Keeping It Safe Robert Tutterow
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released its annual report on the 2023 fatal firefighter injuries this past June. There were 89 reported line-of-duty deaths (LODDs), which is fewer than the 98 reported in 2022. However, it was the second highest number in the past 10 years.
It is important to note that the report does not include cancer deaths. Of the 89 LODDs, 48 were volunteer firefighters (which includes paid part-time) and 30 were career firefighters. The other 11 were either wildland or military.
While many (especially nonfire service personnel) might suspect that well over 90 percent of deaths occurred on the fireground, the percentage was 36 percent. The second highest percentage, based on type of duty, was responding to/returning from a call at 21 percent. The other double-digit percentages for type of duty were nonfire emergencies and training with each at 11 percent. Station duties comprised 8 percent, while EMS was at 6 percent. Maintenance and other on-duty were each at 3 percent.
The NFPA started tracking LODDs in 1977 when there were more than 150 reported. In fact, in the second year of its reporting in 1978, there were 174 firefighters who lost their lives.
Through the mid 1980s, the average was around 125 annually. From the mid 1980s to 2000, the average was around 90. I think it is no coincidence that it was in the mid 1980s that the fire service started talking about firefighter safety and the first edition of NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program, was published. A huge amount of gratitude must be extended to those pioneers who led the firefighter health and safety initiatives during this time, especially the late Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department Chief Alan Brunacini. The first 10 years of the new millennium saw a rise to just under 100 LODDs annually. In retrospect, I think a bit of complacency set in after the initial impact of NFPA 1500. From around 2010 to 2020, the average number dipped to around 70, with 2019 being the lowest at 48. The 2020s have seen another uptick with an average of above 80. Is it time for a renewedfocus on firefighter safety? (Please note that these numbers do not reflect the 343 firefighters lost in the World Trade Center.)
In examining the type of duty deaths, the responding/returning category of 21 percent is totally unacceptable. Many of these are single-vehicle accidents, and if not, very few are the fault of the other driver. Is the issue driver training? Or, adrenaline induced? Or, competition with other responding apparatus? Or, pure driver/occupant negligence—i.e., failure to be buckled in? I suspect the answer to each of those is “yes.”
I do not recall any of the events being mechanical failure of the apparatus, even though there are some poorly maintained, aging rigs making responses. Regardless, it is highly recommended that all fire departments focus on ways to minimize the risks associated with responding to and returning from incidents. A pet peeve of mine is seeing so many departments putting so much black on their apparatus—especially the retrore- flective striping. It is the most inconspicuous color, and it shows the world that your department values the “trendy appearance” of the apparatus over the safety of its members. The European fire service has decades of experience (and data) proving the validity of having conspicuous apparatus as a component of its safety programs.
Other key points of the report show that sudden cardiac arrest was the cause of 40percent of the deaths. This was followed by trauma/crushing at 35 percent. Of note is that 3 percent were from burns. When comparing the cardiac events to the burn events, perhaps the question we should explore is one about our personal protective equipment (PPE) causing more heat-stress-related deaths than necessary. Are we overprotected? Would reducing the thermal protective performance (TPP) of our gear result in an adverse impact on burn injury and fatalities? These are debatable questions that need further study and examination.
It is so important to keep this type of LODD in mind as we continue the needed focus on cancer risk reduction and behavioral health issues—i.e., suicide. When cancer deaths and suicides are factored into the LODD numbers tracked by the NFPA, we have a problem. In the mid 1980s, the focus was on safety. For the past few years, the focus has been on health. We must address both.
ROBERT TUTTEROW retired as safety coordinator for the Charlotte (NC) Fire Department and is a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Editorial Advisory Board. His 44-year career includes 10 as a volunteer. He has been very active in the National Fire Protection Association through service on the Fire Service Section Executive Board and technical committees involved with safety, apparatus, and personal protective equipment. He is a founding member and president of the Fire Industry Education Resource Organization (F.I.E.R.O.).
