Ems Response to Hoarding: Locating the Victim

One type of call that Fire, EMS, and Law Enforcement often respond to is the

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="229"] Ems response to Hoarding


“check the well being” of a occupant that has not made contact with family in a certain amount of time.  Being called to check the well being of a person inside hoarding conditions can turn into a major incident it the responders enter ill prepared.  Let’s take a look inside the hoarding environment to offer some insight for first responders tasked with going inside them looking for people that have not been communicating with their friends, family, or others.

Ensuring Occupancy


Before we go inside the hoarding environment, exposing ourselves to different dangers, we should take steps to determine if the person is still living there.  Often, in hoarding conditions an occupant can fill their home until it is no longer inhabitable and just move out, that simple.  If the home has become so full the occupant will often disconnect the utilities, whether their choice or the building inspectors choice, and move to a different location.

If the call comes in to check on an occupant and you arrive to find a potential Heavy Content Environment we should take some steps to find out if the home is still occupied.

  • Have dispatch forward contact information to on scene responders for questioning

  • Question neighbors

  • Inspect utility meters

  • Perform a 380 degree size up

  • Look for access points (often NOT the front or back door)


Locating the Victim


Once the determination has been made that a person could be inside the hoarding it’s time

[caption id="attachment_883" align="alignright" width="200"]Hoarding Hoarding


to go looking for them.   Understanding that hoarding can take over a home and prohibit occupants from sleeping in bedrooms or sitting in living room can help lead you to their locations.  If you understand this complication we may start searching for occupants in different locations.

Example: Searching for an occupant after dark, we may start our search in the living room instead of the bedroom.

The best way of making access to trapped occupants will be to find their primary entrance points.  If the home has filled the space around “normal” access points, such as doorways, they will often enter through windows or other means.  Finding these entrances will be the best place to start looking for a missing person.

Using the only access points will lead you to the “goat paths” throughout the home.   These pathways can lead directly to the occupant.  Warning: using these pathways EMS providers should start a search pattern when looking for occupants and try to keep the belongings in place.  Keeping the debris from falling can be a difficult task as the pathways can be so narrow.

One way of making your travel through the pathways less destructive is to leave your bags outside the environment until the patient has been discovered.  Without our bags across our shoulders it will reduce or profile and keep from knocking the stacks over.  First responders should carry a small bag or the basic CPR mask just in case of impending need of CPR or rescue breathing.  Keeping the bags outside the building will also reduce the need for decontaminating them as well.

EMS providers should use a coordinated search pattern to find the victims, much like firefighters would.  Collapsed belongings could easily hide patients. Utilizing a primary and secondary search can help offer the occupant a larger chance of survival

Primary: Traveling the pathways looking for occupants quickly and efficiently.  The primary search should be a quick and organized search. 

Secondary: Secondary searches should be a slower search where individual piles of collapsed belongings that seem out of place or different should be inspected for occupants.

Review


Hoarding can present many challenges to first responders in all three divisions.  Before entering a hoarded environment you should ensure the potential for occupancy and use an accurate size up to locate the victim.  Finding people that are missing inside the massive amounts of belongings can turn a “routine” check the well being call into a technical rescue inside a Haz-Mat situation.

Start preparing for the call you will receive, not might receive.  Hoarding is found in everyone’s district and it is an area that we need to review.  Use this quick article for some thought stirring discussion and review your department’s policies on entering private residence on check the well being calls.
Hoarder Fire: North Huntsville Alabama
Hoarder Fire Live Fire Test

Related Posts

 

Comments 71

Guest - doudoune homme moncler on Wednesday, 01 October 2014 02:56

doudoune homme moncler

As always, Brian... Spot-ON! #Kudos... now to verify if all these aged eye can keep tabs on and make something based on Google's MapMaker a big portion of our SEO Gurus on the web Skype ip telefoni party everyday (as you know! ) is invested in making&

doudoune homme moncler As always, Brian... Spot-ON! #Kudos... now to verify if all these aged eye can keep tabs on and make something based on Google's MapMaker a big portion of our SEO Gurus on the web Skype ip telefoni party everyday (as you know! ) is invested in making&
Guest - mulberry uk on Friday, 03 October 2014 03:20

mulberry uk

That definitely sounds like a definite case of the RIAA staying upset that will nobody is getting audio considerably anymore, and they are losing money, so let's merely chase this one guy and also YOUR PET purchase the truth that an incredible number&

mulberry uk That definitely sounds like a definite case of the RIAA staying upset that will nobody is getting audio considerably anymore, and they are losing money, so let's merely chase this one guy and also YOUR PET purchase the truth that an incredible number&
Guest - air max pas cher on Friday, 03 October 2014 03:30

air max pas cher

Hi there! I got simply asking yourself exactly how this specific performs for ones older kids. We can visualize it would be just the thing for simple, but you may be wondering what in relation to air max pas cher Junior. Substantial as well as Senior h&

air max pas cher Hi there! I got simply asking yourself exactly how this specific performs for ones older kids. We can visualize it would be just the thing for simple, but you may be wondering what in relation to air max pas cher Junior. Substantial as well as Senior h&
Guest - sac longchamp pliage on Wednesday, 08 October 2014 05:45

sac longchamp pliage

I believe I will organise an experiment like that. Some sort of corp staff consumers WSS using the iSCSI targeted software program to provide storage space to get the cluster. No later than this check if he could run a benchmark on the WSS however from&

sac longchamp pliage I believe I will organise an experiment like that. Some sort of corp staff consumers WSS using the iSCSI targeted software program to provide storage space to get the cluster. No later than this check if he could run a benchmark on the WSS however from&
Guest - louboutin paris on Wednesday, 08 October 2014 06:04

louboutin paris

Two times earlier, The Montreal Canadiens broken eighth with eastern side. consequently, they went through a lineup change for better. past obtained been players like for example Alex Kovalev and after that paul Komisarek, on grew manufacturers like ch&

louboutin paris Two times earlier, The Montreal Canadiens broken eighth with eastern side. consequently, they went through a lineup change for better. past obtained been players like for example Alex Kovalev and after that paul Komisarek, on grew manufacturers like ch&
Guest - boutique en ligne canada goose on Wednesday, 08 October 2014 17:25

boutique en ligne canada goose

You created a few quality components generally there. My partner and i seemed on the net for any problem and located many individuals surely go together with together with your web page.

boutique en ligne canada goose You created a few quality components generally there. My partner and i seemed on the net for any problem and located many individuals surely go together with together with your web page.
Guest - doudoune moncler femme on Wednesday, 08 October 2014 19:20

doudoune moncler femme

Do we reduce to be looked at in the event that our condition is usually hidden. I find myself similar to the privacy has become troubled due to this sort computer software =[ Have you any idea precisely how?? Many thanks in advance.

doudoune moncler femme Do we reduce to be looked at in the event that our condition is usually hidden. I find myself similar to the privacy has become troubled due to this sort computer software =[ Have you any idea precisely how?? Many thanks in advance.
Guest - Canada Goose Femme on Thursday, 09 October 2014 01:56

Canada Goose Femme

My partner and i don't get what exactly really suitable for from the start. Will it be considerably more then just the latest/greatest tool that will what exactly all of the others complete in any case? . -= Dennis Edell's final blog... Remark Contes&

Canada Goose Femme My partner and i don't get what exactly really suitable for from the start. Will it be considerably more then just the latest/greatest tool that will what exactly all of the others complete in any case? . -= Dennis Edell's final blog... Remark Contes&
Guest - boutique en ligne canada goose on Thursday, 09 October 2014 17:42

boutique en ligne canada goose

Many thanks Donnie! I absolutely concur with typically the hito information. Well-formed keyword phrases in addition to grammar really should be a part of just about any site for that factors a person be aware, nevertheless i hope individuals find out&

boutique en ligne canada goose Many thanks Donnie! I absolutely concur with typically the hito information. Well-formed keyword phrases in addition to grammar really should be a part of just about any site for that factors a person be aware, nevertheless i hope individuals find out&
Guest - veste moncler on Saturday, 11 October 2014 06:48

veste moncler

We have learned numerous considerations by using your posting. I might also love to talk about that there could be a scenario when you can apply for a college loan and do not have to have a co-signer such as a Authorities College student Support Financ&

veste moncler We have learned numerous considerations by using your posting. I might also love to talk about that there could be a scenario when you can apply for a college loan and do not have to have a co-signer such as a Authorities College student Support Financ&
Guest - blouson canada goose on Sunday, 12 October 2014 18:53

blouson canada goose

plz help me to help download LG R400 XNote Operater program.

blouson canada goose plz help me to help download LG R400 XNote Operater program.
Guest - louboutin pas cher on Monday, 13 October 2014 15:17

louboutin pas cher

Sawzag, I looked at this challenge, and also seemed to be struggle to repeat the item. If you ended up emailing typically the photo, ended up an individual competent to see the picture within your communication? William

louboutin pas cher Sawzag, I looked at this challenge, and also seemed to be struggle to repeat the item. If you ended up emailing typically the photo, ended up an individual competent to see the picture within your communication? William
Guest - wedding shoes uk on Tuesday, 14 October 2014 16:57

wedding shoes uk

We have a site with progress today referred to as BEATPLAY that's going to be described as a great tool for distinct designers to help showcase their songs at no cost. That is a good idea in order to gain exposure in addition to supporters with no pro&

wedding shoes uk We have a site with progress today referred to as BEATPLAY that's going to be described as a great tool for distinct designers to help showcase their songs at no cost. That is a good idea in order to gain exposure in addition to supporters with no pro&
Guest - Christian Louboutin Homme on Wednesday, 15 October 2014 12:17

Christian Louboutin Homme

Wendy and also Ron, we could not necessarily speaking about Atmosphere for INTERNET, we have been just talking about Sky's software program that they offer in order to shoppers that contain any high speed connection referred to as Heavens By simply Br&

Christian Louboutin Homme Wendy and also Ron, we could not necessarily speaking about Atmosphere for INTERNET, we have been just talking about Sky's software program that they offer in order to shoppers that contain any high speed connection referred to as Heavens By simply Br&
Guest - canada goose soldes on Wednesday, 15 October 2014 13:07

canada goose soldes

My partner and i far too think the idea stinks in which Stones tend not to supply an uninstaller for the Kontiki software. Therefore i'm at this time holding out some sort of ca from other techies to enhanse my family the way to erase it. Help keep yo&

canada goose soldes My partner and i far too think the idea stinks in which Stones tend not to supply an uninstaller for the Kontiki software. Therefore i'm at this time holding out some sort of ca from other techies to enhanse my family the way to erase it. Help keep yo&
Guest - Abercrombie France on Wednesday, 15 October 2014 14:06

Abercrombie France

Hi there, I have just asked the estivage program code contact form america online high speed broadband to ensure i am able to become a member of atmosphere maximum, on studying these kind of announcements i do think i might have made an oversight. I ha&

Abercrombie France Hi there, I have just asked the estivage program code contact form america online high speed broadband to ensure i am able to become a member of atmosphere maximum, on studying these kind of announcements i do think i might have made an oversight. I ha&
Guest - longchamp pliage on Wednesday, 15 October 2014 16:39

longchamp pliage

Those things pisses me personally about very last fm is the fact We never charged a single dollar once they have been making their particular information bottom, I do believe all of us allowd lastfm to help track our hard drives therefore it may develo&

longchamp pliage Those things pisses me personally about very last fm is the fact We never charged a single dollar once they have been making their particular information bottom, I do believe all of us allowd lastfm to help track our hard drives therefore it may develo&
Guest - sacs longchamp on Thursday, 16 October 2014 14:31

sacs longchamp

Thanks for your effort with this Donald. The one thing with regards to Yext that is certainly really worth mentioning: if some of often the mate internet sites has their own own position which has been used possession of after that in which info normal&

sacs longchamp Thanks for your effort with this Donald. The one thing with regards to Yext that is certainly really worth mentioning: if some of often the mate internet sites has their own own position which has been used possession of after that in which info normal&
Guest - doudoune moncler femme on Thursday, 16 October 2014 23:42

doudoune moncler femme

1 ) From the "about" selection, this claims my edition is several. minimal payments 6 (8E200) in the event that that will help.

doudoune moncler femme 1 ) From the "about" selection, this claims my edition is several. minimal payments 6 (8E200) in the event that that will help.
Guest - Parajumpers Jakke on Friday, 17 October 2014 06:48

Parajumpers Jakke

I use examine several good stuff in this article. Undoubtedly price saving with regard to returning to. My partner and i surprise just how a lot test you add for making this kind of fantastic beneficial web page.

Parajumpers Jakke I use examine several good stuff in this article. Undoubtedly price saving with regard to returning to. My partner and i surprise just how a lot test you add for making this kind of fantastic beneficial web page.
Already Registered? Login Here
Guest
Friday, 29 March 2024
View Store

Online Training Store

Find our DVDs and downloadable training material online here.

Go to top