Collector Care Interviews: Cedric Elzey Collector Care Organizer

Hello Collectors! Our little business has grown quite a bit this year, and I am very excited to introduce you to Cedric one of our new Collector Care Organizers.
Cedric reminds me of a young Sidney Poitier, if Sidney were a fire-medic. Oh yes, besides being incredibly well mannered and dashing, Cedric is a fire-medic when he is not helping us out. Read on to learn more about this awesome guy!

Rachel: Cedric, tell us a little about your background. You are such an active guy! What do you do when you are not organizing with us?

Cedric: I was raised in San Francisco, CA.  I speak French very well. I enjoy sprinting, traveling, and spending time with my lady and my family. Basketball, bowling, and racquetball ball are the sports that I enjoy playing. My professional background includes Fire, Paramedicine

Cedric Elzey

, and Construction.  I enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life which makes me a well-rounded individual.   

Rachel: One of my favorite things about you is your in depth safety knowledge. From a paramedics perspective (in respect to clutter)what are your three biggest safety concerns when helping someone who is hurt?

Cedric: Among many safety concerns that a Paramedic may come across while helping a person in need, medically,  would be the risk of injury or death due to being trapped under falling debris; risk of disease, injury or infestation by insects or rodents; and,  slips, trips, and falls are often compounded by the fact that the paramedic is carrying a patient on a stretcher.

Rachel: We so often hear of Collectors that are injured by landslides of STUFF. What about your concerns when you are wearing your Fire Fighter hat? Is it harder to rescue someone with a lot of clutter and why?

Cedric: Among many safety concerns that a Firefighter may come across while helping a person in need would be the increased risk of fire due to the accumulation of combustibles such as papers, clothing and rubbish which poses a severe fire hazard; Risk of structural damage due to the weight of the items being hoarded; and, blocked escape from fire due to the exits, hallways, windows and doors being obstructed by debris. 

Rachel: It sounds like rescuing STUFF is not even an option, if you can barely rescue people inside. What about pets in the clutter? Are you able to rescue them? Many of our clients have pets.

Cedric: I never was in the position or situation to rescue any pets from a cluttered home.  I could imagine that the fire would grow very rapidly because of the home being very full of personal belongings; thus, making any rescue efforts futile. The clutter would get in the way of the rescue effort.

Rachel: What is the worst situation you have encountered when trying to help somebody with a lot of clutter in their home?

Cedric: Responded to a difficulty breathing call to a 50's male at his residence.  My crew and I arrived to be greeted by a young girl whom directed us to her grandfather who was located on the 2nd floor of this gorgeous home.  She made her way through piles of trash and paper leading to the stairs.  The pile of trash and paper came up to her waistline.  It was decided that the gurney was to be placed at the foot of the stairs leading up to the second floor.  On the second floor we were greeted with piles and piles of paper and clothing while trying to access the patient.  A non-rebreather mask w/O2 was hooked up to the patient after climbing over the piles of clothing and paper just to get to him.  It was decided to just carry the patient downstairs and onto the gurney and out to the ambulance and into a safer environment in order to continue to access patient.  Time was wasted trying to negotiate the piles of mess in order to get the patient and the crew out of the home safely.

Rachel: Wow. How scary for all involved.  Please give us three tips on ways our Collectors can make easy access in their homes for paramedics and fire fighters:

Cedric: 

1. Keep doorways and all points of entry and exit clear of clutter.  
2. Identify and relay any potential occult hazards that wouldn't be obvious to rescue personnel.  
3. Keep floors clear of any spills and any slip hazards. 

Rachel: I love number 2. Collectors, please let others know (including your organizer) of any potential avalanches. Very helpful as I have personally been caught in quite a few.  
Thank you for visiting our blog Cedric, what are your plans for Turkey Day?

Cedric: I intend on volunteering at either a convalescent home or a nursing home again for this holiday season. 

Rachel: There you have it Collectors, you gotta love this guy. He comes on the scene with an energy like nobody's business. He can flip a room as well as I can AND our clients love him. He has got to be one of the nicest guys I have ever met.

Collector Care is  licensed, insured and bonded. Get the help you need today by visiting www.collectorcare.com or calling 925-548-7750.