How Fire Service Priorities Are Moving Backward

Synopsis

Some in the fire service believe that far too many firefighters are dying inside burning structures where no civilian lives are at stake and there is no evident gain, hence, interior firefighting operations should be reduced or eliminated altogether.

However, the data shows a consistent decline in the number of LODDs over the past 10 years. Primarily, firefighters are dying not as a result of extremely dangerous conditions of structure fires and the actions performed inside burning buildings, but as a result of overexertion/stress (e.g., heart attacks and strokes). Spending on firefighter safety and injury prevention is far less than that spent on firefighter injuries. But even if wellness programs were initiated at all 30,000 U.S. fire departments, the costs would still be below that of the funds spend on firefighter injuries.