Editor's note: Find Firehouse.com's complete coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic here.

COVID-19 is being blamed for the majority of line-of-duty deaths among firefighters and law enforcement members this year, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

The Officer Down Memorial Page and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund show around 100 COVID-related law enforcement, outstripping fatalities related to gun violence, vehicle accidents and other causes in 2020, the USFA said in an update. Deaths related to COVID for fire and EMS workers also have increased this year, according to several sources.

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Federal legislation passed in August created a statutory presumption that first responders who died or were disabled stemming from COVID-19 contracted the virus in the line of duty. By the end of the year, the coronavirus could double overall line-of-duty deaths for firefighters, EMS workers and law enforcement officers, according to the USFA.

A recent survey of first responders found that firefighters are the least likely to wear masks in buildings despite evidence showing their effectiveness at preventing the spread of the virus, the USFA stated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, EMS.gov and the USFA offer safety recommendations for first responders.