Firefighters lives are at risk during every emergency response. A study of fire apparatus traffic collisions was performed for the Freightliner Corporation by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute in 1998. The study looked at fire apparatus collision experience for 1994-1996. The study found the following:
There are 2,472 Fire Apparatus Accidents Each Year
Six Occupants of Fire Apparatus are Killed Each Year
413 Occupants of Fire Apparatus are Injured Each Year
20% of Fire Apparatus Collisions Result in Rollovers
47% of Fire Apparatus Collisions are at Intersections
Almost all Firefighter Fatalities Were From Rollovers 73%
76% of the Firefighters Killed Were Not Wearing Seat Belts
In addition to the firefighter injuries and deaths, the study found that 21 civilians are killed each year as the result of collisions with fire apparatus and 642 are injured.
