Final answer:
The statement is false. Firefighters and police officers did not die in large numbers trying to rescue people. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire is an example where firefighters' ladders were too short to reach the top floors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'Hundreds of firefighters and police died trying to rescue people' is FALSE.
While there were indeed many firefighters and police who risked their lives to rescue people during various fires, including the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City in 1911, the statement in question does not specify a particular event. It is important to provide context and specify the event when discussing historic tragedies.
In the case of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, 146 workers died, but most of them were employees of the factory, not firefighters or police officers. The firefighters' ladders were too short to reach the top floors, making it difficult for them to carry out their rescue efforts.
Learn more about Firefighter and police deaths in rescue efforts