When you think about hoarding, there is an array of risks and dangers that come to mind – from cleanliness to injuries to air quality. Unfortunately, there’s another less obvious danger and hidden risk that causes both property damage and a lot of heartache for those involved.  Fire. 

Before retiring, as a 28 year firefighter/paramedic, I administered NARCAN® (the brand name for Naloxone Hydrochloride) to more than 3,000 people throughout South Florida who were exhibiting drug overdose-like symptoms.

There are many obstacles, hazards, and perils we encounter on job sites as cleaners and restorers. Whether it’s the homeowner’s dog trying to bite you, the hoarder who has trash stockpiled for years, or the wonderful smell of sewage on a category 3 loss, the seasoned veterans of our industry have seen and experienced things that the average citizen can’t even conceive in their wildest imagination.

The State of Ohio is consistently  among the states with the most bed bug problems. In 2018, Cleveland and Cincinnati were the top two worst cities for bed bugs, based on service requests to pest control company Terminix. A nationwide 2015 study by PestWorld.org found that almost 100 percent of pest control companies had treated bed bugs within the past year; which was up from 10 and 15 years prior.

For those of us who have accepted the responsibility of biohazard clean-up, there inevitably comes a time when your team will be called to a grizzly trauma scene. Regardless if there was a crime committed, death from natural causes or suicide, the impact and weight of the experience can be profound.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, hoarding disorders occur in an estimated 2 to 6 percent of the population and often lead to substantial distress and problems functioning.