The definition of clutter is when a space is covered with things that are scattered or disordered, with not enough floor space to move around. Today, more and more households are overloaded with personal content stored in each person’s respective space. Whether a bedroom, rented rooms, living room, basement, there’s no boundary exempt from the storage of excessive clutter. Excessive storage is found throughout the residence, in attics, closets, clothing stored in plastic bins stacked on the floor or under the bed, books, recreational equipment, bedding, and furniture. The sad part is that occupants are unaware of the fire hazards they have created. The accumulation of excessive clutter is the perfect environment for a fast-moving fire that can threaten the lives of the occupants and prevent them from exiting the building.
Today’s fires involve furnishings made with foam plastics (or synthetic materials), which have a higher energy density than natural fuels. When the plastics burn, they generate heat and fuel-rich smoke, which can result in rapid fire growth and reach temperatures exceeding 1,200°F within a very short period of time.
Why Does Clutter Exist?
Some reasons for clutter include:
- A lack of closet space to store seasonal clothing and other items, using plastic storage bins as a substitute
- Too many occupants within the residence
- Lack of general housekeeping, elderly residence, the disabled
- Depression or other mental disabilities
- Substance abuse
- The intent of saving items that may be needed someday, tucked away and forgotten over time
- Addiction (shopaholic)
The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) divides the accumulation of clutter into three groups, light, medium, heavy. Units that encounter these conditions should immediately inform the incident commander so he can assign additional units to assist in tactics and to raise awareness that fire extinguishment and search efforts can be severely hampered or delayed due to these conditions.
Light: little or no effect on firefighting operations (i.e. access, hoseline advancement and search).
Medium: entrances and interior pathways are partially blocked, hampering movement throughout the structure or apartment.
Heavy: overall operations will be severely impacted due to complete blockage of entrances and interior pathways.
Unfortunately, in these occupancies, narrow aisles exist but are difficult to transverse due to all the materials stored in them, especially in zero-visibility conditions. In addition, firefighters’ hose streams or searching can knock piles of materials over and cut off any pathway that existed. There should be a clear aisle access area from all rooms in a household to an exit, but these conditions often obstruct such access.
- Bill Gustin: Hoarder House Fire
- Hoarder Homes: Considerations for Fighting Fires in High Content/Reduced Air Space Homes
- Structure Fires Involving Hoarders
- The Dangers of Hoarder Fires
The Sad Reality of Hoarding
Hoarding, on the other hand, is considered a key symptom of a mental illness known as hoarding disorder. It’s characterized by the extreme difficulty of getting rid of possessions—even those of little or no value. As items accumulate over time, they clutter a person’s home to the point where living spaces can’t be used as intended. When severe, hoarding can put a person (and others in the home) in danger.
Life Safety for Firefighters
Every time firefighters enter a smoke-filled area, they are confronted with several unknowns, including the floor layout of the area and what obstacles or hazardous conditions are waiting inside. Locating the fire and conducting a primary search is a challenging task that can be complicated by excessive clutter throughout the residence. It is imperative that firefighters inform the incident commander of cluttered condition that will affect fire operations.
Navigating down a hallway in a heavy smoke condition, using my hands on the wall to find the bedroom doorway, I came across a bicycle that was propped up against the wall. As I moved passed the bicycle, it slid downward and the peddle became lodged in the high-pressure hose of the self-contained breathing apparatus. Unable to move, one of the inside team’s firefighters assisted me and helped to disentangle the hose and mask’s frame from the bicycle. Often, firefighters will find occupants storing commercial shopping carts near the front entrance, blocking access and egress from the occupancy. If the object can be relocated, move it; removing it entirely from the area might be the best possible solution. Crews must maintain a clear path, in the event that fire conditions become untenable and firefighters must exit immediately. Advancement of the hoseline is critical, and having a clear path for the engine company to advance to the seat of the fire is of paramount importance. In heavy clutter conditions, it may be necessary to allow the engine company to proceed first, using the reach of the hose stream to knock down the fire, which can be deep seated amid all the clutter, producing extreme heat and fire conditions. If the stream is ineffective, it may mean you must abort interior operations and implement exterior streams. Firefighters must use caution when crawling over materials, since they can shift and fall entrapping a member. They should not tunnel through materials because they could become trapped under a heavy load of debris and not be able to lift the materials off themselves. The collapse of materials onto a firefighter could also dislodge a member’s face piece, which is a life-threatening emergency.
Fire SAFETY Messaging
A picture is worth a thousand words to illustrate the message of a fire breeding condition, excessive clutter in the home, that will impede an emergency exit or create a tripping hazard. Fire prevention efforts should emphasize on the following:
- Removal of any objects that will impede an emergency exit.
- Not charging lithium batteries in an egress pathway or unsupervised.
- Don’t block electrical outlets with combustible materials.
- Don’t overload power strips.
- Extension cords should not run under carpets.
- Electric space heaters should be kept a safe distance from combustible materials.
- Be cautious when using candles and smoking materials. Be aware of pets, and small children knocking into these and starting a fire.
Today self-storage faculties are plentiful; junk removal is advertised all over. The landfills become the final resting place for much of our clutter. We as Americans buy an excess of things that wind up in the recycling bin. Ask yourself one question: Do I need this? Must I have this? To put things into perspective…is clutter an American disease?
This article is dedicated to the memory of Miami-Dade (FL) Fire Captain Bill Gustin.
JOSEPH T. BERRY, a 31-year veteran of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), retired as a lieutenant in 2002. He was a firefighter with Engine 1 and Ladder Company 24. Promoted to lieutenant in 1983, he served with Engine 73 and then Ladder 42 until his retirement. Berry served on an FDNY committee that revised the probationary firefighter’s manual and the standard operating procedures for firefighting in tenements, brownstones, wood-frame buildings, and lightweight residential construction. He has written numerous articles on building construction and firefighting. Berry was a consultant for Titan Corporation/Department of Homeland Security.
