KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department has had its 119th firefighter die in the line of duty since 1887.
A firefighter-paramedic with the department died during a training exercise on Tuesday.
KSHB 41's Isabella Ledonne learned the majority of firefighter deaths are from medical emergencies, including the most recent death from KCFD's very own.
Data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) shows 40% of all firefighters who were killed in the line of duty in 2023 died from sudden cardiac arrest.
Thirty-five percent are from trauma and/or crushing while on fire grounds.
The number of firefighter fatal medical emergencies has gone down since 1980, as sudden cardiac deaths accounted for 40 to 45 percent of total fatalities from 1980 to 2019.
Between 2020 and 2023, sudden cardiac deaths made up 36% of the total number of firefighter line-of-duty deaths.
However, last year's total number of 89 deaths is the second highest it's been since 2013.
The KCMO firefighter who died Tuesday did experience a medical emergency during a training exercise.
Last year, 10 firefighters died nationwide during training operations, making up nearly 11% of all deaths.
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KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne covers issues surrounding government accountability and solutions. Share your story with Isabella.
