Traumatic Occupational Injuries

Each year an average of 105 fire fighters die in the line of duty. To address this continuing national occupational fatality problem, NIOSH conducts independent investigations of fire fighter line of duty deaths. This web page provides access to NIOSH investigation reports and other fire fighter safety resources.

Fatality Investigation Reports

To list all investigative reports completed for a particular state, click on the map or choose a state and/or incident year from the selection boxes and click on Submit..

Subscribe to NIOSH Fire Fighter Safety Announcements

Recently Released Reports

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2003-20 Junior Volunteer Fire Fighter is Killed While Responding to a Brush Fire with an Intoxicated Driver – Wyoming (added 09/30/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2004-12 Fire Fighter-Paramedic Dies After Performing Physical Fitness Training – Florida (added 09/27/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2004-13 Fire Fighters Suffers Fatal Pulmonary Embolism after Knee Surgery for a Work-related Injury – North Carolina (added 09/20/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2004-08 Fire Fighter Suffers Sudden Cardiac Death After Emergency Recall - Massachusetts (added 09/20/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2004-01 District Chief Dies After Suffering a Heart Attack -Texas (added 09/20/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2003-27 Fire Captain Suffers Sudden Cardiac Death during a Live-Fire Training Exercise – North Carolina (added 09/20/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2000-40 Fire Fighter Collapses and Dies During Exercise Training at His Fire Station - Missouri (added 09/20/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2004-09 Fire Fighter-Driver/Engineer Suffers Heart Attack and Dies at the End of his 24-hour Shift - Hawaii (added 08/03/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2003-39 Fire Fighter Suffers Sudden Cardiac Death in Parking Lot of Fire Station - Tennessee (added 08/03/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2003-34 Volunteer Fire Fighter/Fire Service Products Salesman Dies After Being Struck by Dislodged Rescue Airbag - South Dakota (added 07/30/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2003-18 Partial Roof Collapse in Commercial Structure Fire Claims the Lives of Two Career Fire Fighters - Tennessee (added 07/30/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2003-16 Volunteer Fire Police Captain Dies From Injury-Related Complications After Being Struck By Motor Vehicle While Directing Traffic - New Jersey (added 07/14/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2004-10 Career Fire Fighter Dies Searching For Fire In A Restaurant/Lounge - Missouri (added 07/01/04)

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation # F2003-37 Volunteer Assistant Chief is Struck and Killed at Road Construction Site - Minnesota (added 07/01/04)

Recent NIOSH Fire Fighter Safety Publications

NIOSH Workplace Solutions—Divers Beware: Training Dives Present Serious Hazards to Fire Fighters
Fire fighters who participate in dive training risk lung damage, illness, or drowning. NIOSH investigated fatalities that have occurred during these training exercises and developed recommendations to decrease these risks.

Protecting Emergency Responders, Volume 3: Safety Management in Disaster and Terrorism Response (2004)
This report addresses the protection of emergency responders against injury, illness, and death on just such rare occasions, when emergencies become disasters. It builds on a broad base of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health programs and RAND Corporation research on protecting emergency responders. This report focuses on preparedness (especially planning and training) and management as means of controlling and reducing the hazards emergency responders face. It provides a set of recommendations on how disaster site safety and health management might be improved. Much of the information contained herein is based upon the firsthand experience and suggestions of emergency responders who were there at the World Trade Center and at the Pentagon on and after September 11, as well as those who responded to the Northridge earthquake (in California) and Hurricane Andrew (in Florida).

Your Safety 1^st - Railroad Crossing Safety for Emergency Responders (June 2003)
This bulletin notes two firefighter fatalities that involved fatal collisions between fire vehicles and oncoming trains at railroad crossings. As practical steps for reducing risk, the bulletin recommends that fire departments plan routes to avoid railroad crossings. If crossings cannot be avoided, the bulletin recommends that fire departments plan routes to include crossings with active warning devices, such as flashing lights and gates, and with a clear line of sight along the track in both directions.

NIOSH Hazard ID 15: Fire Fighters Exposed to Electrical Hazards During Wildland Fire Operations (2002)  Español  
Among the various hazards fire fighters face are electrical hazards during wildland fire suppression activities. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that 10 fire fighters died from contact with electricity during wildland fires between 1980 and 1999 (this figure does not include lightning strikes) [NFPA 2001]. As part of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, NIOSH investigated two separate incidents in 1999 in which fire fighters died or were seriously injured from exposures to electricity while fighting wildland fires.  

NIOSH Hazard ID 14: Fire Fighter Deaths From Tanker Truck Rollovers (2001)  Español
Mobile water supply vehicles, known as tankers or tenders, are widely used to transport water to areas beyond a water supply system or where the water supply is inadequate. Incidents involving motor vehicles account for approximately 20% of U.S. fire fighter deaths each year; cases involving tankers are the most prevalent of these motor vehicle incidents. During 1977–1999, 73 deaths occurred in 63 crashes involving tankers. Of those deaths, 54 occurred in 49 crashes in which tankers rolled over (no collision), and 8 occurred in 6 crashes in which the tankers left the road (no collision). The other cases involved collision with another vehicle (10 deaths in 7 crashes) and collision with stationary object(s) (1 death).