiac deaths dropped below 30 for the fourth time in six years, it still made up nearly half of all on-duty fatalities, underscoring the importance of health monitoring and fitness programs for firefighters.
Despite these insights, a complete and comprehensive study of all duty-related deaths remains challenging due to the complexity and variety of situations firefighters face daily.
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