Compulsive hoarding has been in the media spotlight for some time, thanks in large part to shows on A&E and TLC. While those show usually focus on the social and family problems related to hoarding, another hazard is often overlooked--fire. In many situations, items may be kept too close to stoves and heat sources, exits may be blocked, smoke alarms may not work and frayed
electrical cords may be prevalent.
In the latest issue of NFPA Journal, Stephanie Schorow takes a look at "The Dangers of Too Much Stuff" and how the fire service and human service professionals are dealing with safety issues related to
compulsive hoarding. "While the relationship between hoarding and fire
safety has yet to be fully documented—NFPA, for example, does not
maintain specific data on hoarding-related fires—the work of social
scientists and the anecdotal reports of the fire service are gradually
combining to reveal an important fire threat," Schorow writes.
What the fire service is also learning, Schorow notes, is that "it may take
a variety of professionals, ranging from mental health counselors to
building inspectors, to devise a working plan for addressing issues." In fact, she reports that about 85
communities around the country have organized hoarding task forces,
according to Christiana Bratiotis, a post-doctoral fellow at the
Hoarding Research Project at Boston University. These groups may include building inspectors, social workers, elderly-service
workers, social psychologists, animal control officers and first
responders.
Read the article here. View an NFPA video report on the subject here.
A Blog From the American Society of Safety Engineers