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Most Common NFIRS Incident Types in 2022

February 27, 2024 by Emergency Reports Staff

Most Common NFIRS Incident Types in 2022

NFIRS data for 2022 reveals the most common incident types encountered by fire departments across the United States. Topping the list is EMS calls, excluding vehicle accidents with injuries, which accounted for a staggering 14 million incidents. Following closely behind is medical assist, where fire departments provided assistance to EMS crews in over 2.6 million cases. Dispatched and canceled en route incidents ranked third with 1.9 million reported occurrences.

Vehicle accidents also feature prominently in the data, with over a million incidents reported. This includes both accidents with injuries and those without. Notably, vehicle accident-related incidents make up a substantial portion of the total incidents attended by fire departments nationwide. Additionally, false alarms and system malfunctions contribute significantly to the workload of fire departments, with various types of alarm activations and other false calls comprising hundreds of thousands of reported incidents.

Number of Incidents Incident Type Code Incident Type Description
14,046,816 321 EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury
2,631,724 311 Medical assist, assist EMS crew
1,923,409 611 Dispatched & canceled en route
924,342 322 Vehicle accident with injuries
814,533 300 Rescue, emergency medical call (EMS) call, other
750,427 554 Assist invalid
694,581 324 Motor vehicle accident with no injuries
585,038 320 Emergency medical service, other
566,517 745 Alarm system sounded, no fire - unintentional
508,851 622 No incident found on arrival at dispatch address
352,740 553 Public service
344,585 743 Smoke detector activation, no fire - unintentional
335,996 700 False alarm or false call, other
327,648 735 Alarm system sounded due to malfunction
309,768 600 Good intent call, other
225,961 412 Gas leak (natural gas or LPG)
219,119 900 Special type of incident, other
201,622 500 Service Call, other
186,561 651 Smoke scare, odor of smoke
184,906 550 Public service assistance, other
171,864 733 Smoke detector activation due to malfunction
169,518 444 Power line down
143,161 111 Building fires
140,081 740 Unintentional transmission of alarm, other
121,316 151 Outside rubbish, trash or waste fire
118,501 551 Assist police or other governmental agency
110,392 561 Unauthorized burning
109,075 744 Detector activation, no fire - unintentional
109,029 522 Water or steam leak
103,532 552 Police matter
103,417 353 Removal of victim(s) from stalled elevator
97,417 131 Passenger vehicle fire
96,155 113 Cooking fire, confined to container
94,114 142 Brush, or brush and grass mixture fire
91,433 511 Lock-out
81,386 143 Grass fire
79,617 730 System malfunction, other
78,833 424 Carbon monoxide incident
74,000 445 Arcing, shorted electrical equipment
71,656 440 Electrical wiring/equipment problem, other
70,998 531 Smoke or odor removal
69,512 736 CO detector activation due to malfunction
67,046 746 Carbon monoxide detector activation, no CO
66,550 510 Person in distress, other
66,126 323 Motor vehicle/pedestrian accident (MV Ped)
65,366 661 EMS call, party transported by non-fire agency
60,982 381 Rescue or EMS standby
56,661 571 Cover assignment, standby, moveup
54,092 150 Outside rubbish fire, other
53,556 463 Vehicle accident, general cleanup
52,935 631 Authorized controlled burning
51,623 118 Trash or rubbish fire, contained
50,817 400 Hazardous condition, other
45,659 520 Water problem, other
41,144 710 Malicious, mischievous false call, other
40,313 671 Hazmat release investigation w/ no hazmat
33,944 154 Dumpster or other outside trash receptacle fire
32,727 100 Fire, other
32,661 462 Aircraft standby
31,033 411 Gasoline or other flammable liquid spill
30,816 741 Sprinkler activation, no fire - unintentional
28,827 331 Lock-in (if lock out , use 511 )
28,639 140 Natural vegetation fire, other
27,999 731 Sprinkler activation due to malfunction
26,368 711 Municipal alarm system, malicious false alarm
25,871 555 Defective elevator, no occupants
24,495 352 Extrication of victim(s) from vehicle
23,320 911 Citizen complaint
23,017 715 Local alarm system, malicious false alarm
22,987 141 Forest, woods or wildland fire
21,442 541 Animal problem
20,413 251 Excessive heat, scorch burns with no ignition
18,763 714 Central station, malicious false alarm
18,596 542 Animal rescue
18,366 652 Steam, vapor, fog or dust thought to be smoke
17,757 442 Overheated motor
15,094 813 Wind storm, tornado/hurricane assessment
14,299 460 Accident, potential accident, other
14,290 130 Mobile property (vehicle) fire, other
13,814 160 Special outside fire, other
13,698 413 Oil or other combustible liquid spill
13,662 800 Severe weather or natural disaster, other
13,356 132 Road freight or transport vehicle fire
13,261 441 Heat from short circuit (wiring), defective/worn
11,096 621 Wrong location
10,650 112 Fires in structures other than in a building
9,715 734 Heat detector activation due to malfunction
9,409 650 Steam, other gas mistaken for smoke, other
9,158 350 Extrication, rescue, other
9,133 114 Chimney or flue fire, confined to chimney or flue
8,919 653 Barbecue, tar kettle
8,792 480 Attempted burning, illegal action, other
8,770 162 Outside equipment fire
8,177 410 Flammable gas or liquid condition, other
7,623 138 Off-road vehicle or heavy equipment fire
7,474 422 Chemical spill or leak
7,032 341 Search for person on land
6,961 461 Building or structure weakened or collapsed
6,227 521 Water evacuation
5,383 365 Watercraft rescue
5,319 116 Fuel burner/boiler malfunction, fire confined
5,185 641 Vicinity alarm (incident in other location)
4,961 812 Flood assessment
4,889 713 Telephone, malicious false alarm
4,887 121 Fire in mobile home used as fixed residence
4,788 732 Extinguishing system activation due to malfunction
4,752 712 Direct tie to FD, malicious/false alarm
4,672 421 Chemical hazard (no spill or leak)
4,554 814 Lightning strike (no fire)
4,395 512 Ring or jewelry removal
4,264 200 Overpressure rupture, explosion, overheat other
4,022 360 Water & ice related rescue, other
3,721 351 Extrication of victim(s) from building/structure
3,673 451 Biological hazard, confirmed or suspected
3,627 161 Outside storage fire
3,563 342 Search for person in water
3,392 815 Severe weather or natural disaster standby
3,138 363 Swift water rescue
3,128 122 Fire in motor home, camper, recreational vehicle
3,068 632 Prescribed fire
2,963 742 Extinguishing system activation
2,731 540 Animal problem, other
2,716 137 Camper or recreational vehicle (RV) fire
2,543 721 Bomb scare - no bomb
2,505 364 Surf rescue
2,448 420 Toxic condition, other
2,351 361 Swimming/recreational water areas rescue
2,145 357 Extrication of victim(s) from machinery
2,093 243 Fireworks explosion (no fire)
2,089 443 Light ballast breakdown
2,038 481 Attempt to burn
1,872 356 High angle rescue
1,737 340 Search, other
1,720 171 Cultivated grain or crop fire
1,526 170 Cultivated vegetation, crop fire, other
1,469 240 Explosion (no fire), other
1,395 123 Fire in portable building, fixed location
1,356 221 Overpressure rupture of air or gas pipe/pipeline
1,277 423 Refrigeration leak
1,248 153 Construction or demolition landfill fire
1,222 152 Garbage dump or sanitary landfill fire
1,177 117 Commercial Compactor fire, confined to rubbish
1,083 173 Cultivated trees or nursery stock fire
1,041 134 Water vehicle fire
781 471 Explosive, bomb removal (for bomb scare, use 721)
761 672 Biological hazard investigation, none found
759 220 Overpressure rupture from air or gas, other
710 371 Electrocution or potential electrocution
709 223 Air or gas rupture of pressure or process vessel
700 120 Fire in mobile prop. used as a fixed struc., other
678 372 Trapped by power lines
661 115 Incinerator overload or malfunction, fire confined
650 211 Overpressure rupture of steam pipe or pipeline
640 354 Trench/below grade rescue
620 355 Confined space rescue
620 362 Ice rescue
609 163 Outside gas or vapor combustion explosion
583 155 Outside stationary compactor/compacted trash fire
573 370 Electrical rescue, other
528 210 Overpressure rupture from steam, other
469 133 Rail vehicle fire
414 212 Overpressure rupture of steam boiler
393 136 Self-propelled motor home or recreational vehicle
269 482 Threat to burn
239 231 Chemical reaction rupture of process vessel
237 244 Dust explosion (no fire)
201 811 Earthquake assessment
163 213 Steam rupture of pressure or process vessel
150 751 Biological hazard, malicious false report
141 222 Overpressure rupture of boiler from air or gas
130 164 Outside mailbox fire
123 135 Aircraft fire
104 242 Blasting agent explosion (no fire)
100 172 Cultivated orchard or vineyard fire
99 110 Structure fire, other (conversion only)
86 241 Munitions or bomb explosion (no fire)
49 343 Search for person underground
40 431 Radiation leak, radioactive material
38 430 Radioactive condition, other

Data Source and Methodology

The data above count NFIRS basic incidents, year 2022, for all states, where mutual aid is not given (codes 3 and 4).

Mutual aid given incident reports are not counted in order to avoid duplicates.