Transcript F/M 11/00 fff presentation - National Fire Protection

Trends in On-Duty Firefighter
Deaths and Injuries
Focusing on Career Firefighters
Rita F. Fahy
National Fire Protection Association
Urban Fire Forum
September 6, 2014
Presentation Overview

Review data sources for the two studies

Overview of injury statistics

Brief overview of the 2013 Firefighter
Fatality Study

Trends in career firefighter fatalities
Career Firefighters
Total Number and Rate per 1,000 People
2
1.8
300,000
1.6
250,000
200,000
1.4
Number of firefighters
1.2
1
150,000
0.8
0.6
100,000
0.4
50,000
0
0.2
0
Career Firefighters per 1,000 People
Rate per 1,000 people
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Number of Career Firefighters
350,000
Data Sources
Firefighter injury data:
•
Aggregate data collected as part of our annual fire
experience survey
•
Based on national estimates from a stratified
random sample of fire departments
•
Career vs. volunteer status of victims not reported
Firefighter fatality data:
•
Firefighter fatality database is a ‘census’
Firefighter Injury Study

Firefighter exposures
- to infectious diseases
- to hazardous conditions

Matrix reporting
- Nature of Injury by Type of Duty

Fire Ground injuries by Cause of Injury

Fire Department Vehicle Crashes
Firefighter Injuries - 1981 – 2012
Number of Injuries
120,000
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
69,400
Overall Results

69,400 firefighter injuries occurred on duty in 2012 –
the lowest since study began in 1981.

There were 8,150 exposures to infectious diseases
(e.g., hepatitis, meningitis, HIV, others) in 2012
(0.3 exposures per 1,000 emergency medical runs by
fire departments in 2012).

There were 19,200 exposures to hazardous
conditions (e.g., asbestos, radioactive materials,
chemicals, fumes, other) in 2012 (18.2 exposures per
1,000 hazardous condition runs in 2012).

An estimated 14,350 firefighter injuries resulted in lost
time in 2012 (20.6% of all injuries).
Firefighter Injuries
by Type of Duty
80,000
70,000
60,000
Fireground
Other
On Scene
Training
Responding
50,000
40,000
31,490
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
Fire Department Calls
Year
Total
Fires
Medical
1986
11,890,000
2,271,500
6,437,500
1991
14,556,500
2,041,500
1996
17,503,000
2001
False alr
Mut aid
HazMat
HazCn
992,500
441,000
171,500
318,000
1,258,000
8,176,000
1,578,500
494,000
221,000
428,500
1,617,000
1,975,000
9,841,500
1,816,500
688,000
285,000
536,500
2,360,500
20,965,000
1,734,500
12,331,000
2,157,500
838,500
381,500
605,000
2,917,500
2006
24,470,000
1,642,500
15,062,500
2,119,500
1,159,500
388,500
659,000
3,438,500
2010
28,205,000
1,331,500
18,522,000
2,187,000
1,189,500
402,000
660,000
3,913,000
2011
30,098,000
1,389,500
19,803,000
2,383,000
1,252,000
379,000
720,000
4,171,500
2012
31,854,000
1,375,000
21,705,500
2,238,000
1,326,500
360,000
694,000
4,155,000
Change
from
1986
More than
doubled
Down 2/5
More than
tripled
More than
doubled
Doubled
More than
doubled
More than
tripled
Tripled
Other
Number of Calls (in millions)
U.S. Fire Department Calls
34
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Total
Medical
Fires
Other
False alarms
Mutual aid
HazConditions
HazMat
86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
U.S. Fire Department Calls
22
Medical
20
Fires
Other
Number of Calls (in millions)
18
16
False alarms
Mutual aid
HazConditions
14
HazMat
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Firefighter Injuries and Injury Rates
At the Fireground
At Non-Fire Emergencies
Year
Injuries
Per 1K fires
Injuries
Per 1K Incidents
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
43,080
45,500
43,065
41,395
37,860
38,045
36,880
41,950
44,210
38,340
36,595
32,205
32,675
30,505
31,490
24.5
25.0
25.2
23.9
22.4
24.0
22.1
26.2
26.9
24.6
25.2
24.1
24.5
22.0
22.9
13,960
13,565
13,660
14,140
15,095
14,550
13,150
12,250
13,090
15,435
15,745
15,455
13,355
14,905
12,760
0.82
0.76
0.73
0.73
0.77
0.70
0.62
0.56
0.57
0.65
0.66
0.62
0.50
0.50
0.42
Firefighter Injuries
at the Fire Ground and at Non-Fire Emergencies
60,000
30
50,000
25
40,000
20
Fire Ground
30,000
20,000
15
Non-Fire Emergency
10
10,000
5
0
0
Injuries per 1K Inc
Injuries per 1,000 incidents
Number of Injuries
Injuries
Fire Ground Injuries
by Nature of Injury
25,000
Number of Injuries
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
Spr/str
Wound, etc.
Smoke inh
Burns
Other
Heat stress
Eye irritation
Burns & Smoke
HA/stroke
Average Number of Fires, Fire Ground
Injuries and Injury Rates by Population Protected
Population
Protected
1,000,000 or more*
500,000 - 999,999
250,000 - 499,999
100,000 - 249,999
50,000 - 99,999
25,000 - 49,999
10,000 - 24,999
5,000 - 9,999
2,500 - 4,999
Under 2,500
* Excludes New York City
Average
Number
of Fires
4,223.2
2,506.5
1,157.0
509.5
223.0
113.6
65.2
35.3
24.5
12.5
Average
Number of
Fire Ground
Injuries
Fire
Ground
Injuries per
100 Fires
Fire Ground
Injuries per
100 FFs
87.1
81.5
38.0
9.8
4.0
2.1
1.0
0.4
0.3
0.2
2.1
3.3
3.3
1.9
1.8
1.8
1.5
1.1
1.2
1.6
4.3
7.1
8.3
4.5
3.9
3.4
2.4
1.3
1.0
0.8
Vehicle Crashes and Resulting Injuries
While Responding to or Returning from Alarms
Year
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Involving FD Vehicles
Collisions
FF Injuries
14,650
15,450
15,300
14,900
15,550
15,900
15,420
15,885
16,020
14,650
14,950
15,100
14,200
14,850
14,300
1,050
875
990
960
1,040
850
980
1,120
1,250
915
670
820
775
970
725
Involving FF personal vehicles
Collisions
FF Injuries
1,350
1,080
1,160
1,325
1,030
980
1,150
1,080
1,070
665
1,000
870
1,000
790
750
315
90
170
140
210
85
220
125
210
120
70
100
75
190
70
Crashes and Firefighter Injuries
While Responding to or Returning from Alarms
18,000
16,000
Number of Crashes
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
FD crashes
PV crashes
FD inj
PV inj
Firefighter Fatalities
Who is a firefighter?

State and local fire service personnel, career
and volunteer

State or local public service officer, acting as
firefighter

Federal government fire service personnel

Temporary fire suppression personnel
operating under official auspices of one of
the above

Privately employed firefighters
How do we define “on-duty?”

At scene of alarms, whether fire or non-fire

En route responding to or returning from
alarms

Performing other duties, including training,
maintenance, public education, inspection,
investigation, etc.

Performing non-fire duties on official
assignment

Station duty
What do we count as an
on-duty fatality?

Any injury that was incurred while on duty
and proves fatal

Any illness that was incurred as a result of
actions while on duty and proves fatal
On-duty fatalities are associated with specific
on-duty activities and are reported as of the
date of injury or onset.
Defining the U.S. Firefighter Death Problem
Defining the U.S. Firefighter Death Problem
The long-term health effects of firefighting cannot be reliably
measured, in terms of resulting job-related deaths. A complete
picture of the hazards of firefighting would include these
fatalities.
Off-Duty, Retired and
Former Firefighters
Defining the U.S. Firefighter Death Problem
On-Duty
Firefighters
The NFPA inclusion criteria counts deaths where onset
occurred while the firefighter was on-duty. USFA adds
Hometown Hero/PSOB qualifiers who were off-duty.
Defining the U.S. Firefighter Death Problem
NFFF
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation uses the
most narrow inclusion criteria, counting on-duty deaths
and Hometown Hero qualifiers, but excluding on-duty
deaths where drug abuse or negligence was a factor.
Defining the U.S. Firefighter Death Problem
On-Duty
Firefighters
Off-Duty, Retired and
Former Firefighters
97 On-Duty Fatalities in 2013
 41
volunteer firefighters
 30
wildland firefighters
 25
career firefighters

1 prison inmate
Career and Volunteer Firefighter Deaths
1977 - 2013*
105
90
Volunteer
Number of Deaths
75
60
45
Career
30
0
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
15
* excluding the 340 firefighter deaths at the World Trade Center in 2001
2013 Firefighter Deaths by Type of Duty
Other on-duty
(10%)
Non-fire
emergency
(7%)
Training (7%)
Fire ground
(58%)
Responding to
or returning
from alarms
(18%)
2013 Career Firefighter Deaths by Type of Duty
Other on-duty
(28%)
Fire ground
(48%)
Non-fire
emergency (8%)
Training (4%)
Responding to or returning
from alarms (12%)
400
Comparison of
Career and Volunteer Firefighter Deaths
by Type of Duty
1993 - 2014
350
Number of Deaths
300
Volunteer
250
Career
200
150
100
50
0
Fire ground
Resp/ret
Training
Non-fire
emergency
Other
Comparison of Career and Volunteer
Firefighter Deaths
by Type of Duty
1993 - 2014
50%
45%
Volunteer
Career
Percentage of Deaths
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Fire ground
Resp/ret
Training
Non-fire
emergency
Other
Career Firefighter Deaths by Time of Day
2004 - 2013
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Career Firefighter Deaths by Time of Incident
2004 - 2013
16
14
12
Fire Ground
Resp/Ret
Training
Non-Fire
Other
10
8
6
4
2
0
Career Firefighter Deaths by Time of Incident
2004 - 2013
Fire Ground
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Career Firefighter Deaths by Time of Incident
2004 - 2013
Responding to or Returning From Alarms
4
3
2
1
0
Career Firefighter Deaths by Time of Incident
2004 - 2013
Training
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Career Firefighter Deaths by Time of Incident
2004 - 2013
Non-Fire Emergencies
4
3
2
1
0
Career Firefighter Deaths by Time of Incident
2004 - 2013
Other On-Duty
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2013 Firefighter Deaths by Cause of Injury
Structural collapse (8%) Assault (1%)
Exposed to electricity (1%)
Struck by object (9%)
Overexertion/stress/
medical (33%)
Crashes (10%)
Lost inside (3%)
Fell/jumped (3%)
Rapid fire
progress/explosion (31%)
2013 Career Firefighter Deaths
by Cause of Injury
Structural collapse
(28%)
Overexertion/
stress/medical
(44%)
Struck by vehicle
(8%)
Crash (4%)
Lost inside (8%)
Explosion (4%)
Fell from structure (4%)
Comparison of Career and Volunteer Firefighter Deaths
by Cause of Fatal Injury
1994 - 2013
550
500
Number of Deaths
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Volunteer
Career
Comparison of Career and Volunteer Firefighter Deaths
by Cause of Fatal Injury
1994 - 2013
60%
Percent of Deaths
50%
40%
Volunteer
30%
Career
20%
10%
0%
2013 Firefighter Deaths by Nature of Injury
Asphyxiation (8%)
Sudden cardiac death
(30%)
Burns (25%)
Other (4%)
Internal trauma/crushing
(33%)
2013 Career Firefighter Deaths by Nature of Injury
Asphyxiation
20%
Sudden
cardiac
death 40%
Burns 8%
Suicide 4%
Internal trauma/
crushing 24%
Comparison of Career and Volunteer Firefighter Deaths
by Nature of Fatal Injury
1994 - 2013
550
Number of Deaths
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Volunteer
Career
Comparison of Career and Volunteer Firefighter Deaths
by Nature of Fatal Injury
1994 - 2013
Percentage of Deaths
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Volunteer
Career
Comparison of Career and Volunteer Firefighter Deaths
by Age
1994 - 2013
250
Number of Deaths
200
Volunteer
Career
150
100
50
0
20 &
under
21-25
26-30
31-35
36-40
41-45
46-50
51-55
56-60 over 60
Comparison of Career and Volunteer Firefighter Deaths
by Age
1994 - 2013
25%
Percentage of Deaths
20%
Volunteer
Career
15%
10%
5%
0%
20 &
under
21-25
26-30
31-35
36-40
41-45
46-50
51-55
56-60 over 60
Career Firefighter Deaths
by Age
1994 - 2013
20%
18%
Percentage of Deaths
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
20 &
under
21-25
26-30
31-35
36-40
41-45
46-50
51-55
56-60
over 60
Career Firefighter Deaths
by Age and Cause of Death
1994 - 2013
70
Sudden cardiac death
60
Number of Deaths
Not sudden cardiac death
50
40
30
20
10
0
20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50 51-55 56-60 Over
and
60
under
Age Group
Career Firefighter Deaths by Type of Duty
Other 25%
Fire ground 47%
Non-fire
emergency 7%
Training 13%
1994-2013
Resp/ret 9%
Career Firefighter Deaths by Type of Duty
and Incident Type
Vehicles 1%
Fire
ground
47%
Other 25%
Wildland 5%
Refuse 1%
Non-fire
emergency
7%
Training
13%
Structures 93%
Resp/ret
9%
Structure Fire Deaths by Fixed Property Use
Career Only
Vacant, etc.
(12.5%)
Public assembly
(8.4%)
Storage (4.2%)
Manufacturing/
industrial (7.2%)
Stores/offices
(17.1%)
1994-2013
Residential
(50.6%)
Structure Fire Deaths by Fixed Property Use
Career Only
Public assembly
(8.4%)
Vacant, etc.
(12.5%)
Vol – 4.5%
Storage (4.2%)
Manufacturing/
industrial (7.2%)
Stores/offices
(17.1%)
1994-2013
Vol – 4.9%
Vol – 11.8%
Vol – 8.5%
Vol – 6.9%
Vol – 62.2%
Residential
(50.6%)
Causes of Fatal Injuries at Structure Fires
Cause
Inside Outside
Structural collapse
Exertion/stress/other medical
Fire progress
Lost inside
Struck by object/vehicle
Explosion
Fell in hole burned in floor/roof
Fell/jumped from structure
Other falls
Electrocution
Smoke exposure (all no SCBA)
Gunshot
Other caught/trapped
59
20
49
30
3
2
7
3
2
Total
187
5
32
On
Roof
1
3
On
Ladder
1
4
5
2
2
1
2
1
5
1
13
48
8
4
Total
65
56
43
30
7
7
9
5
3
3
5
1
13
247
1,000,000
0
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Career Firefighter Deaths at Structure Fires
1,200,000
40
Structure Fires
600,000
35
Deaths at Structure Fires
30
800,000
25
20
15
400,000
10
200,000
5
0
Patterns for Career Firefighter Deaths at Structure Fires
14.0
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Number of Deaths
12.0
Sudden cardiac death at structure fires
Other deaths inside
Other deaths outside
Mid-Point of 3-Yr Range
Major Causes of Non-Cardiac Deaths
Inside Structures
8.0
7.0
Asphyxiation/smoke inhalation
Burns
Internal trauma/crushing injuries
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Number of Deaths
6.0
Mid-Point of 3-Yr Range
Death Due to the Three Major Causes of Fatal Injuries
While Operating Inside at Structure Fires
5
Structural collapse
Fire progress
Lost inside
4
3
2
1
0
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Average Number of Deaths
6
Mid-Point of 3-Yr Range
Snapshot
• The average number of career firefighter
deaths annually has dropped by half over
the past 25 years.
• Among career firefighters, on-duty
sudden cardiac deaths have dropped as
well, but remain the #1 cause of on-duty
firefighter deaths
• Almost half of all career firefighter deaths
occur on the fire ground
Concluding remarks

Sudden cardiac death continues to be the
major problem

Real progress has been made in reducing
firefighter deaths over the past 30 years,
but more can be done, but on-duty career
firefighter deaths are at a plateau of
approximately 25 deaths each year.
The 2013 firefighter fatality study was
published in the July/August issue
of NFPA Journal
and
the full report is available
free on NFPA’s website: www.nfpa.org
(under Research & Reports)