What percent of On Duty Firefighter Deaths occurred during Non Fire Emergency incidents?

• A. 5%
• B. 4%
• C. 9%
• D. 15%

Answer: (C)

On-duty firefighter fatalities happen for more reasons than just fighting fires. Non-fire emergency incidents include responding to medical calls, vehicle crashes, hazmat responses, and other on-scene hazards. Historically, the share of fatalities occurring during these non-fire emergencies sits in the single-digit range, around nine percent. That’s why nine percent is the best answer: it matches the reality that a notable portion of deaths happens outside actual firefighting of fires, due to risks encountered during response and non-fire operations. The other percentages are not aligned with the typical distribution seen in the data, where the non-fire emergency share is lower than fifteen percent and higher than a few-percent figures.