Good morning, from the Chamber of Hoarders. We would like to finish the article series on making the choice to crawl over piles of belonging while fighting fires inside hoarder homes. We have covered the victim profile, and evaluation of the levels of hoard. It is now time to give some final suggestions of crawling over this massive amount of stuff. So back into the chamber we go:
Dangers of Crawling Over:
Since taking on this topic of hoarder home responses I have had the honor of speaking with hundreds of firefighters from the US and Canada about the dangers associated with fighting fires in Hoarder homes. During these interviews the dangers of crawling over a pile has become quite clear. Often these stacks of belongings are not solid enough to traverse over making it dangerous if you attempt to go up and over. A standard firefighter in gear with a SCBA averages almost 300 lbs. Add that weight to an unstable pile and you have a recipe for disaster. Hoarders can have various things inside these stacks. It may look like a column of books in boxes but it might be boxes on the bottom with piles of clothes on top.
It will be hard to decide what is in those stacks during fire conditions as well. There have been stories of firefighter crawling over these stacks and causing them to collapse down into some glass that is stored beneath the layers. Broken glass will cut through you turnout pants. Besides glass, there can me any number of dangerous materials inside this pile. You need to stay aware of this potential when deciding to crawl over.
If you make that choice to go over the piles, you need to crawl over feet first. This will allow you to control you decent if you start falling off the debris. Just like crawling down a set of stairs, you need to secure your footing when descending. It will also allow you to control the belongings that may fall around you. These items can hit you anywhere imaginable. Remember that hoarders can store anything from newspapers to car parts inside their homes can help you make these choices.
Final Thought:
When facing a fire in hoarder conditions you will meet piles of debris at varying levels. From knee to head high these stacks will make a challenging fire almost impossible. You need to be aware of the hidden dangers inside these piles if you choose to go over them. Common sense tells you that if they are head high you might not be going over them. However, at the same time when you hear someone screaming for their life many of you will attempt just that. Remember that you will be passing a threshold that you may not return. Take your search ropes, find a better point of entry, and do not take an unacceptable amount of risks. We are here to protect life but remember that hoarder homes are not normal and need dealt with in a new mindset. You may be unable to save them. This may prove one of your hardest decisions in you fire service career.
Thanks for the visit to the chamber!
