Fires becoming deadlier as firefighter recruitment wanes

By REBECCA SANTANA
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fires are burning faster and becoming deadlier at the same time that fire departments across the country are struggling to retain and recruit firefighters. That was the message during a press conference Thursday in Washington designed to draw attention to the nation’s fire problems. The even comes roughly a year after two deadly fires days apart killed 29 people. One was in New York and the other in Philadelphia. U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell says last year nearly 2,500 people died as a result of fires. They’re also recommending a number of ways to deal with the problem, such as creating apprenticeships to train new firefighters.