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Download: A Prepared and Resilient Fire and Emergency Medical Services pdf January 2024, 26 pages

A Prepared and Resilient Fire and Emergency Medical Services

Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2024-2027

Table of Contents

Introduction

2021

In 2021, fires killed 3,800 and injured 14,700 people nationwide. Property damage due to fire reached $16 billion for the year. Additionally, firefighters paid a high price with 141 firefighters killed in the line of duty.


2022

In 2022, there were more than 1.2 million structure fires across the country, not to mention the 69,000 wildfires that scorched more than 7.5 million acres. In the last year, nearly 2,500 lives were lost to fire, including 276 children and 96 firefighters.


2023

In 2023, the climate crisis continues to fuel more frequent, destructive and deadly wildfire. We have all seen the devastating effects of wildfire on our nation — from the wildfire tragedy in Maui killing 115 to the far-reaching impacts on air quality in many U.S. states from the wildfires in Canada. In addition to the growing burdens of wildfire, the demands on our nation’s local fire departments continue to increase, further exacerbating daily fire impacts on all our communities.