HOARDING Seminar/2013/Files/Mike...•Hoarding is too big of an issue for 1 agency •Cities ,...

Smoke Alarms Save Lives

HOARDING

Lt Mike Simpson

Saanich Fire Department

Co-chair – Victoria Working Group on Hoarding

[email protected]


HOARDING-

More Than Just Clutter


• A man had been married to his wife for over 50 years. She was

a compulsive hoarder. He took care of his wife when her health

went into decline. As she was dying, her last words were not” I

love you.” Instead, her last words were “please don’t touch my

stuff.”

Hoarding


• Hoarding – Hoarding is the

excessive collection of items, along

with the inability to discard them.

What is Hoarding


• Compulsive buying or collecting free things

• Saving all of these possessions; having great difficulty

discarding anything

• An absolute attachment to all things they have acquired

• Failure to organize or maintain all the possessions

• Living spaces become so cluttered that they can’t be used

for the activities they were intended for.

Hoarding Behaviors


Who Hoards?

• Hoarding behaviour can start to show itself around 13 years of

age

• Hoarding shows itself as a moderate problem in peoples 20s

and 30s

• Hoarding is at its most severe in people in their 40s and 50s

• Woman tend to show symptoms earlier than men

• Men hoard more than woman

• People who also have an underlying mental health issue. Eg-

ADHD, Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

• 1 out of 20 people have significant hoarding issues


HOW DO WE FIND OUT ABOUT THEM

• The fire department receives a call from one of the following

who is concerned about the well being of a person

• Family members

• Police

• Neighbors

• Strata councils

• Property managers

• Fire crews

• Utility workers


Task Forces

• Hoarding is too big of an issue for 1 agency

• Cities , municipalities and counties have set up

hoarding task forces

• This allows for responders to stay in their areas of

expertise

• This allows for the hoarder to receive the best possible

care and allows for them access to the most resources

in order to help them


Task Force Example

• Protective Service Workers

• Animal Control Officials

• Senior Service Providers

• Code Enforcement Officials

• Vector Control

• Health and Mental Health Professionals

• Fire Department Representatives

• Housing Representatives

• Professional Organizers & Cleaning Companies

• Consumers

• Family Members


Who’s Needed on Your Team? Hoarding Organizational Chart

Initial point of contact

Police, Fire, Bylaw, VIHA

Family member, Community member

Fire Prevention

250-475-5500

•Fire hazards

•Life safety

•BC Fire Code violations

BC Safety Authority

778 -396-2000

•Gas Inspector

•Electrical Inspector

Hazards

Disconnection?

Saanich Bylaw

250- 475-5456

Outside cleanup

Bylaw enforcement

Animal control

Municipal Bldg Inspector

250-475-5457

VIHA- (Environmental Health)

250-519-3648

•Complaints of extreme unsanitary

conditions

(rodents, mould, feces etc)

VIHA-(Mental Health Issues)

Addictions Outreach Clinician

Cell: 778- 679-2932

•Mental Health Assessment

•Service Navigation

Saanich Police

250-475-4321

•Safety of Responders

•Entry of premise

•Keep the Peace


Numbers not Names

• If you look at our Org Chart you will see that

there are contact numbers not contact names.

This is important for you to consider when

creating your chart. The organizations will stay

the same but the people within the organizations

will change. Make sure you have access to the

departments needed to assist you with your

case.


Why the Fire Department?

• People assume that the fire department have the

authority to do something about the problem.

• Under the Fire Services Act – section 21 - the Fire

Department has the right to enter a residence at any

reasonable time to investigate any imminent threats to

life and property.


FIRE SERVICES ACT

• Section 21 Fire services Act

• Inspection of fire hazards

• 21 On complaint of a person interested or, if believed advisable, without

complaint, the fire commissioner and the commissioner's inspectors may

at all reasonable hours enter any premises anywhere in British Columbia

to inspect them and ascertain whether or not any of the following

conditions exist:

• (a) The premises are in a state of disrepair that a fire starting in them

might spread rapidly to endanger life or property

• (d) A fire hazard exists on the premises


FIRE SERVICES ACT

• Order to remedy conditions

• 22 (1) After an inspection the fire commissioner, or an

inspector with the fire commissioner's authority, may in

writing order that within a reasonable time, to be set by the

order,

• (a) if section 21 (a) applies, the owner remove or destroy the

premises, or the owner or occupier repair the premises,

• (d) if section 21 (d) applies, the owner or occupier remove or

take proper precautions against the fire hazard.


What Does The Fire Department

Do?

• Conduct an initial visit

• Asses the severity of the situation

• Complete checklist

• Rectify any imminent fire hazards as per fire services act

• Photo residence

• Provide information sheet

• Educate the occupant of hazards for themselves, first responders/fire suppression crews

• Create working relationship with occupant

• Give homework assignment

• Set up follow-up inspection


Rate the severity

• Is this a hoarding situation or is this clutter?

• Are there access issues?

• Are there fire/safety issues?

• Are there health related issues?

• Are there animal control issues?

• Experts have come up with a system to rate the severity of a

hoarding situation. The scale is 1-9

• Look to intervene if the severity is somewhere between 4 – 5


Living Room


What's the severity?


What's the severity?


Kitchen


Rate the Severity


Rate the Severity


Bedroom


Rate the Severity


Rate the Severity


Remember

• Hoarders have a mental health disorder

• Most do not want people in their home

• They may be embarrassed by the state of their home

• They may believe that there is nothing wrong with

the state of their home


The Initial Visit

• Introduce yourself and state why you are there.

• First impressions will set the tone for the relationship to follow

• Be compassionate- Do not Judge

• Look for imminent fire hazards- clearance to combustibles, working smoke detector

• Be careful not to overwhelm the person /persons

• Leave a safety information sheet

• Educate the occupants on the risks to them as well as first responders who may have to enter their home in case of emergency

• Assign homework and set up a follow up visit


Initial Checklist

• Address- ______________ Date of 1st Visit ________________

•

• Occupant-______________ Phone #- ______________

•

• Upon entry with a member from a member of the Ministry of Social Development you are looking for any imminent Fire Hazard under section 21 of the Fire Services Act.

• Fire Safety Action

• Working Smoke Detectors Y N ___________________________

• Clearances – Baseboard Heaters Y N __________________________

• Clearances- Furnace Y N __________________________

• Clearances -Stovetop – combustibles Y N ___________________________

• Exiting – Hallways / Doorways clear Y N ____________________________

• Electrical Safety – If any concerns contact BC Safety Electrical Authority- 250-952-4443

• If Required- why? _______________________________________________________

• Contact VIHA 250-519-3401 if there are any signs of:

• No running water or access to bath facilities

• Fecal matter – human or animal

• Rodents

• Or for any other reason you deem to be a health risk to the occupant

• If Required why? ________________________________________________________

• Contact Ministry of Children & Family Development – 250-952-6062 if you have

• any concerns about the well being of children.

• If Required why? ____________________________________________________________

• Occupant compliant y N

• Documented with photos Y N

• CAD Alert required Y N

• Follow up Actions/Correction Notice________________________________________

•

• Follow up appointment booked for Date: _________ Time: ______


Sample checklist

• Address 4595 Elk Lake Dr. Date of first visit January 1, 2012____

•

• Name of Occupant Joe Smith Phone Number 250-123-4567______

• Referred By Flo Smith (daughter)____________ Inspected By Lt. Simpson__________

•

• Upon entry with a member of the Ministry of Social Development you are looking for any imminent Fire Hazard under section 21 of the Fire Services Act.

• FIRE SAFETY Y N ACTION

• Working Smoke Detectors √ □ Tested

• Clearances - Baseboard Heaters □ √ Moved Boxes away 18 inches

• Clearances - Furnace √ □ All Clear_

• Clearances – Stovetop □ √ UnPlugged Stove___

• Exiting - Hallways / Doorways clear □ √ Hallways Need Cleaning__

• Contact BC Safety Electrical Authority at 250-952-4443 if you have any Electrical concerns.

• If Required - why?

• _____________________________________________________________________________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

•

• Please see other side


Sample Checklist

• Contact VIHA at 250-519-3401 if there are any signs of:

•

• No running water or access to bath facilities

• Fecal matter – human or animal

• Rodents

• Or for any other reason you deem to be a health risk to the occupant

• If Required - why? ___Not Required________________________________________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

• Contact Ministry of Children & Family Development at 250-952-6062 if you have any concerns about the well being of children.

• If Required - why? ___Not Required_________________________________________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

• Occupant compliant √ Y □ N

• Documented with photos √ Y □ N

• CAD Alert required √ Y □ N

• Correction Notice √ Y □ N

• Follow up Actions 1)_Remove contents from hallways so there is a clean corridor to

• doorway__2) Do not use stove until all combustibles have been removed___________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

• _____________________________________________________________________________

•

• Follow up appointment booked for Date: January 8, 2012_______ Time: _0900 ______


Hazards to First Responders

• Access to occupant difficult

• Responders may get injured by falling debris

• Hose lines get pinched or stuck

• Fire growth well above average

• Fire intensity well above average

• Difficult to suppress the fire

• Explain the CAD alert that will be put on the

computer file for responding fire units


Information Sheet

5 Ways To Make Your Home Safe

• Make sure you have at least 1 working smoke detector on

every level of your home.

• Keep your Kitchen area clean- 1out of 4 house fires start in the

kitchen.

• Maintain clear Exit pathways – Can you get out?

• Maintain a minimum 18 inch clearance to all heat sources like

baseboard heaters, portable heaters, stovetops, electrical panels

and furnaces.

• Keep doorways free and clear of storage.


Homework

• Remember all imminent fire hazards have already

been taken care of.

• Homework and tasks should be small and easily

accomplished

• Your goal is for the occupant to have success and

accomplish the task

• Eg- Clear pathway to the door

• - Recylce 3 bags of paper

• - Clean all boxes off the couch so they can use it

• - Clean off bed so they can use it


CAD Alert Required?

• If it is determined that the home is unsafe for first

responders to enter then a CAD alert should be

posted on the computer FDM program.


Sample CAD Alert

• LOI (Special Situations):

• Type: FACILITY Location: 4595 ELK LAKE DR SNCH

• Description: LOCATION INFORMATION

• Message: 4595 ELK LK DR SAANICH SAANICH FIRE STATION NO.2

• Type: DANGER Location: 4595 ELK LAKE DR SNCH

• Description: Demonstration Record

• Message: FIRE HAZARD. SIGNIFICANT LOAD DUE TO HOARDING

USE EXTREME CAUTION


Hoarding File Should Include

• Initial checklist

• Photos

• Memos

• Indication if the occupant is compliant

• Copy of correction notice issued

• Any updated photos and memos pertaining to each

follow up visit


Follow up if occupant is

compliant

• Continue with follow up visits- try to stay consistent

whenever possible

• Continue to assign homework or tasks

• Monitor progress with updated photos and memos

• CAD Alert stays on computer for 1 year or until

residence is deemed safe for responders by a Fire

Inspector

• Get family members involved whenever possible

• Provide names of agencies that can help occupant with

cleanup and support.


If occupant is not compliant

• Create hoarding file with checklist, photos and

memos

• Ensure all fire crews are aware of address and

hazards

• Ensure CAD alert is in place on computer

• Return annually as CAD alert expires to conduct

a re-inspection of premises.


Be Prepared

• Is your Chief on board? This is a process that can take

years

• A fast cleanup will only make the situation worse down

the road and can be very traumatic on the hoarder

• You must be consistent with your visits

• You must be realistic with your homework assignments

• Try to get family involved wherever possible


Getting started

• Start by contacting a few agencies in your jurisdiction who have a vested interest in the problem and have a meeting.

• Health Authority

• Housing Representatives

• Seniors Outreach Programs

• Discuss all the issues that concern you and ask everyone to bring someone who they feel is affected by hoarding to the next meeting. This is a slow process.


There is no money!

• A common complaint will be there is no money

to help with the cleanup process or the sorting

process for hoarders. At this time we have no

way to assist hoarders in Saanich with the

cleanup of their home. One thing you can do is

provide a list of options that are available at no

cost.


Free Resources

• Recycling

• Municipal trash collection

• Book donations

• Used Victoria ( your city/town)

• Salvation Army

• St Vincent DePaul

• Woman in Need Society


Work in Progress

• We are still finding our way in Victoria. We are

still looking to create :

• A Peer Group for Hoarders

• A volunteer group to help with sorting and clean-

up

• Funding for treatment for Hoarders


Always Remember

• One persons trash is another persons

treasure

Date post:	20-May-2020
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