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NFPA: Firefighter injuries declined in 2013

After examining data, NFPA researchers said 65,880 firefighters were injured on the job in 2013

QUINCY, Mass. — The National Fire Protection Association released the latest edition of its U.S. Firefighter Injury Report, highlighting data on injuries sustained by firefighters on duty that was collected from fire departments responding to the 2013 National Fire Experience Survey.

In 2013, 65,880 firefighter injuries occurred in the line of duty, down nearly 4,000 from 2012. Of those injuries, 29,760 (45.2 percent) occurred during fireground operations, with the leading causes reported as strain, sprain or muscular pain (55.3 percent), followed by wound, cut, bleeding and bruise (13.8 percent).

Regionally, the Northeast had the highest fireground injury rate.

The major types of injuries received during fireground operations were:

  • Strains, sprains, and muscular pain (55.3 percent)
  • Wounds, cuts, bleeding and bruising (13.8 percent)
  • Burns (5.1 percent)
  • Smoke or gas inhalation (5 percent)

An estimated 11,800 injuries occurred during other on-duty activities, including:

  • 4,015 while responding to or returning from an incident
  • 7,770 during training activities
  • 12,535 occurring at non-fire emergency incidents
  • Strains, sprains and muscular pain accounted for 58.4 percent of all non-fireground injuries

In addition to injuries, there were 7,100 exposures to infectious diseases, and 17,400 exposures to hazardous conditions.

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