RIA_jan2016

Spotlight
on Global
Restoration
Projects
Inside Aviation Restoration
5 Key Workforce Trends for 2016
January 2016 | Vol. 53 No. 1 | $9.00
CR&
CLEANING & RESTORATION
A PUBLICATION OF THE RESTORATION INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

C2 Cleaning & Restoration | January 2016| www.restorationindustry.org

www.restorationindustry.org | January 2016 | Cleaning & Restoration 1
CLEANING & RESTORATION (ISSN0886-9901) is published monthly with the exception of May and December by the Restoration Industry Association
(RIA) 2025 M St. NW, Ste. 800 Washington, D.C. 20036, USA. Forty-nine dollars of each $875 of member dues is for a one-year subscription to CLEANING &
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Richmond Hill, ON L4B4R6. © 2015 RIA. All rights reserved.
January 2016 | Vol. 53 No. 1
CR&
CLEANING & RESTORATION
A PUBLICATION OF THE RESTORATION INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
Spotlight on Global
Restoration Projects ...................................8
Compiled by staff
C&R highlights standout projects from Canada and Australia.
Cover Story Feature
Inside Aviation
Restoration ...................18
A closer look at this specialty niche
through the eyes of BMS CAT, Inc.
Columns
Commentary ...........................................3
Success Beyond U.S. Borders
Canadian Council ...................................4
Continued Plans for Growth in the New Year
HR Insights..............................................5
5 Key Workforce Trends for 2016
Insurance Briefs .....................................7
Misconceptions About Insurance Restoration Work
Departments
RIA News and Industry Events............24
Advertiser Index....................................24
5 Questions ...........................................25

2 Cleaning & Restoration | January 2016| www.restorationindustry.org

C O M M E N T A R Y
RIA OFFICERS
President Scott Stamper, CR
Regency DKI – MI, FL & NC
First Vice Chuck Violand
President Violand Management
Associates LLC
Vice President Mark Springer, CR
Dayspring Cleaning
and Restoration
Secretary Jack White, CR, WLS
Rainbow International
Treasurer Larry Holder, CR
BELFOR USA Group
Immediate Samuel J. Bergman, CR
Past President Rolyn Companies Inc.
Directors Duncan Bennett, WLS
Network Restorers
Trent Darden
Rolyn Companies Inc.
Michael Goldberg, CR
RestoreCore Inc.
Lee King, CR, CRT, NIDR
AFTERDISASTER
Bill Loveland
Xactware
John Rybski, CR
BELFOR Property Restoration
Katie Smith, CR
PHC Restoration
Canadian Steve Whittick, CR
Council Service Master of Markham
Contents Lori Young, CR
Council Bartwood Construction
Environmental Michael Pinto, CSP, CMP
Council Wonder Makers Environmental
Restoration Jaclyn Carpenter, WLS, CMP
Council Ideal Restoration
Vendor Council Ken Rothmel
Sunbelt Rentals
EDITORIAL STAFF
Marc Selvitelli Publisher, CAE
Darhiana Téllez Editor-in-Chief
Frances Moffett Editor
Bill Wargo Creative Director
Trecien Schultz Graphic Designer
Gina Valerio Sales Manager
EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Pete Consigli, CR, WLS
G.Pete Consigli Group
Peter Crosa, AIC, RPA
Peter J. Crosa & Co.
Ken Larsen, CR, WLS, CSDS
International Dry Standard Organization
Phil Rosebrook Jr., CR
Business Mentors and ELC Training
Cliff Zlotnik, CR, CMH, WLS
IdeaZ, LLC
Restoration Industry Association
2025 M Street, NW, Ste. 800
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (800) 272-7012 • Fax: (202) 367-2180
Email: info@restorationindustry.org
Website: www.restorationindustry.org
Success Beyond U.S. Borders
By Scott Stamper, CR, RIA President
Columns like these often take the opportunity of the
new year to reflect on the association’s accomplish-
ments of the prior year while outlining goals for the
next 12 months. However, since this issue focuses on
international topics, I thought that I would take some
time to highlight RIA initiatives and successes beyond
the borders of the United States.
Being the resident of a border community, I can easily
observe industry trends in Canada, and I often hear
about the issues facing restorers there. This was one
of the reasons that upon becoming RIA president, I set a goal for the associ-
ation to increase RIA’s footprint beyond U.S. borders. In the past two years,
we’ve made significant strides in expanding our membership in Canada and
Australia. The growth resulted in the need to expand benefits to these mem-
bers and we have done just that.
Last October, thanks to the efforts of two longtime RIA Australian members,
the association hosted two Building Science courses, as well as a one-day RIA
event. More than 100 restorers throughout Australia attended these events.
Industry professionals in Australia are clearly seeing the value of RIA mem-
bership. In the past six months, the number of Australian members has tripled!
Our initial successes have us looking to plan additional events in Australia in
the upcoming months.
We did not limit our focus to Australia. We made notable strides in improv-
ing the member experience for Canadian restorers as well. In late November,
RIA released the Canadian version of the popular Accounting and Financial
Management Guidelines (AFMG). Earlier this year, I announced an agree-
ment between RIA and the Restoration Contractors Organization of Canada
(RCOC) that cements a partnership between the two organizations where
RIA brings new education to Canada and RCOC assumes the role of the
industry advocate on behalf of RIA members. In keeping with the spirit of the
agreement, RIA has scheduled some half-day training courses this winter in
Canada and will also feature Canadian-specific webinars. Visit RIA’s website
for exact dates and locations.
These efforts were not made solely to provide knowledge and information in
one direction. I firmly believe that U.S.-based restorers can learn a great deal
from restorers throughout the world. I certainly have. During the annual con-
ference in Las Vegas, I had the opportunity to meet with a group of Australian
restorers. The level of training and government oversight Australian restorers
encounter is mind-numbing compared to the United States.
It is the sum of all these initiatives that resulted in the international focus of
this issue. You will have the opportunity to learn more about some dynamic
restoration projects in both Australia and Canada and see how their approach
might compare to similar projects of your own.

C A N A D I A N C O U N C I L
We very much look forward to 2016 and all
that the combined efforts of so many talented
restoration professionals will achieve to the
betterment of our industry.
R
IA’s Canadian Council has had a
most productive 2015, and we look
ahead to this year with even more
enthusiasm and positive energy
to reach the ever-growing ranks
of professional restorers with our message.
Our understanding with the Restoration
Contractors Organization of Canada (RCOC)
has yielded increased RIA membership and
further enhanced the RIA presence in Canada.
We are fortunate to have not only this asso-
ciation with the RCOC, but a number of the
RCOC executives as RIA Canadian Council
members as well.
Continued Plans for Growth
in the NewYear
By Steve Whittick
Our Young Professionals Committee is now
represented from coast to coast with mem-
bers from Nova Scotia to British Columbia.
They are an energetic, brilliant group of
restorers who will develop much of the com-
ing areas of focus and ideas for our Canadian
restoration industry. In particular, Mitch
Caron has put a lot of time and energy into
this council. We appreciate his efforts and
look forward to some exciting ideas that we
will discuss in coming segments.
Our education committee is in the midst of
great changes in the topics and manner in
which we will absorb and process the new
knowledge base required to be a successful
professional in the present and future resto-
ration market. Some of the topics, ideas and
new areas of knowledge will greatly increase
our capacity to embrace with confidence the
rapid changes in construction and resto-
ration challenges we face. Art Johnson, CR,
WLS, has assembled a wonderful group,
and there is great anticipation for what RIA
Canada will have to offer in the area of con-
tinuing education.
We very much look forward to 2016, and all
that the combined efforts of so many talented
restoration professionals will achieve to the
betterment of our industry. All the best in
this New Year!
Steve Whittick is an estimator at Servicemaster
Markham in Toronto, Canada. He is also a member
of the RCOC Board of Directors.

W
henever we start the
process of closing out
one year and planning
for the next, it is always
useful to identify the
major workforce trends for the coming year.
So, as you prepare your budget for the year
ahead and develop your annual workforce
strategy, we’ve identified five key trends for
you to consider.
1. Millennial Leaders
In March 2015, millennial workers
(otherwise known as Generation X
employees — those between ages 19 and
35) surpassed Baby Boomers and now
account for the largest generation in the
workplace. In fact, one in every three
workers today is a Gen X employee.
More than half of all millennials in the
workforce are already in leadership posi-
tions, and 41 percent have four or more
direct reports. Unfortunately, the major-
ity of millennial leaders feel unprepared
for their role. According to a report by
Deloitte, 64 percent of current millen-
nial leaders surveyed “felt unprepared
when entering their leadership role.”
Lack of training and mentorship are the
key reasons cited for this finding.
Our recommendation: Now is the time
to review your succession plan and to
ensure that your new and future leaders
have the training necessary for the posi-
tions they may be taking on.
2. Tight Labor Market — Continued
Anyone who tried to hire experienced
talent in 2015 already knows that the
labor market for skilled workers is tight.
The national unemployment rate has
sunk to 5 percent, below pre-recession
levels, and the unemployment rate for
skilled labor is even lower. This trend is
likely to continue in 2016. Companies,
in an attempt to attract new talent, are
5 Key WorkforceTrends for 2016
By Claudia St. John
increasingly offering significant sign-on
bonuses and elevated pay rates. And,
all too frequently, employees who may
be tempted to accept a better job offer
are receiving sizeable pay increases
to remain in their current positions,
thereby driving up pay and keeping the
labor market tight. Also driving up pay
is demand for recent college graduates.
Starting salaries for those without expe-
rience but with college degrees is up 5.2
percent in just the past year, to $50,651,
according to a survey from the National
Association of Colleges and Employers.
Our recommendation: Focus on
employee engagement as a means of
keeping your current talent, and be pre-
pared to act quickly to offer the higher
wages/bonuses that new talent will likely
demand in 2016.
3. Boomerangs, Retirees and Generation Z
Given the difficulty in finding and retain-
ing skilled talent, many companies are
eliminating their boomerang policies,
which prohibit the rehiring of employees
H R I N S I G H T S
Now is the
time to review your
succession plan and to
ensure that your new
and future leaders have
the training necessary
for the positions they
may be taking on.

who leave for another job and reapply at a later date.
As a result of the frequency with which employ-
ees change jobs these days, and the benefit to hiring
someone who already has the skills and training
needed for the job, many employers are making it a
policy to re-recruit their ex-employees and to stay
in close contact with them through social media and
other measures.
This need for skilled workers is also driving the trend
of “consulting” employment for Baby Boomers who
are staying connected with their former employ-
ers and are continuing to work well past retirement
age, typically in some form of part-time, freelance or
consulting arrangement.
The coming year will also welcome the first of the
Generation Z employees to the workforce. The good
news is that it is anticipated that Generation Z workers
are likely to be private, multitasking, cynical, entre-
preneurial, loyal, hyperaware of cultural events and
technology-driven.
Our recommendation: With all of these generations
in the workplace, invest some time in building rela-
tionships, mentorships, reverse mentorships and other
programs to ease the tensions and miscommunications
that will likely crop up.
4. Continued March Toward Freelance Economy
The number of workers turning to freelance work has
increased by approximately 1 million per year over
the past two years. Current trends indicate that by
2020, 40 percent of the workforce — or 60 million
workers — will be independent workers, defined as
freelancers, independent contractors or temporary
workers. This is fueled largely through technology
platforms that enable job and project sharing, a desire
for increased independence among highly skilled
workers, and an effort by businesses to reduce over-
head and labor costs.
In response to this, the Obama administration is
pushing to tighten the rules for who can be consid-
ered an independent contractor. They are motivated
to do so because freelance and independent workers
lose certain workplace benefits based on their
nonemployee status (workers’ compensation, unem-
ployment and benefit deductions for example).
Our recommendation: Be sure your freelance and
temporary workers are appropriately classified based
on new federal standards released in 2015.
5. Increasing Federal Regulations
In addition to introducing new independent contrac-
tor standards, the Obama administration released in
2015 a new minimum salary threshold for who could
be exempt from overtime. In late 2016, the admin-
istration is expected to implement these new rules,
which are expected to increase the minimum weekly
pay from $455 to $970. The administration is also
expected to expand “ban the box” policies which
require that public sector employers and federal
contractors delay inquiring about the criminal back-
ground of job seekers until they are well along in the
hiring process. All of these initiatives are within the
administrative authority of the presidency and are not
subject to congressional approval. You can expect that
they will be implemented this year.
Our recommendation: Regardless of who wins the
presidential election in 2016, many of the regula-
tory provisions promoted on the federal level do not
require congressional approval and are likely to be
implemented in 2016. Best to make sure your policies
and practices are up to date and compliant.
Claudia St. John, SPHR, is president of Affinity HR Group,
LLC. She can be reached at claudia@affinityhrgroup.com.
H R I N S I G H T S

I
’ve been an independent adjuster for
more than 30 years. During that time,
I’ve studied how contractors inter-
act with insurance adjusters. In recent
years, I’ve consulted or presented
workshops for the restoration industry to help
these professionals increase market share of
insurance claims work. You might say I’m a
friend of the restoration industry, but I am still
a practicing independent adjuster.
Many contractors who do business or hope
to do business with insurance adjusters have
misconceptions about the insurance claims
industry and this affects their efforts to pene-
trate this fruitful market.
Whenever I meet rookies — those who know
there is money to be made but have not had
the opportunity, knowledge or requisite expe-
rience to break into this market — I hear them
make statements that just aren’t correct. At
the start of my workshops, I solicit comments
from the attendees as to what they understand
about the current insurance claims market.
The following is typical of what they say:
“Insurance companies will only accept XOXOXO
estimating software.”
“You have to be a member of a preferred
provider network.”
“You have to be on an insurance company’s
approved list.”
“Adjusters don’t call a contractor to a claim.”
“Adjusters don’t recommend a contractor on claims.”
“There’s no profit working insurance
claims anymore.”
“Adjusters just want to chisel your estimates.”
“You can’t take adjusters to lunch, or they won’t
accept promo and entertainment.”
“Agents can’t help you get any business; they’re all
tied into provider networks.”
If you don’t know where to meet adjusters,
and you don’t know how to meet adjusters,
Misconceptions About Insurance
Restoration Work
By Peter J. Crosa
and you don’t know how to start relationships
with adjusters, you’ve pretty much painted
yourself into a corner. And if you believe any
of the false statements made above, you’re
talking to the wrong people.
Here’s the reason I’m bringing this up.
A few months ago (yes, September 2015) I (an
independent adjuster) received a call from a man-
aging general agent at about 4 p.m. on a Friday
afternoon.Their insured discovered a flood in its
commercial building.The MGA wanted to know
if I could get a mitigation firm out there, not just
for the water, but to handle contents pack-out and
restoration as soon as possible.
A week after mitigation started, the policy-
holder was back in business. The pack-out and
contents restoration was underway, and build-
ing reconstruction was completed within the
next month. Shortly thereafter, the claim was
paid (about $50,000) and the file was closed.
Listen up: The MGA did not subscribe to a
preferred vendor program. The MGA did not
insist I use any particular mitigation firm or
contractor. There was no preference as to esti-
mating software.
Do you know what an MGA is? Do you know
what an IA is? If not, you’re missing an incred-
ible opportunity for business. Do you think
that the only way to get mitigation or recon-
struction work is through a preferred vendor
program? Do you think there is only one
software program acceptable to the insurance
industry? If so, you need more education. How
much is your lack of education costing you?
Peter J. Crosa,AIC, RPA, is a practicing independent
adjuster who writes, consults and conducts workshops
on how to increase market share of insurance
claims related restoration and mitigation jobs. He
can be reached at peter@petercrosa.net. Find more
information at petercrosa.net.
I N S U R A N C E I N S I G H T S

A SPOTLIGHT ON
RESTORATION
PROJECTS FROM
ACROSS
THE GLOBE
Company: ServiceMASTER of Edmonton
Location:Alberta, Canada
Project Name:Alberta School Board Insurance Exchange
Catastrophic Overland Flooding
At the end of June 2013, catastrophic overland flood-
ing decimated many communities in Southern Alberta.
Thousands of buildings were lost to the flooding,
including numerous properties insured through the
Alberta School Board Insurance Exchange (ASBIE)
program. Six structures belonging to Foothills School
Division (FHSD) and three structures belonging to
Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools (CRCS) in High
River, Alberta, were among these.
After being contacted by the insurance adjuster, Senior
Project Manager Wade Meyer worked on a plan, which
included placing a 200-man self-sufficient labor camp in
or near the town with the sole mandate to mitigate and
restore damaged school facilities.

Because little to no information was available — the
town was a restricted area, and only military, law enforce-
ment and emergency utility providers were allowed
access — the ServiceMASTER team relied heavily on
aerial footage and crude damage reports made by resi-
dents prior to evacuation.
There were tens of thousands of displaced citizens, dev-
astated communities with little or no utility service, and
thousands of projects running simultaneously, which
saw a worker influx from the furthest reaches of North
America. Finding local staff or accommodations to
undertake a massive restoration effort simultaneously to
seven school division structures was not possible. The
plan was accepted, and a tremendously large mobiliza-
tion of forces, equipment and facilities began.
Though the restoration of each building faced its unique
challenges, these three were the most severely damaged:
• Notre Dame Collegiate Institute: To the
untrained eye, it looked like a little water and silt
on the floors that merely required a floor mop
and airing out. In actuality, the school was dam-
aged severely by that water that barely would have
crested the sole of your boot. Upon entry, it was
immediately known that the secondary damages
in the school had impacted almost all porous fin-
ishes. Thermal hydrometers showed humidity
levels exceeding 70 percent at room temperature.
Moisture meters showed water saturation in dry-
wall and hygroscopic finishes throughout. Ceiling
tiles were sagging, and you could trace sprinkler
lines in the air plenum from condensation drips.
Damage was severe, and a thorough demolition
of damaged finishes below the 8 feet mark was
ordered, followed immediately by a rebuild.
During the tear out, additional damages were uncov-
ered on the back side of all the millwork throughout
the school, and most problematic was that the exte-
rior drywall sheathing was moldy in the wall cavity.
Affixed to the exterior of the sheathing was a vertical
girt network with spray foam insulation encapsulated
by masonry and stucco. The microbial impact to the
sheathing added months and hundreds of thousands
of dollars to the scope of work.
• Holy Spirit Academy (HSA): HSA was easily one
of the most damaged commercial or institutional
To the untrained eye, it
looked like a little water and silt
on the floors that merely
required a floor mop and airing
out. In actuality, the school was
damaged severely by water
that barely would have crested
the sole of your foot.

structures in High River. A small area of town did
not drain and was underwater for an additional
two weeks, and this building was in the middle of
that area. Five feet of standing stagnant water and
the resulting humidity ruined all building finishes.
Upon entry, we determined that there were air
quality hazards in this structure that included ele-
vated CO2
levels, lower than adequate O2
levels,
and risk of H2
S and CH
4 exposure. Initial entry
was made in S.C.B.A and gas readings were con-
ducted. The school was ventilated prior to entry.
Our initial mandate was to mitigate secondary
damages to unaffected structure. In this case,
a conventionally framed roof joist system with
laminated veneer lumber beams, truss joists and
I joists enclosed in the air plenum above the ceil-
ing finishes was at risk for mold and failure (or
“creep”) due to humidity.
After putting engineering controls in place to
manage humidity and air quality, the school was
assessed to see if it was salvageable. Geotechnical
reports were reviewed by engineers, and core
samples were drilled from inside the school and
around the foundations on the exterior. Structural
engineers reviewed the project, and the school was
assessed for foundation movement. Selective demo-
lition was directed by engineers, and some invasive
testing was performed on the various wall assem-
blies to gauge the impact of the damages from a
structural and environmental standpoint.
Spitzee Elementary: Approximately four feet of
flood water inundated the basement that con-
tained classrooms, bathrooms, storage areas, the
server room, and the mechanical and electri-
cal infrastructure for the entire three-story wing
of the school. Similar to other severely flooded
buildings, the entire contents of the building
floated and settled as the water subsided, leaving
behind a muddy mess. Desks, chairs, paper, books
and utensils littered the basement level covered in
four inches of silty mud.
Mitigating steps required separation of the
affected area from the unaffected portions of the
school by using engineering controls and contain-
ment barriers. Temporary power was installed,
and a desiccant was used to dry the structure.
All damaged contents were removed, listed and
disposed of.
The entire contents of
the building floated and
settled as the water
subsided, leaving behind a
muddy mess.

A complete gut was required in the lower level,
and all doors, boilers, walls, electrical panels,
smart boards, pneumatics, server trays and mill-
work was lost. By losing the mechanical and
electrical from the building, a substantial project
ensued, with engineering and design leading the
way. The structure was reviewed, and some flaws
in the 110-year-old foundation were corrected.
Code analysis was undertaken, and the entire
HVAC system was redesigned. High-efficiency
boilers and domestic hot water was added, A/C
was added to the wing, as well as the restoration
of modern finishes.
Company:WINMAR Durham
Location: Ontario, Canada
Project Name: Fairview Lodge Nursing Home
On Oct. 27, 2014, a fire ripped through the Fairview
Lodge nursing home in Whitby, Ontario, causing 192
residents to evacuate. The next day, property restoration
specialists at WINMAR Durham met with the local fire
department and municipal representatives to discuss
plans for the cleanup, specifically document recovery and
structural demolition asbestos remediation.
“Our team immediately mobilized on Oct. 31, where
we began to clear contents and documents from parts
of the building that were still safe and standing,” says
Mitchell Caron, WINMAR Durham estimator/proj-
ect manager. “This was crucial as a lot of documents
were important government medical records, and the
contents were the residents’ valuable belongings. We
worked closely with the municipality, the residents and
their families to coordinate the handover of their per-
sonal contents — for all 192 residents.”
Not too long after, they began the structural demolition
of a portion of the building that was leveled by the fire.
During this period, they also had to retain a specialty
environmental contractor to pump out eight 52-feet
tractor trailer’s worth of oil-contaminated water.

Company: Network Restorers
Location:Australia
Project Name: RSL Club
After a severe hailstorm in Chinchilla, Queensland (a
small secluded town located four hours outside of the
Brisbane central business district) produced cricket-ball-
sized hail, a Returned and Services League (RSL) club
received excessive amounts of damage.
The large hail damaged the roof and, subsequently,
allowed rain to enter the structure, resulting in sporadic
water damage throughout the building. The club consists
of a bistro, pokies room, sports bar, kitchen, bathrooms
and three convention rooms — all of which received water
damage — with a total floor size of 1,500 square meters.

The flooring consisted of high-end commercial grade
carpet valued in excess of $300,000. There was a large pres-
ence of saturated plasterboard walls and ceilings. Network
Restorers conducted controlled removal of such hazards
and planned demolition in order to facilitate its drying plan.
“We were engaged to ensure that the business remained
in operation whilst returning all affected materials to their
dry standard,” says project manager Rocky Larsen.
Nearly 100 pieces of drying equipment were installed, and
comfortable environmental conditions were maintained.
The carpet had horse-hair underlay in multiple rooms and
required removal, while the other carpeted areas were able
to be restored with an in-place drying strategy.
“As business interruption was a major concern with this
claim, we managed to return the structure to its dry
standard within five days through a detailed structural
drying strategy,” Larsen adds.
Company: Carpet Care Services Pty Ltd
Location:Australia
Project Name: Faith Baptist Church
After a severe storm, Faith Baptist Church experienced
a substantial amount of flooding. The church is
comprised of two auditoriums covered in 1,100 square
meters of Axminster carpet, which had been flooded
with water ingress through roofing and doorways.
Chris Higgs, corporate account manager at Carpet Care
Services, says: “Within 80 minutes, we were onsite with
two water extraction units and water claws, followed
by one further unit and more than 50 units of drying
equipment. Over eight hours, we had extracted around
10,000 liters of water, and drying equipment was left in
place for an additional three days.”
Inspection of the carpet after this time showed minimal
shrinking or color deterioration. They were then able to
replace underlay and re-stretch the carpet back into place.
As a result of over-resourcing in terms of people and
equipment for a project of this nature, Higgs said, they
were able to save the carpet. With a replacement cost of
over $200,000 AUS alone, Network Restorers saved the
insurance a net $180,000. In addition, the church was
able to hold services six weeks sooner than projected.
Other project management services provided included
steam cleaning of 800 seats, specialized stain removal,
removal, storage and repair of the grand piano, and test
and repair of electrical and AV equipment.
“The biggest challenge/opportunity in the industry is
the commoditization of the works conducted by the res-
toration businesses within the chain,” Higgs said. “The
insurance companies do not always see the value that
good restorers add to both the customer experience and
their overall financial exposure. As a result, the industry
is going through a significant price squeeze, which will
change the shape of the industry in the coming years.
However, diversifying services is one way we believe that
the industry can survive this cost pressure, demonstrate
the true value of effective restoration and attract more
profitable markets, sectors and services for the business.”
The biggest challenge/
opportunity in the industry
is the commoditization of
the works conducted by the
restoration businesses within
the chain.

Company: Steamatic
Location:Victoria,Australia (Rochester)
Project Name: Dairy Facility Flooding
Regional
flooding
resulted in 600
to 1,200 mm
of contami-
nated waters
entering a
major dairy facility. The total building areas affected
was in excess of 43,000 square meters. This facility is
the main employer in the region, and closure would
have created financial hardship for the region and the
potential loss of its major export market (Japan) would
have closed the site.
Steamatic’s project team responded within 48 hours
to commence initial bulk decontamination and debris
removal. The team installed desiccant dehumidifiers
throughout the facility to stabilize the environment and
dry structure. In addition, it identified all materials that
could not be returned to acceptable pre-loss condition,
and then removed and disposed of the same.
The entire facility was cleaned and decontaminated
(in some areas more than 80 meters high), along with
all production lines. Steamatic also worked with local
and Japanese hygienists to ensure all areas passed rigid
hygienic guidelines, and successfully reopened the facil-
ity within six weeks.
Have an interesting project you’d like to tell us about? Email Editor-
in-Chief Darhiana Tellez at dtellez@restorationindustry.org
to let us know.

W
hen an airplane crashes, we imme-
diately visualize the wreckage and
the resulting disaster scene. These
scenarios often end in tragedy, and
because of this, BMS CAT, Inc.,
is determined to make a difference through its job of
restoring the personal effects (PE) of plane crash victims.
“Ultimately, we are providing a service to the families
of aviation disasters, and I know there is not another
company in the world that can do what we do, with our
level of services and compassion,” said Mark Rocco,
vice president of Document Recovery Services and
Government Contracting at BMS CAT. “We are proud
that families will have peace, knowing their loved ones’
remains are thoroughly recovered from a crash site and
that their personal effects will be returned to them.”
This idea is one of the main drivers for the BMS CAT
team and why they’ve experienced success in this niche
area of restoration. The company started in 1981, per-
forming commercial and industrial property damage
restoration and reconstruction due to hurricanes, fire
damage, terrorism and other catastrophic events. BMS
Global, which provides aviation and transportation
clients worldwide with planning, response and recov-
ery services, started in 1996 when an aviation client
requested it provide services to clean and decontami-
nate the personal effects of victims of airplane crashes.
INSIDE
AVIATION
RESTORATIONA closer look at this specialty niche through the eyes of one company.
Interview with Mark Rocco

Rocco gives us an inside look at how BMS handles its res-
toration projects, even the big ones such as the Hudson
River plane crash, as well as the effect this type of work
has on the team.
When completing an aviation restoration project, are
you working for the insurer or the airline?
We are working for the airline. However, we have
a close working relationship with the insurer and
the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Everything must be recovered, cleaned, decontaminated
and made available to the passenger or the next of kin
in accordance with federal law of the Family Assistance
Act for Aviation Disasters of 1996. This was later mod-
ified to cover other forms of transportation disasters
such as rail and waterway.
What is the logistical process for this type of
restoration project?
All of the restoration of the personal effects is performed
at our headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. We have a
methodical process at the crash site for various issues:
• We weigh each piece of luggage (if any is intact).
• We photograph the site and the interior of the
cabin before anything is removed.
• We may stake the area with color-coded flags to
identify personal effects, human remains or
aviation debris.
• We may perform an onsite inventory.
• We may have to dig into the soil to search for
embedded items.
• We may have to transport the soil to perform
sifting operations.
What normally goes into the process of restoring
items damaged in an airplane crash, and how does
this differ from the restoration process for a more
traditional type of loss?
We have to “make available” all personal effects regard-
less of condition. Therefore, we deal with partially
burned items, deformed or semi-crushed items, and
items with no visible damage. We also have to deal with
heavy contamination from jet fuel, dirt, mold, bacte-
ria, bloodborne pathogens, carbon fibers and extensive
by-products of the fire. Many items have to be processed
multiple times to remove stains and odor and to ensure
that they are safe to handle from a biological standpoint.
We have developed proprietary processes over the years
and, at times, we have surprised ourselves as to what we can
restore for these families. We have a team that developed
our processes that includes a certified industrial hygienist
(CIH). In addition, we perform various process testing that
includes biological sampling and in-house ATP monitoring
for process control.
HUDSON RIVER CRASH RECOVERY
How did BMS CAT become involved with this project?
I received a call the evening of the crash asking me to get
to NYC. We met the next day on the New Jersey side at
a barge company where the plane was stored on a barge.
We met with the airline, NTSB and the FBI and agreed
on our mutual plan of action. BMS and the FBI would
enter the cabin first to photograph personal effects and
carry-on luggage in the position they were located. Then
the NTSB investigative team would board the plane to
investigate the cause of the accident and to inspect for life
The American Airlines
flight that crashed right after
9/11 was high-profile, tense and
very sensitive.Then theTAM
Airlines crash in Sao Paulo,
Brazil wasTime magazine’s
Disaster of theYear.
Initial search for “intact” luggage and personal effects.

safety issues. If they moved a piece of carry-on luggage,
they were requested to place it back in the same location.
Once they completed their work (a few hours), then the
FBI and BMS removed the personal effects and carry-on
luggage. Since this was not a criminal investigation, the
FBI continued to participate in the personal effects and
luggage removal process for internal training purposes.
We tagged all personal effects and carry-on luggage with
the seat location. Then they were removed from the plane,
weighed and placed on a refrigerated trailer to be fro-
zen. We do this jointly with the FBI witnessing. We then
got the luggage out of the cargo hold and placed it in the
refrigerated trailer. When everything was off of the plane,
we were ready to transport to BMS CAT. We used armed
ex-FBI agents to escort the truck nonstop to BMS CAT in
Fort Worth, Texas. Only stops for fuel were allowed.
How do you identify who owns the various contents
from a crash, and who is responsible for getting them
back to the owners?
This is a key part of the process. From the beginning, we
are concerned about who owns the personal effects. We
want to recover personal effects and not break an asso-
ciation. In the main cabin, sometimes carry-on luggage
has an outside name tag, or there is something inside the
luggage to link the item to a passenger. That is why we
photograph and record seat locations. If something was
found in the aisle, we would note that. In the main cargo
hold, the same applies to luggage tags. We hope they
stay intact. That makes it easy to determine that all the
contents inside the luggage belong to a particular per-
son. However, we have found that the luggage tags the
airlines apply to the bags start to fall off with moisture
and cold temperatures. When that occurs, we have to
inspect the baggage contents for identifying items.
Outside the plane on the ground or impacted into the
soil, we simply notate where we found the personal
effects. In these cases, without a name tag, we classify the
personal effect as “unassociated.” This means we don’t
know who it belongs to.
Aviation debris is staged for inspection before a special rinse is applied to remove jet fuel prior to storage.

There are two processes to claim personal effects: asso-
ciated and unassociated. We say “associated” because we
believe the personal effect is associated to a particular
person. When they visit the website, they view the asso-
ciated items we believe to be theirs. They then check off
what is theirs and what is not theirs. What is not theirs
then is transferred to the unassociated group. After the
associated process is completed, we allow all passengers
to view the unassociated personal effects to claim items
that are theirs or they believe to be their loved ones.
CHALLENGES IN AVIATION RESTORATION
What are the greatest challenges encountered when
doing this type of restoration work?
The greatest challenges vary by the phase of work we are
performing. [At the crash site], we can have immense pres-
sure from a variety of federal agencies (foreign or United
States) with competing priorities. Pressure is always on
how fast we can get our work done at the crash site. There
could be a runway closed and people out of their homes.
However, we have to resist the temptation to speed things
up at the cost of being thorough. There can be no doubt
that absolutely nothing remains from the crash, regardless
of how much time it takes. The federal law for the fami-
lies takes precedence over all other issues. And, of course,
there are the ever-present news agencies asking for inter-
views and trying to get photos.
[At the processing center], we have the issues of decon-
tamination, inventory control, communications with
passengers, next of kin, attorneys, authorities, return of
personal effects and the news media.
Regarding inventory, we have developed our own
web-based system. This allows multiple users to enter
descriptions of the personal effects of the passengers
complete with before and after photos. We have had up
to 500,000 items from a crash.
For the claims process, we perform all communications
to the families and/or their attorneys. For the Asiana
Airlines crash in San Francisco, I hired three interpreters
to support Korean, Mandarin and Cantonese speakers.
Plus, we put on a night shift so that we could communi-
cate with them in their time zones. For the Tam Airlines
in Brazil, I hired Brazilian Portuguese interpreters.
The Family Assistance Act requires that we make available
the personal effects for the family to view. We introduced
our secure web-based claims process a few years ago, and
now we have 99.9 percent of our claims from the web. A
family member simply logs in, views what is theirs, and
in a few clicks, we have their claim. We then schedule a
delivery by our trained PE Care Team to the family or
next of kin’s home. The web-based claim process has been
revolutionary, and the families are grateful.
What was the most interesting project your team
worked on?
Each project has some interesting memories. Certainly,
the American Airlines flight that crashed right after 9/11
was high-profile, tense and very sensitive. Then the TAM
Airlines crash in Sao Paulo, Brazil, was Time magazine’s
Disaster of the Year. There, I remember a tender moment
with the widow of a victim of the crash. She did not have
any remains to bury for her husband. So she wanted to
visit the crash site, considering it her husband’s burial site.
I arranged for a work stoppage for the designated time.
We escorted her to a safe area for her to pray and look.
Airline Location Date
American Airlines NewYork City, NY November 12, 2001
Corporate Airlines Kirksville, MO October 19, 2004
Martinair, Inc. Pueblo, CO February 16, 2005
Air France Toronto, Canada August 2, 2005
TAM Airlines Sao Paulo, Brazil July 17, 2007
American Airlines Jamaica 2008
Caracas Santa
Barbara Airlines
Venezuela 2008
Continental Airlines Denver, CO December 20, 2008
US Airways NewYork City January 15, 2009
Continental Express Buffalo, NY February 12, 2009
Cape Air USA 2010
Asiana Airlines USA 2013
Preliminary searching of the topsoil of an aviation crash site for
human remains and personal effects.

She then was ready to leave. She came over to me and
gave me a Brazilian hug and kiss on each cheek. Through
the interpreter, she said, “Thank you for coming to Brazil
to help us. Thank you for letting me visit my husband.
God bless you!” I teared up and couldn’t talk.
The TAM Airlines crash was also the most challenging for
two reasons. First was dealing with the local and federal
Brazilian authorities. I was in Brazil for six months. They
had a negative experience from a competitor two years
previous to this incident, and they were worried, but they
eventually cooperated. Second was the plane crashed into
a concrete building. We had to implode the building, then
demolish it to rubble. We then hauled 1,100 dump truck
loads of rubble to a rented giant warehouse and sifted the
rubble for many months looking for personal effects and
human remains. We found a lot!
How does it feel to restore items that belong to
someone who was involved in a crash?
We are in the service business. This is truly one of the
most gratifying things one can do. Our people truly
feel it is a calling to be able to serve the families. We
have families or next of kin that will call in and talk for
30 to 60 minutes. It becomes quite personal. We have
had people that lost loved ones tell us that they don’t
know how we can do what we do. When our teams
deliver the personal effects to their homes, it is like
family is visiting. It is obviously a traumatic time for
the family, but our teams are trained in dealing with
victims of mass fatalities. At times, it brings tears to
our eyes.
What else should our readers should know about
this particular service area?
This is obviously a specialized niche business.
However, it grew as an extension of our basic
restoration business from cleaning fire damage contents
in homes. Restoration contractors can take their basic
skills and look for their own unique markets and/
or industries and adapt. Become problem solvers
and provide value-added services, and watch the
business grow!

JON-DON INC...............................................................................IFC
TOMI SERVICE NETWORK .............................................................2
NIKRO INDUSTRIES, INC..............................................................11
XACTWARE.....................................................................................13
ARID-DRY ........................................................................................15
1-800-PACK-RAT.............................................................................17
BELFOR ............................................................................................21
GENERAL BUILDING CONSULTANTS.........................................23
SUNBELT ........................................................................................BC
A D V E R T I S I N G I N D E X
Registration Is Open for RIA
Annual Convention and Expo
Register today for the RIA 2016 International
Restoration Convention and Industry Expo at
the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando,
Florida.The event will take place March 21–23.
Join us for an exciting array of sessions focused
on current issues and topics facing the restoration
industry and networking opportunities with your
peers and thought leaders in the field. Plus, this
year we will be celebrating the 70th anniversary
of the Restoration Industry Association. Be sure
to visit www.restorationindustry.org/2016 for
more information including the schedule-at-a-
glance, hotel, and travel information.
S500 Update Course
New standards that will affect the water damage res-
toration industry have arrived with the release of
the updated “ANSI/IICRC S500 — Water Damage
Restoration — Fourth Edition: 2015.” RIA wants you
to be prepared! We are excited to offer an S500 Update
course in three locations throughout Canada: Vancouver,
Calgary, and Mississauga.
Each half-day seminar will go through changes that will
affect the way materials are now recommended to be
dried, calculations for dehumidification, air movement,
application of heat, and science that includes vapor
pressure of materials. Those attending this presentation
will have a good understanding of the critical changes,
why they were needed, and the impact on the industry
and their businesses.
The course will be led by Darren Hudema, who has worked
in the cleaning and restoration industry for more than 40
years. His credentials include WLS designation from the
ASCR/RIA and he is also a Certified IICRC Master Textile
Cleaner, Master Fire and Smoke Restorer, and Master
Water Restorer.
For more information, visit the RIA Canadian Events
& Courses web page at www.restorationindustry.org/?
page=CANEvents.
R I A N E W S & I N D U S T R Y E V E N T S
FEBRUARY 2016
9-10 Xactware User Conference 2016,
Salt Lake City, Utah
www.xactware.com/en-us/user-conference/
2016/conference/overview/
20–23 DKI Insights, Kissimmee, Florida
www.insightsconference.com/#schedule
MARCH 2016
21–23 RIA INTERNATIONAL RESTORATION CONVENTION
& INDUSTRY EXPO, ORLANDO, FLORIDA
www.restorationindustry.org/?page=2016Convention
APRIL 2016
17–20 PLRB Claims Conference & Insurance Services
Expo, San Antonio, Texas
www.plrbclaimsconference.org

5QUESTIONSWITH DUNCAN BENNETT
1. WWHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN THE RESTORATION INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALIA?
There is a move toward greater control of our process and pricing by carriers using vendor programs. Carriers
are better informed on what constitutes a value proposition. Restorers are thereby being compelled to deliver
greater efficiencies and a higher level of professionalism in order to make the cut.
2. WHAT IS THE MAIN CHALLENGE FACING AUSTRALIAN RESTORATION CONTRACTORS TODAY?
The challenge is twofold. The first is getting the right people. Not just competent and reliable technicians, but
also the right management, sales and marketing people to grow your business in an altered environment. The
second challenge is to keep up with change, especially switching the mindset from “do and charge” thinking
to a more professional, “forward-estimated” marketplace where we must be able to project costs, time frames
and outcomes.
3. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF RESTORATION PROFESSIONALS?
If that is the way we have always done it, then it is probably wrong. Be innovative. Build a better mousetrap. Be
informed. Make training your number-one priority, keep up with technical reading and new product information
and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
4. IS THERE ANYTHING UNIQUE OR SURPRISING ABOUT THE RESTORATION INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALIA?
Australia is unique in its demographic. Australia is a demanding first-world country with a land area the size of
the United States and about the population of California, so our market is highly attenuated and dominated by
the tyranny of distance. However, more than 90 percent of the population lives within 100 kilometers of four
or five state capitals. This means that there is room in the marketplace for a mix of large corporate restoration
companies as well as smaller, well-equipped regional suppliers.
5. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST ABOUT WORKING IN THE RESTORATION INDUSTRY?
The excitement. Most businesses would be in trouble if they were compelled to work in crisis management but
in restoration, crisis management is the business. This is a buzz.
Network Restorers director and RIA Board of Directors member Duncan Bennett, WLS, offers
an Australian perspective on the global restoration industry.

www.restorationindustry.org | January 2016 | Cleaning & Restoration C3

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