The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) announced today a provisional total of 83 

on-duty firefighter fatalities in the United States as a result of incidents 

that occurred in 2012, the same number of firefighter losses as in 2011.

The 83 fatalities were spread across 34 states. Pennsylvania and North Carolina 

experienced the highest number of fatalities with nine firefighter deaths each. 

New York had six firefighter deaths, including the most recent tragic shooting 

deaths of two firefighters in Webster. California and Texas, each with five 

firefighter deaths, were the only other states with five or more firefighter 

fatalities in 2012.

Heart attacks or stroke were responsible for the deaths of 41 firefighters (49%) 

in 2012. This single year total is a near average proportion of firefighter 

deaths from heart attack or stroke over recent years. This nature of fatal 

injury has remained relatively constant, while others, on average, have been 

reduced during the past decade.

Eleven on-duty firefighters died in association with wildland fires, the same as 

2011 and 2010.

The single cause of injury seeing more than a four-fold increase in firefighter 

deaths during 2012 was vehicle collisions (including aircraft), with 18 deaths.

These 2012 firefighter fatality statistics are provisional and will likely 

change somewhat as the USFA contacts state fire marshals to verify the names of 

firefighters reported to have died on duty during 2012. The final number of 

firefighter fatalities will be reported in USFA's annual firefighter fatality 

report, expected to be available by July.

For additional information on firefighter fatalities, including the annual 

fatality reports from 1986 through 2011 and the Firefighter Fatality 

Retrospective Study 1990-2000, please visit the USFA website at 

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/media/press/2013releases/010713a.shtm