US Firefighter Fatalities Rise to 83 in 2025, 17% Increase

The National Fire Protection Association released its 2025 report showing 83 U.S. firefighters died while on‑duty or from heart attacks, strokes, or other medical conditions within 24 hours of duty. That represents a 17 percent rise over the 69 deaths recorded in 2024. Of the 83 fatalities, 65 (78 percent) occurred on‑duty, primarily from traumatic injuries, heart attacks and other medical events. An additional 18 deaths involved heart attacks that happened off‑duty but within 24 hours of a shift.

Municipal firefighters accounted for 95 percent of the deaths, including 34 career and 45 volunteer firefighters. The remaining four were wildland personnel (two federal contract firefighters, one state forestry supervisor and one seasonal state wildland firefighter). Heart attacks were the leading cause, responsible for 45 deaths—27 on‑duty and 18 within 24 hours, with volunteers comprising 16 of the latter. NFPA senior research analyst Richard Campbell emphasized that sudden cardiac death remains a critical concern and called for continued fitness programs, medical evaluations and monitoring for firefighters.