Archive for June 22nd, 2019

2018 NFPA Report on Firefighter Fatalities

Excerpts from NFPA.org:

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released its annual “U.S. Firefighter Fatalities in the United States” report, which showed a total of 64 U.S. firefighter fatalities while on duty in 2018. This is the eighth time in the last 10 years that fewer than 70 on-duty deaths have occurred; the death toll is half what it was in the first five years that NFPA conducted this study.

Of the 64 fatalities, 34 were volunteer firefighters, 25 were career firefighters, four were employees or contractors for federal or state land management agencies, and one was a prison inmate.

Overexertion, stress, and medical issues accounted for by far the largest share of deaths. Of the 28 deaths in this category, 25 were classified as sudden cardiac deaths (usually heart attacks). While cardiac-related events have accounted for 44 percent of the on-duty deaths over the past 10 years, 2018 represents the third consecutive year that the toll has been below 30.

The second-largest share of on duty deaths typically results from road vehicle crashes, with 11 deaths in 2018. The death toll due to crashes is only slightly lower than the average 13 deaths per year that have occurred in crashes over the past 40-plus years, but in the same time-frame, fire department call volume has more than tripled.

One firefighter was murdered when responding to a fire call in 2018. 

This report only reflects deaths that occur while victims are on-the-job, either as the result of traumatic injuries or onset of acute medical conditions,” said Fahy. “Studies have shown that years spent in the fire service can take a toll on a firefighter’s health, both physical and emotional, and can also result in exposures to toxins that eventually result in job-related cancer, cardiac, and suicide deaths that are not represented in this report.”

A comprehensive study that enumerates all duty-related deaths in a year is not yet possible to accomplish.

This firefighter fatality study is made possible by the cooperation and assistance of the United States fire service, CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the United States Fire Administration, the Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

For this release and other announcements about NFPA initiatives, research and resources, please visit the NFPA press room.

Tags: , , ,

2-Alarm fire in Evanston, 6-20-19 (more)

more photos from the scene of the 2-Alarm fire in Evanston, 6-20-19

commercial building fire

Steve Redick photo

fire in a commercial strip mall

Steve Redick photo

Evanston fire trucks on scene

Steve Redick photo

Evanston FD Engine 25

Steve Redick photo

Evanston FD Truck 22

Steve Redick photo

Evanston FD Engine 23

Steve Redick photo

Evanston FD Truck 22

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Evanston FD Truck 22

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Evanston FD Engine 23

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Evanston FD Engine 23

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Evanston FD Station 24

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

2-Alarm fire in Evanston, 6-20-19 (more)

Photos from Tim Olk at the 2-Alarm fire in Evanston, 6-20-19

Firefighters force entry at commercial building fire

Tim Olk photo

Firefighters force entry at commercial building fire

Tim Olk photo

Tim Olk photo

Firefighters force entry at commercial building fire

Tim Olk photo

Evanston FD pumper at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

Evanston FD ladder truck at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

Evanston FD pumper at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

Evanston FD ladder truck at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

Evanston fire trucks on scene

Tim Olk photo

Tags: , , , , , ,

2-Alarm fire in Evanston, 6-20-19

Evanston pulled a 2nd Alarm Thursday evening for a fire at a laundromat at 838 Dodge Avenue. Battalion 21 reported a 1 story 125 x 125 bowstring truss with fire through the roof and defensive operations.

heavy black smoke from commercial building fire

reader submission

heavy black smoke from commercial building fire

reader submission

heavy black smoke from commercial building fire

reader submission

heavy black smoke from commercial building fire

reader submission

heavy black smoke from commercial building fire

reader submission

heavy black smoke from commercial building fire

reader submission

Tags: , , ,