Cuyahoga County task force aims to help people who hoard

By Dave Davis

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gerald VanBolt paid for his hoarding with his life.

The 68-year-old Brooklyn man, who was divorced and living alone, had piled so much stuff in his Winter Lane home that firefighters responding to an emergency call just before midnight on Oct. 31 were unable to get inside through either the front or back doors.

Emergency crews arrived at VanBolt's home within 4 minutes of receiving a call from a neighbor, but they were forced to wait the fire out, breaking windows to provide ventilation and spraying water in through bedroom windows, hoping to put out the flames and protect the occupant..."  More

Experts say there may be thousands of problem hoarders in Cuyahoga County. Do you know someone at one of these stages?

Level 1: No evidence of a hoarding problem.

Level 2: Beginnings of a subclinical problem with clutter.

Level 3: A mild hoarding problem if the room looks this way most of the time.

Level 4: A moderate hoarding problem that might require professional help.

Level 5: A serious hoarding problem.

Level 6: A very serious hoarding problem.

Level 7: A severe hoarding problem with substantial impairment.

Level 8: A very severe hoarding problem.

Level 9: Extreme hoarding.