Firefighter injuries down 8 percent: report
Quincy, MA – Firefighters suffered 71,875 injuries in the line of duty in 2010 – an 8 percent decrease from 2009, according to a report (.pdf file) issued in November by the National Fire Protection Association.
The leading types of injuries sustained were strains, sprains or muscular pain (52.8 percent), followed by wounds, cuts, bleeding or bruises (14.2 percent). The leading causes of fireground injuries were overexertion and strains (25.7 percent), and falls, slips and jumps (22.5 percent).
The report also found:
- 20.8 percent of all firefighter injuries resulted in lost time from work.
- An estimated 13,355 injuries occurred at non-fire emergencies, 4,380 occurred while responding to or returning from an incident, 7,275 were suffered during training activities, and 14,190 happened during other on-duty activities.
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