ECFR Observes Hoarding Awareness Month During February

In an effort to raise awareness about the dangers of hoarding conditions inside your home, Escambia County Fire Rescue is recognizing February as "Hoarding Awareness Month." 

During 2021, ECFR responded to over 240 residential structure fires. When firefighters responded to homes that presented hoarding conditions, the process to extinguish the fire and rescue those inside becomes more difficult.

"Hoarding conditions provide a number of challenges for the fire department," said Deputy Chief Paul Williams. "It creates a hazard for the occupant restricting egress and their ability to evacuate in a timely fashion. The items being hoarded are all fuel load, meaning these things will burn and can intensify the fire."

The National Fire Prevention Association lists how hoarding impacts first responders:

• Hoarding puts first responders in harm's way.
• Firefighters cannot move swiftly through a home filled with clutter.
• Responders can be trapped in a home when exits are blocked. They can be injured by objects falling from piles. 
• The weight of the stored items, especially if water is added to put out a fire, can lead to building collapse.
• Fighting fires is very risky in a hoarding home. It is hard to enter the home to provide medical care. The clutter impedes the search and rescue of people and pets.

"We want our citizens to be aware of these dangers and never block escape routes out of the home, "said Fire and Life Specialist Ray Melton. "Make sure you always have two routes of escape from each room."

For fire safety tips and other updates from Escambia County Fire Rescue, like Escambia County Fire Rescue on Facebook.