Date of Request
September 23
Request
Dear Sir or Madam,
This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. My request relates to the number of incidents in which ‘hoarding’ played a part.
For avoidance of doubt, we are defining hoarding as the accumulation of possessions in one’s home, often to an extreme and impractical degree.
ITV News would like to request the following information:
- In the last 5 years, how many incidents have your Fire and Rescue Service been called out to attend, where hoarding was identified?
Please break down the data as follows:
1st July 2018 – 30th June 2019
1st July 2019 – 30th June 2020
1st July 2020 – 30th June 2021
1st July 2021 – 30th June 2022
1st July 2022 – 30th June 2023
- For each year, how many of those incidents led to injury, and how many to deaths? Please state whether the injured/deceased where civilians or firefighters in each instance.
- For each year, in how many of those incidents was access to the fire or emergency obstructed due to hoarding at the property?
- Can you also please provide information regarding the number of incidents you have attended for each level of the Clutter Image Ratings?
If it is not possible to provide the information requested due to cost of compliance limits, please let me know how I can refine my request.
I look forward to receiving your response within 20 working days. If you need any further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Many thanks,
Response
Dear X
Thank you for your request for incident information which has been received by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (the Service) and considered under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.
The Service can confirm the requested incident information is held partially. Please find the answers to the questions below:
The Service does not record “hoarding” or “clutter” on our incident reports. As a result this analysis has been done on the Narrative log which is a transcription of the conversation which takes place between the Incident Commander and Fire Control during an incident.
Using “hoarding” and “clutter” as search criteria covering the dates requested the following tables have been produced.
|
Incident Category & Victim Type |
Number of Incidents |
|
|
False Alarm |
761 |
|
|
N/A |
761 |
|
|
Special Service |
136 |
|
|
N/A |
64 |
|
|
Rescued (rescue without injury) |
55 |
|
|
Injury (incl. rescue with injury) |
14 |
|
|
Fatal |
3 |
|
|
Fire |
79 |
|
|
N/A |
63 |
|
|
Injury (incl. rescue with injury) |
11 |
|
|
Rescued (rescue without injury) |
4 |
|
|
Fatal |
1 |
|
|
Grand Total |
976 |
|
|
N/A means that there were no victims in the incident |
||
|
Victim Type |
Number of Incidents |
|
July 2018 – June 2019 |
54 |
|
N/A |
47 |
|
Rescued (rescue without injury) |
5 |
|
Fatal |
1 |
|
Injury (incl. rescue with injury) |
1 |
|
July 2019 – June 2020 |
148 |
|
N/A |
129 |
|
Rescued (rescue without injury) |
14 |
|
Injury (incl. rescue with injury) |
5 |
|
July 2020 – June 2021 |
196 |
|
N/A |
181 |
|
Rescued (rescue without injury) |
10 |
|
Injury (incl. rescue with injury) |
3 |
|
Fatal |
2 |
|
July 2021 – June 2022 |
265 |
|
N/A |
250 |
|
Rescued (rescue without injury) |
9 |
|
Injury (incl. rescue with injury) |
5 |
|
Fatal |
1 |
|
July 2022 – June 2023 |
313 |
|
N/A |
281 |
|
Rescued (rescue without injury) |
21 |
|
Injury (incl. rescue with injury) |
11 |
|
Grand Total |
976 |
|
Victim Role |
Number of Incidents |
|
July 2018 – June 2019 |
54 |
|
N/A |
47 |
|
Resident/Occupant |
6 |
|
Other |
1 |
|
July 2019 – June 2020 |
148 |
|
N/A |
129 |
|
Resident/Occupant |
18 |
|
Visitor |
1 |
|
July 2020 – June 2021 |
196 |
|
N/A |
181 |
|
Resident/Occupant |
13 |
|
Other Emergency Service Personnel |
1 |
|
Other |
1 |
|
July 2021 – June 2022 |
265 |
|
N/A |
250 |
|
Resident/Occupant |
15 |
|
July 2022 – June 2023 |
313 |
|
N/A |
281 |
|
Resident/Occupant |
27 |
|
Other |
2 |
|
Visitor |
2 |
|
Passenger |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
976 |
|
Access Obstructed? |
Number of Incidents |
|
July 2018 – June 2019 |
54 |
|
No |
54 |
|
July 2019 – June 2020 |
148 |
|
No |
139 |
|
Obstruction |
9 |
|
July 2020 – June 2021 |
196 |
|
No |
174 |
|
Obstruction |
22 |
|
July 2021 – June 2022 |
265 |
|
No |
198 |
|
Obstruction |
67 |
|
July 2022 – June 2023 |
313 |
|
No |
261 |
|
Obstruction |
52 |
|
Grand Total |
976 |
If you have any questions regarding your request, please contact Information Governance and Committee Services on tel: 0345 122 4454 or by e-mail informationrequests@hwfire.org.uk In any such communication please include the reference number assigned (see above).
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Further information on Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service may be viewed at the Service’s website: www.hwfire.org.uk
Thank you for your request for information.
Information Governance Team