You should make time this weekend and slide on over to the United States Fire Administration (USFA) web site HERE.

2008 USFA ANNUAL LODD Report HERE

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) released the report Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2008. The report continues a series of annual studies by the USFA of on-duty firefighter fatalities. The USFA is the single public agency source of information for all on-duty firefighter fatalities in the United States each year.

An overview of the 118 firefighters that died while on duty in 2008:

The total breakdown included 66 volunteer, 34 career, and 18 Wildland agency firefighters.

There were 5 firefighter fatality incidents where 2 or more firefighters were killed, claiming a total of 18 firefighters' lives.

26 firefighters were killed during activities involving brush, grass or Wildland firefighting, more than twice the number killed the previous year.

Activities related to emergency incidents resulted in the deaths of 75 firefighters.
-28 firefighters died while engaging in activities at the scene of a fire.
-21 firefighters died while responding to, and 3 while returning from, emergency incidents.
-12 firefighters died while they were engaged in training activities.
-13 firefighters died after the conclusion of their on-duty activity.
-Heart attacks were the most frequent cause of death for 2008 with 45 firefighter deaths

Take a look at the issues, the factors and the causes. Take the time to think about what you can personally do to make a change, and what your company or agency must do, to support LODD reduction. Especially for those situations that are in OUR control.

Don’t forget about the resources at the Everyone Goes Home Program, HERE.

The Near Miss Reporting System, HERE