25-Year-Old Recruit Firefighter Dies from Hyperthermia Experienced on First Day of Recruit School – Virginia

Details

• Personal Author:
  Eisenberg, Judith S. ; Saunders, Robert
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ; Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP) (U.S.)
• Description:
  A 25-year-old male career firefighter recruit (FR) collapsed during a physical fitness training run. An instructor, who was running with the FR and his recruit classmates, stopped with the FR and witnessed the collapse. The instructor contacted the dispatch center for emergency medical services (EMS). An ambulance crew was dispatched and arrived to witness the FR deteriorating rapidly with increased shallow respirations and a decreasing level of consciousness. While enroute to the nearest hospital, the FR required respiratory assistance via bag-valve-mask (BVM) and other advanced life support (ALS) measures. On arrival to the emergency department (ED), the FR was intubated and treated for hyperthermia. The FR was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and remained there for 2 days before he died. The medical examiner's report listed the cause of death as hyperthermia with an enlarged heart and obesity as contributing factors. Key Recommendations - NIOSH offers the following recommendations to reduce the risk of heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrest among firefighters at this and other fire departments across the country. Key Recommendation #1: Fire departments should ensure all firefighter candidates receive a pre-employment medical examination consistent with National Fire protection Association (NFPA) 1582, Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments. Although the FD was compliant with this recommendation and no exclusionary conditions were found in this case, it is being provided here as a reminder of good practice. Key Recommendation #2: Fire departments should consider refining cadet/recruit communications to clearly state what components are mandatory at the start of their training versus those used as an initial benchmark to measure physical fitness progress over the course of the training program. Key Recommendation #3: Fire departments should consider providing guidance to incoming cadets/recruits on how to improve their physical fitness capacity prior to the start of their formal firefighter training in a safer, gradual manner to reduce their risks for exertional heat-related illness and/or rhabdomyolysis. Key Recommendation #4: Fire departments should consider providing information on heat stroke and other heat related illnesses (HRIs) as part of the materials sent with conditional acceptance letters especially if training start dates will occur in warm or hot weather. Annual refresher training on HRI for training center staff should be provided in early spring immediately prior to hot weather months. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cardiovascular Diseases Cardiovascular System Firefighters Fires Heat Exhaustion Heat Stress Disorders Hot Temperature Mortality Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Cardiovascular Disease Fatalities Fire Fighters Fire Fighting Heat Stroke Hyperthermia Medical Fitness Evaluation Region 3
• FACE - Firefighter:
  Cause of Death: Medical ; Cardiovascular ; Non-Cardiac ; Non-Cardiac: Heat Stress
• Series:
  Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHFFFACEF202117
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study ; Case Report
• Place as Subject:
  Chicago Region [OSHA] ; Ohio ; Philadelphia Region [OSHA] ; Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DFSE - Division of Field Studies and Engineering
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-14
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070294
• Citation:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE F2021-17, 2024 Nov; :1-14
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• NORA Priority Area:
  Public Safety
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  92 - Public Administration - (NAICS)
• Start Date:
  20210701
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:048c9961908e3b3b4980ccaad558fb4e0a4f86615e6c75c53fd49713b3453208e6c226f5ba88ab20818a5248d9e219feee25a57697654f23c445c9868b890e51
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/228556/cdc_228556_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 792.87 KB ]