Andrew Zysk's Page

A Letter to America's Fire Officers

Dear America's Fire Officers,

We the American firefighter need you. 

We need you to set the example.

We need you to be competent.

We need you to be ready.

We need you to set the example.

We need you to be in shape.

We need you to not shirk responsibility.

We need you to put your gear on...always.

We need you…

As already eluded to by several others, we have recognized that a small percentage of firefighters killed in the line of duty were engaged in fire attack (interior and wildland) or other suppression operations. From 2005-2012, 384 or 48.5% of firefighters died due to heart attack or stress/overexertion. On the other hand, 95 or 12% died as a result of asphyxiation, burns, collapse or trauma. 2013 and 2014 had similar percentages. The current state of the fire service has a heavy emphasis on…