Volunteer Firefighters Top Fatality List

Volunteer firefighters sustained the highest death rates by far out of all volunteer occupations, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. In the United States, an estimated 59 million people spend a median of 52 hours each year volunteering, most often in religious, educational, youth, or community service organizations; volunteers commonly perform activities such as coaching, campaigning, fundraising, delivering goods, and serving on boards or neighborhood associations. Few studies have analyzed fatal injuries to volunteers, and studies have typically focused on a specific volun...