801 Crockett Street, Shreveport, Louisiana 71101
318/ 673-6655 ● FAX: 318/ 673-6656 ● www.shreveportfire.org

Kelvin J. Cochran, Fire Chief

December 17, 2002

PRESS RELEASE
To: Newsroom
For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer
Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

SHREVEPORT FIRE OFFICIALS EVALUATE FIRE FIGHTER DEATH REPORT

The Shreveport Fire Department has not suffered a line-of-duty death since 1984 but a recent national report has their officials taking notice . . .

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) recently released a comprehensive study which examines the causes of deaths for on-duty firefighters. The USFA Firefighter Fatality Retrospective Study: 1990-2000 is an in-depth analysis as to the causes for more than 1,000 on-duty deaths which have occurred in the United States during the last decade of the 20th century. The key findings of the study include:

The leading cause of death for firefighters is heart attack (44 percent). Death from trauma, including internal and head injuries, is the second leading cause of death (27 percent). Asphyxia and burns account for 20 percent of firefighter fatalities.

Each year in the United States, approximately 100 firefighters are killed while on duty and tens of thousands are injured. Although the number of firefighter fatalities has steadily decreased over the past 20 years, the incidence of firefighter fatalities per 100,000 incidents has actually risen over the last 5 years, with 1999 having the highest rate of firefighter fatalities per 100,000 incidents since 1978.

In many fire departments, including Shreveport, EMS calls account for between 50 and 80 percent of their emergency call volume. These EMS incidents result in only 3 percent of firefighter fatalities. Trauma (internal/head) accounts for the deaths of 50 percent of firefighters who were involved in EMS operations at the time of their fatal injury. Another 38 percent involved in EMS operations died from heart attack.

Shreveport attributes their success to continuing education and training and a health and wellness program that sends members for physicals on a regular basis depending on their age. The health and safety of their members is one of the department’s primary goals. "It is imperative that our firefighters are trained and educated as to the very real dangers associated with their occupation. Their physical condition and awareness of potential life threats is something that we emphasize through programs such as medical physicals and ongoing safety geared analysis and evaluation of our operations," said Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran. ###