Heart disease causes 45% of the deaths that occur among . firefighters while they are on duty. We examined duty-specific risks of death from coronary heart disease among on-duty . firefighters from 1994 to 2004. Methods We reviewed summaries provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency of the deaths of all on-duty firefighters between 1994 and 2004, except for deaths associated with the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.