Question from a Reader, Updated

Bill Carey
19 August 2021

Updated 13 January 2022.

“What are the numbers on firefighter COVID-19 line of duty deaths?”

Since the United States Fire Administration began reporting on-duty deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic, at total of 99 firefighter deaths are on record[1].

In 2020 a total of 36 deaths were recorded. Here is the breakdown of that year:

Career (including part-time, paid-on-call, contractor): 25
Average age: 50
Oldest: 70 Youngest: 28
Contracted the virus via:
In-Station Duties: 11
EMS: 9
Other: 4
Training: 1

Contracted via exposure to one COVID-19 patient: 7
Contracted via exposure to more than one COVID-19 patient: 4

Volunteer: 11
Average age: 67
Oldest: 88 Youngest: 47
65-years old and older: 7
Contracted the virus via:
Other: 5
In-Station Duties: 3
EMS: 2
Training: 1

Contracted via exposure to one COVID-19 patient: 2
Contracted via exposure to more than one COVID-19 patient: 0

Here are the numbers for 2021 as of 20 October.

Career (including part-time, paid-on-call, contractor): 51
Oldest: 67 Youngest: 31
Contracted the virus via:
In-Station Duties: 17
EMS: 25
Other: 5
Wildland: 4

Contracted via exposure to one COVID-19 patient: 11
Contracted via exposure to more than one COVID-19 patient: 14

Volunteer: 12
Oldest: 73 Youngest: 27
65-years-old and older: 3
Contracted the virus via:
Advancing Hoselines (incl. Wildland): 1
In-Station Duties: 5
EMS: 3
Other: 2
Extrication: 1

Contracted via exposure to one COVID-19 patient: 3
Contracted via exposure to more than one COVID-19 patient: 1

States with the highest number of deaths in the 2020 to 2021 period:
Texas: 12
Florida: 7
North Carolina: 7
California: 6
Pennsylvania: 6
Ohio: 5
Tennessee: 6
Georgia: 4
Illinois: 4
Indiana: 4

The International Association of Fire Fighters has recorded 76 member deaths due to COVID-19[2](updated).

References:
1. “Nature of Death: COVID-19” United States Fire Administration, 19 August 2021.
2. “IAFF Member COVID-19 Deaths” IAFF, 17 August 2021

Title image courtesy of Unsplash.