114 American firefighters died in the line of duty during 2008. The last fatality was on New Year's Eve, when Captain Richard Lee Montgomery of the Pisgah, Mississippi VFD died while fighting a house fire in Marietta, Mississippi.

Captain Montgomery lost his life at a structural fire just north of Marietta in southwest Prentiss County. After exiting the burning home, Captain Montgomery collapsed and died from a possible heart attack.

Only four fewer line of duty deaths occurred in 2007. According to the United States Fire Administration, the lowest number of LODDs in the past thirty years was in 1992, with a total of 77. USFA began to keep records on LODDS in 1976.

The vast majority of LODDS are preventable. Many occur due to cardiovascular collapse and vehicle collisions. The failure to use seatbelts continues to contribute to the yearly numbers, as does the problem of tanker/tender rollovers.  

One of the USFA's main goals in it research is "a 25-percent reduction in firefighter fatalities in 5 years, and a 50-percent reduction within 10 years."

For more information, visit:

http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

sources: USFA, FIrefighterCloseCalls.com