Hoarder without Boarders

Good evening from the jumpseat.  As I try to unlock the lid that has firmly planted it'self on my brain I wanted to give a shout out to some folks that have reached out to me.  After the past year and half of researching Fires in Hoarded conditions my amazement keeps growing.  I had no clue of just how big of a problem Hoarding is becoming worldwide!


In the past month or so I have  spoken with Fire Advisor Tonya Roberts from Ontario Canada and Heather Matuozzo from the UK about the Hoarding problem.  It is truly amazing that we all are encountering this problem. So where do we go from here.  We all push forward to attack this problem HEAD ON!


Look, Hoarders don't have boarders!


It matters not where you are located.  From the backwoods of West Virginia to London we all have the potential to face this epidemic. The best remedy is to fix the problem BEFORE a fire happens.  That is a proven fact that remains constant!  But then again we are the FIRE DEPARTMENT, we fight fires!


Fighting a Hoarder fire is NOT a normal response.  We need to all keep that in mind when the bell rings. Hoarder fires kill and have the potential to KILL FIREFIGHTERS.  The maze of belongings can leave you lost and trapped in a blink of an eye.


So back to the research lab I go!  I am passionate about protecting firefighters from the dangers of Hoarding!  Keep your eyes out for more hoarder fire information from the jumpseat soon!


A huge shout out to Canada and the UK for reaching out to band together across boarders to face Hoarding head on!


Be safe and remember,


Bunker up, Buckle in, it's where we ALL begin!!

Large Church Fire in South Minneapolis

 The Views from the jumpseat crew would like to share this fire with the loyal readers. God Bless the injured firefighters and the Minneapolis Fire Department. 

MAY 28, 2012 · NEWS STORY AND PICTURES COURTESY OF: TWIN CITY FIRE WIRE

May 27 - Five firefighters were injured while battling a three-alarm church fire Sunday night. The blaze lit up the night sky over South Minneapolis as it  burned out of control for almost two hours before it was declared under control.

Fire officials said that one of the five firefighters suffered serious injuries to their upper body. Four others suffered less serious burn injuries and they were being treated at Hennepin County Medical Center where Fire Chief John Fruetel and Mayor R.T. Ryback are visiting with them.

• Audio: Listen here for incident audio. Mayday about 3:00

 The fire at the Walker Community United Methodist Church at 3104 16th Ave. S. was reported around 8:20 p.m. when an initial assignment was dispatched for a report of smoke in the building. According to the church’s website, the thee-story high building was opened in March 1910.

Engine 5 arrived to find smoke in the cockloft of the building and requested a full assignment, according to the Extra Alarm Association’s Facebook page.  Some companies in South Minneapolis were just clearing  of a fire on Sunrise Drive.

An attack line was stretched by Engine 5′s crew to try to find the source of the fire. Engine 17′s crew established a water supply and then stretched a backup line.

While crews were trying to locate the seat of the fire, a Mayday was called. It was initially reported that several firefighters were injured in a flashover.

For continued coverage of this fire and updates visit Twincitiesfirewire.com