The U.S. Fire Administration, part of the federal Department of Homeland Security, released its report, Provisional 2010 Firefighter Fatality Statistics. According to the report, the number of firefighter fatalities across the U.S. was down 6% in 2010 (85 deaths) as compared to 2009 (90). The leading cause of death was heart attacks and strokes, which caused 60% of firefighter deaths. This proportion is unchanged from 2009. Related to this is the statistic that 45 of the 85 deaths happened to firefighters 50-years-old or older.
There was also a large difference between the number of volunteer and career fatalities: 55 volunteer firefighters died versus 28 career firefighter deaths.
Connecticut had four firefighter fatalities in 2010.
