
Hoarding Greatly Increases the Risk of Fire Damage in Rogers Park, IL

Sam Simon
February 18, 2016Utilizing the hoarder cleanup services of the compassionate professionals at ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons is a great way to combat the potential for fire damage in Rogers Park, IL.
According to the National Fire Prevention Association’s Public Education Division, more and more fire departments are seeing serious home fires, injuries, and even death as the result of compulsive hoarding disorder. In addition to the filth, damage, and pests that can make a hoarder’s home unsafe, the increased risk of fire makes it all the more important for compulsive hoarders to have their homes professionally cleared out and cleaned up.
Hoarding is the persistent difficulty of discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Hoarder behavior usually has devastating effects – emotional, physical, social, financial, and even legal – for both the hoarder and family members. For those who hoard, the quantity of their collected items sets them apart from other people. Commonly hoarded items may be newspapers, magazines, paper and plastic bags, cardboard boxes, photographs, household supplies, clothing, and food. As you can see, many commonly hoarded items can easily feed a fire.
There are many reasons that hoarding has become a fast-growing issue for firefighters and hoarders alike. They include the following:
- Hoarding can be a fire hazard. Many occupants die in fires in residences that have become home to a serious hoarding situation. Often, blocked exits prevent escape from the home. Also, many folks who are hoarding are injured when they trip over things or when materials fall on them.
- Responding firefighters can be put at risk due to obstructed exits, falling objects, and excessive fire loading that can lead to collapse. Hoarding makes fighting fires and searching for occupants far more difficult.
- Those living adjacent to a hoarder can be quickly affected when a fire occurs due to intense smoke and fire pouring from the hoarder’s home.
Fortunately, in Rogers Park, IL, there is respectful and non-judgmental help available for folks who hoard. After all, by cleaning up a hoarder’s home, he or she will be healthier and less likely to see their property go up in flames.
If you or a loved one are ready to take the big step toward cleaning up the hoarding situation in your home, please
call
ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons immediately at 773-376-1110. We’re a highly reputable and expertly trained
hoarder cleanup
company that will work tirelessly, professionally, and compassionately to clean your home and return it to a safe and happier condition.
Sam Simon
Sam Simon is the Co-Owner and Managing Director of ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons, a certified MBE/WBE disaster restoration and specialty cleaning firm proudly serving Cook, Lake, and DuPage Counties in Illinois. With over 30 years of experience in restoration project management, field operations, and emergency response, Sam plays a vital leadership role in overseeing service execution, technician development, reconstruction, and subcontractor coordination.
He holds the IICRC’s highest technical designation as a Master Fire & Water Restorer, a distinction achieved by fewer than 1% of professionals in the restoration industry. His technical scope includes water and flood damage restoration, fire and smoke recovery, mold remediation, and post-disaster reconstruction across both residential and commercial sectors.
Sam has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to helping communities in crisis. He has participated in large-scale disaster recovery efforts across the U.S., providing boots-on-the-ground leadership during Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, and Harvey, as well as catastrophic floods, wildfires, and deep freeze events throughout Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, and beyond. His dedication to serving distressed families and businesses in the wake of national catastrophes reflects both his personal values and ServiceMaster’s mission of restoring peace of mind.
In 2019, Sam was selected for the HACIA Contractor Training Program, a competitive six-month construction management cohort offered by the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association. The program delivers intensive instruction in blueprint reading, estimating, project management, and construction law—skills that support the company’s continued growth in emergency build-back and general contracting services.
Before co-founding ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons, Sam built a successful creative career under the name Sam Zabadneh, contributing to notable film and television productions including Chicago Fire (2012), Juvies (2007), and Image Union (1978). His media and videography background continues to shape ServiceMaster’s marketing strategy, digital training resources, and brand storytelling.
→ IMDb Profile
Sam is also the co-author of RESTORE: A Complete Guide to Protecting Your Home As Your Most Valuable Asset—a practical guidebook for homeowners navigating the challenges of water, fire, and mold damage.
Under the direction of majority owner and President & CEO Nasutsa Mabwa, and with Sam’s operational leadership, ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons has earned numerous regional and national accolades, including:
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