10 years of the primary search
Bill Carey
1 September 2021
“I read something recently that said there were 22 primary search LODDs in the last 10 years. I was curious about the accuracy and a further breakdown of those LODD stats.”
From 2011 to 2021, so far, there are 37 firefighter fatalities listed under the activity type “Search and Rescue” by the United States Fire Administration (USFA). Of those 37, 20 were directly involved in a search for occupants during a structure fire.
The causes and natures of the deaths vary from burns and asphyxiation due to being caught in fire, to blunt trauma as a result of a fall.
Two deaths are included in large part due to the location of the fire and the victim. One firefighter died while searching with no PPE a burning house near his own home. Another died while rescuing his own family during a fire in his house.
There are two multi-fatality on-duty deaths in this data. The first is the deaths of two firefighters* in a rowhouse fire in Delaware. The second is the deaths of two firefighters in a house fire in Oklahoma.
The data below does not include non-traumatic deaths or deaths during other activities that the USFA includes in Search and Rescue, such as looking for an outdoor fire or water rescues.
1: Trapped by fire in an apartment building. Victim on RIT Task Force. N**
1: Disoriented, out of air, in a commercial high-rise fire. Victim on first alarm. N
1: Collapse, in a multi-residential structure. Victim on first alarm. N
1: Disoriented, caught in fire, in a commercial structure. Victim on first alarm. N
1: Trapped, asphyxiation (found with facepiece off), in a house fire.
Victim was on first alarm; report notes crew integrity problem. N
1: Collapse, during an apartment fire. Victim on fourth alarm. N
1: Caught in fire, in a house fire, near home with no PPE.
1: Trapped, asphyxiation and burns, in a residential high-rise, with hoarding conditions.
Victim on first alarm. N
1: Asphyxiation, in house fire in own home.
1: Fall, down open elevator shaft, in residential high-rise. Victim on first alarm. N
1: Fall, down open elevator shaft, in commercial structure under renovation.
Victim on first alarm. N
1: Collapse, during fire in a rowhouse. Victim on first alarm. N
1: Collapse, during fire in a rowhouse. Victim on first alarm. N
1: Disoriented, asphyxiation, in a commercial structure fire, arson. Victim on first alarm. N
1: Caught in fire, during an apartment fire. Victim on first alarm.
1: Asphyxiation, during a commercial structure fire. Victim on first alarm.
1: Trapped, burned, during a fire in a multi-residential structure. Victim on first alarm.
1: Collapse, during a house fire. Victim on first alarm.
1: Collapse, during a house fire. Victim on first alarm.
1: Trapped, collapse, during a fire in an assisted living facility. Victim on first alarm.
* The fire in Delaware killed three firefighters, but the USFA lists only two under Search and Rescue. The other is listed under Advancing Hoselines.
** N indicates that a NIOSH report has been done.
The numbers above are subject to change based on reports and changes of the Activitty Type by the USFA.
Photograph courtesy of Unsplash.
Data Not Drama 