Heart attacks and strokes were responsible for the deaths of 54 firefighters (47 percent) in 2007; the average age of the firefighter was 44 years old.1 The number of firefighter deaths attributed to cardiac problems is three times greater than that for the U.S. population. Unfortunately, the number-one cause of death in North America is cardiovascular disease, mostly caused by obesity,2 and, according to some research, 70 percent of heart disease fatalities are preventable through lifestyle changes.3
About 30 percent of preventable firefighter cardiac deaths occur during firefighting activities; a firefighter’s chance of dying while fighting a fire is 100 times higher than when performing everyday activities.4 A 10-year study by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) found that about half of American firefighters who died of sudden cardiac arrest or suffered heart attacks had known heart conditions and about 75 percent had heart conditions that simple medical testing could have detected.
