Fire Service Deaths 2001

The posting of deaths in the fire service is to educate our personnel to the hazards of the profession.  The statistics below are provided by FEMA the US Fire Administration.  The intent is to raise the awareness of all fire fighters as to those hazards.  As training officers we must review these death and  educated our personnel to the hazards of the profession in which we serve.
The deaths below do not list the 350 fire fighters that died at the Trade Center on September 11, 2001 in New York.

Flying a single engine air tanker and dropping retardant on a 500 acre fire, he was killed when, for a cause still to be determined the aircraft crashed.

Were killed when they were overcome by the Thirty Mile Fire in the Chewuch River Valley, north of Winthrop WA. The fire rapidly progressed and grew from approximately 5 acres to over 2500 acres within 2 1/2 hours.

Received second and third degree burn to more than 50% of his body while fighting a fire in a Lake Murray subdivision.  He was caught by falling debris in a garage area of one of two homes destroyed by the fire.

Responding to a motor vehicle/pedestrian accident on his privately owned vehicle (motorcycle), while in route, he was involved in a separate motor vehicle accident where he sustain fatal injuries.

Filling a new fire truck's tanks with water from a hydrant.  A nearby 300-pressure tank, still to be determined, had a catastrophic failure rocketing into the air landing on the fire truck the fire fighter was servicing.  Debris from the tank on the fire truck struck him in the head.  He was transported to the hospital where he passed away the next day, never regaining consciousness.

Died from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident while in route to a meeting.

Died from injuries received when the water tender fire apparatus was returning to the station after being serviced had the front right tire blow out.  The apparatus left the roadway and struck a tree head on.

While responding to a medical emergency in the Borough of Swasthmore he became ill and collapsed while at the station of an apparent heart attack.

He collapsed in his truck on the apron of the station, when reporting for duty, he was treated and transported to the hospital.   he died at the hospital of a cause still to be determined (Probable Heart Attract).

Flying an air tanker that collided mid-air with another air tanker.  Both pilots died as a result of the collision.

Flying an air tanker that collided mid-air with another air tanker.  Both pilots died as a result of the collision.

Collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack while fighting a three-alarm fire at an auto body shop.

Participating in physical fitness activities at his station when he collapsed (cause still to be determined)  he was transported  to the hospital where he later died.

Spotting for the engine while backing up down a traffic congested roadway to the exit the accident scene and to return to the station.  He slipped and became trapped under the engine.  He was transported to the hospital where he later died of internal injuries.

Collapsed of a cardiac event while performing fire ground operations.  He was transported to the hospital where he later died.

He return to the station after a call and complaining that he was not feeling well and shortly thereafter, while returning home in his private vehicle, suffered an apparent heart attack and died.

While conducting a search with several other fire fighters in a burning 40-story building when they became trapped along with many of the residents on the fifth floor.  Four fire fighters were injured and were transported to the hospital, where he later died of smoke inhalation.

Suffered a fatal heart attack while responding to a reported vehicle accident.

Working on a wild land fire line, he was killed when he was overcome by a firestorm in the densely wooded and steep terrain.

A passenger in a water tanker enroute to a woodland fire when the apparatus left the roadway and overturned killing him.