The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released its “Fatal Firefighter Injuries in the U.S. in 2024” report, which showed a total of 62 on-duty U.S. firefighter fatalities in 2024. This number reflects a 31 percent decrease over the 90 on-duty firefighter fatalities reported in 2023 and tied for the fourth fewest fatalities since 1977, when the annual study began. Eleven of the fatalities were due to heart attacks or medical conditions within 24 hours of duty and the remaining 51 deaths occurred while firefighters were on duty.
Of the 51 on-duty firefighter deaths in 2024, 19 were volunteer firefighters and 26 were career firefighters, with eight volunteer and three career firefighter fatalities occurring within 24 hours of duty. The non-municipal firefighters included two state forestry service firefighters, one federal forestry service firefighter, two state contractor employees, and one industrial firefighter.
Firefighters ages 40 to 49 experienced the highest number of fatalities, accounting for nearly one-third of the total (20 deaths), while 13 of the firefighter fatalities were among the ages of 50 to 59. Eleven of the firefighter fatalities were among those aged 70 years or older.
According to the report, overexertion or strain injuries continues to represent the leading cause of firefighter deaths with 40 fatal injuries (65 percent) in 2024. This share of the total is unusually high due to the inclusion of 11 fatalities that occurred within 24 hours of duty, which were not included in the study prior to 2022. All but 10 of the deaths in this category were fatal heart attacks, representing the leading medical cause of fatal firefighter injuries and accounting for nearly half of the deaths (30 deaths, 48 percent).
“Although the downward trend in the annual number of fatal firefighter injuries is an encouraging indication that injury prevention efforts through the years have been successful, there is a clear need for continuing attention to firefighter safety and health,” said Richard Campbell, a senior research analyst at NFPA and the lead author of the report. “To this end, sudden cardiac deaths remain a critical concern.”
