The U.S. Fire Administration released its completed firefighter fatality report of 2011 on Tuesday.
According to the report, there were 83 on-duty firefighter fatalities, representing a continuing decline in the overall number of firefighter deaths in recent years.
That number is two more than the number recorded by the agency's preliminary report released in January.
Last year's tally is an almost five percent decrease from the 87 fatalities reported in 2010 and is the lowest of record for the second year in a row going back to 1977 when accounting for the Hometown Heroes added to totals since the law changed in 2004.
The fatalities occurred in 33 states, one U.S. territory, and one overseas U.S. military facility.
Texas had had the highest number of fatalities, seven, while North Carolina experienced six and was the only other state with five or more.
Heart attacks were responsible for the deaths of 50 firefighters, nearly the same proportion of firefighter deaths from heart attack or stroke recorded in 2010.
Ten firefighters died while operating at wildland fires -- the lowest number of annual firefighter deaths associated with wildland fires since 1996.
Fifty-four percent of all firefighter fatalities occurred while performing emergency duties.
Four firefighters were killed by trauma caused by motor vehicle collisions, including three in privately-owned vehicles and one in a fire department apparatus.
The total of number of on-duty firefighter fatalities reported by National Fire Protection Association for 2011 was 61.
That organization's criteria differs from that of the USFA, as it does not include fallen firefighters included under the Hometown Heroes Act.
