Report: NFPA's "United States Firefighter Injuries in 2020"
Author: Richard Campbell and Ben Evarts
Issued: December 2021
Report highlights
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An estimated 64,875 firefighter injuries occurred in the line of duty in 2020, an increase of seven percent over the 20189 injury total.
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In addition to injuries, there were 20,900 documented exposures to infectious diseases and 17,050 exposures to hazardous conditions.
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Firefighters were more likely to be injured at fireground operations than other types of duties. In 2020, 22,450 injuries, or 35 percent of all reported firefighter injuries, occurred at the fireground.
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The leading cause of fireground injuries was overexertion or strain (31 percent of total injuries).
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Strain, sprain, or muscular pain injuries accounted for nearly two of five (40 percent) injuries on the fireground.
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Non-fireground injuries included 4,975 injuries while responding to, or returning from an incident; 7,550 injuries incurred during training activities, 13,650 injuries at non-fire emergency incidents, and 16,250 injuries during other on duty activities.
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