The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has published its Fatal Firefighter Injuries in the US in 2025 report, recording 83 firefighter fatalities during the year.
The figure represents a 17% increase from the 69 fatalities reported in 2024.
It includes firefighters who died while on duty, as well as those who suffered heart attacks, strokes or other medical conditions within 24 hours of completing duty.
Of the total, 65 fatalities occurred while firefighters were on duty, while the remaining 18 involved heart attacks that occurred within 24 hours of duty.
Since 2022, the NFPA has included deaths occurring within 24 hours of duty in its annual report, with these figures presented separately to maintain consistency with historical trends.
Heart attacks remain leading cause of death
The report found that heart attacks remained the leading cause of firefighter fatalities in 2025, accounting for 45 deaths.
Twenty seven occurred while firefighters were on duty and 18 occurred within 24 hours of duty.
Among the on duty heart attack fatalities were 16 career firefighters, eight volunteer firefighters and three wildland firefighters. Volunteer firefighters accounted for 16 of the 18 heart attacks occurring within 24 hours of duty.
The NFPA noted that age continues to be an important risk factor for cardiac related injuries, particularly within the volunteer fire service.
Majority of fatalities involved municipal firefighters
Municipal firefighters accounted for 95% of all firefighter deaths recorded during the year. This included 34 career firefighters and 45 volunteer firefighters.
The remaining four fatalities involved wildland firefighters, including two federal wildland contract firefighters, one state forestry supervisor and one seasonal state wildland firefighter.
Traumatic injuries and crashes
Overexertion or strain was responsible for 29 on duty firefighter deaths, representing 45% of all on duty fatalities. All deaths occurring within 24 hours of duty were also classified as overexertion or strain related.
Crash related incidents caused 13 fatalities, making them the second leading cause of fatal injuries during 2025. Five firefighters died after becoming caught or trapped, while another five were struck by objects.
Falls and assaults each resulted in four fatalities, while two deaths involved contact related injuries and three had undetermined causes.
Richard Campbell, a senior research analyst at NFPA and the lead author of the report, said: “While we do see fluctuations in the number of firefighter fatalities each year, as we did in 2025, there has been a consistent downward trend in the number of annual fatalities since the study began nearly 50 years ago.
“Sudden cardiac death remains a critical concern among firefighters. Fitness programs, annual medical evaluations, and medical monitoring continued to serve as preventative measures that support cardiac health for all firefighters and should be prioritized.
“It’s important to note that predominance of sudden cardiac deaths among volunteer firefighters within 24 hours of duty suggests the need for additional areas of intervention for this group.”
“While education about symptoms of cardiac distress should be a component of risk reduction efforts for all firefighters, communicating these messages is of particular importance among volunteer firefighters, who may not return to the station following an alarm and may not have immediate access to medical treatment.”
The annual study is produced with support from the US fire service, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the United States Fire Administration, the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management.
Jay Petrillo, research analyst at NFPA who co-authored the report with Campbell, said: “Career and volunteer firefighters are increasingly called upon to handle an ever-growing range of incidents in their communities, many of which present high-risk, high-stress situations.
“The data from this year’s study show that as the demands on career and volunteer firefighters continue to grow and evolve, the need for comprehensive injury prevention training and strategies remains critical.”
