Hoarding 101 for the fire service

Hoarding presents a unique challenge and fire risk in the community for the fire service. Elaine Birchall, a hoarding behaviour and intervention specialist for over 18 years, talks to Fire Chief Tom DeSorcy about best practices for how to proceed when encountering a hoarding situation on a call. Birchall covers what defines hoarding and how to recognize it, misconceptions around hoarding and how to approach the people involved in a nonjudgmental and sensitive manner.