Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) is supporting National Hoarding Awareness Week, 13-17 May 2024 to help raise awareness of the fire risks associated with hoarding.
There is often a strong link between hoarding and fire risks and it’s estimated that hoarding affects 2-5% of the UK population (Hoarding Awareness Week, Clouds End CIC).
Fire risks associated with hoarding include:
- Escape routes may become blocked preventing easy escape in the event of a fire.
- Fire spread and intensity can be accelerated by hoarded material.
- Materials can increase smoke development.
- Those with hoarding behaviours may not want people to access their space meaning essential repairs on property and utilities are not reported and fixed.
- Hoarding also creates additional risks for firefighters.
The free home fire safety (Safe and Well) visits offered by HIWFRS play a huge part in identifying and supporting those who may be displaying hoarding behaviours.
HIWFRS Safeguarding Lead Laura Cane-Andrews said:
“Our home fire safety visits play a huge part in identifying and supporting members of our community who may be displaying hoarding behaviours, to ensure they remain safe but can also receive any support they may want and need.
We work closely with the individual and multi-agency partners to reduce the fire risks in the home.”
HIWFRS has shared details of some of the individual’s they’ve worked with, to highlight the devastating impact hoarding can have on people’s lives.
When responding to a fire in the back garden of a member of the community, the HIWFRS Crew Manager identified a high level of hoarding within the property. Concerned over B’s welfare and the high fire risks associated with hoarding, the Crew Manager raised a safeguarding referral. This led to follow-up joint visits by the local Community Safety Officer (CSO) and Adult Services team.
During visits B explained that his property had contained a high volume of books, newspapers and videos for many years. In the last two years this had become overwhelming for him, and he had even become isolated from his family and friends.
B reflected that the incident attended by HIWFRS crews had been a big eye-opener for him. The professional yet friendly approach taken by the crew helped him realise support was available and he didn’t need to be ashamed of his hoarding.
B now receives regular support from an Independence Advisor Specialist in hoarding and he has made great progress. Not only has this reduced the risk of fire to his property and improved his mental health and well-being; it has also allowed him to re-connect with his family.
Hoarding is a complex mental health condition and each person’s individual circumstances have to be taken into account when deciding on the best approach. In some cases, the referred person who’s displaying the hoarding behaviour may refuse support. The Fire Service’s role then becomes advisory as part of a multi-agency approach.
H is currently displaying high levels of hoarding within her property and has been referred to HIWFRS by both housing and adult social care, but she has declined a home fire safety visit to help address the hoarding behaviour. H is at risk of losing her tenancy due to the hoarding concerns, so HIWFRS is working closely with partner agencies through multi-agency risk management meetings to try and support her and ensure her fire risks are still managed and where possible reduced.
H has large kitchen appliances blocking one of the doorways to her property which is a significant fire risk as this could prevent her escape in an emergency. There are also health concerns as there may be vermin within the property due to storage of spoiled food items.
Following advice from multiple partners, H has recently allowed some of her neighbours to enter the property and start to clear some of the hoarded items, so progress has been made. HIWFRS are waiting for confirmation for a home fire safety (safe and well) visit to go ahead with H’s consent. Until then, HIWFRS will continue to support partner agencies with mitigating fire risks.
You can read the full case studies here or find out more about free home fire safety visits.