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SERVPRO of Bloomfield Enfield Ready-Plan
- 1. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 BE READY FOR THE UNEXPECTED RIMS Connecticut Valley Chapter February 17, 2016
- 2. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Be Ready For The Unexpected
- 3. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Misperception It’s not the Property Damage that’s the Biggest Disaster It’s the Business Interruption
- 4. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Emergency Ready Profile Businesses that survive a disaster tend to have an emergency disaster plan in place before disaster strikes.
- 5. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Real World Wrong Way
- 6. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Fast Action Is Critical
- 7. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Real World Right Way
- 8. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480
- 9. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 What is the most advanced and valuable emergency response equipment?
- 10. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 What is the most advanced and valuable emergency response equipment? Not the Latest and Greatest Equipment
- 11. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 What is the most advanced and valuable emergency response equipment? Not Even Your Emergency Response Plan
- 12. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 What is the most advanced and valuable emergency response equipment? Not Even These Great Guys
- 13. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 What is the most advanced and valuable emergency response equipment?
- 14. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 What is the most advanced and valuable emergency response equipment? It’s You
- 15. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 You and a Plan
- 16. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 We’re All Humans Here • Do you have the best people in charge in case an emergency happens? – Provide clarity in crisis – Know the plan – Know the policy – Make quick decisions and adjustments – Naturally involve others and keep them actively engaged
- 17. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 The best disaster is the one that never happens
- 18. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Is Your Plan • Up-to-date • Complete • Ready to implement • Properly staffed
- 19. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 No Plan is Perfect “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower Former U.S. President and Five Star General
- 20. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Lack of an Emergency Plan 1 • Complete a SERVPRO Emergency Ready Profile or equivalent • Capture all critical contact info like fire, police, hospital and security phone numbers
- 21. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Lack of an Emergency Plan 2 • Mark, photograph, and describe all shut off locations (electricity, gas, water, alarm, sprinkler, IT, etc.) • Partner with full service cleanup/restoration firm
- 22. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Services Forgotten • Document drying • Electrical restoration • Duct cleaning • Art restoration • Machinery restoration • Cleaning antiques • Construction
- 23. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Lack of an Emergency Plan 3 • Note necessary keys and their locations • Include info for your alarm, sprinkler, server contacts • Have a page of essential company/building contacts (building owner, on site maintenance, risk/property manager)
- 24. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Lack of an Emergency Plan 4 • Brainstorm other people you may need quick access to: – Internet provider – HVAC – Flooring company – Plumber – Elevator company – Electrician – Mechanical
- 25. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Lack of an Emergency Plan 5 • Property Overview – Address, Directions – Year built – Renovations? If so, what year? – Energy Program Certified? – Hazardous material (type, location, main contact) – Building description with photograph – Blueprint location – Supplemental generator power? How much?
- 26. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Lack of an Emergency Plan 6 • Building Access – Elevator access – Stairway access – Door locations – Photographs of all of the above – What else? – What’s unique? – Parking for restoration vehicles
- 27. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Outdated Emergency Plan • Conduct annual review • Conduct annual staff training • Reconfirm players know where the plan is • Plan access via tablet and smartphone
- 28. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Incomplete Emergency Plan 1 • Added new facilities • Made renovations • Moved departments • Added or moved hazardous or valuable materials
- 29. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Incomplete Emergency Plan 2 • Have newer employee test the plan • SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield analysis
- 30. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Lack of Implementation • Train implementers • Run a mock drill • Test if key players can find the plan within 60 seconds • Reevaluate who has plan access
- 31. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Think You Know Your Plan? Test it. • Assess actual recovery capabilities • Design, develop and implement a drill – Tabletop or full scale – Identify any flawed decisions and correct
- 32. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Recovery Emergency services • Stabilization and security
- 33. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Recovery • Priorities • Business interruption services • Restoration and construction • T&M Sheets
- 34. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 SERVPRO Corporate • National leader • 1,800 franchises in U.S. and Canada • Launched in 1967 • Well Known & Respected • “Ready for whatever happens” • Partners with Red Cross Ready Rating Program • Construction company
- 35. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield Clean up and restore residential and commercial property after fire, smoke, or water damage.
- 36. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield • Top 100 franchise out of 1,800 • Top Volume Leader per license in Northeast • 50,000 sf warehouse with office & conference room • Certified Commercial Restoration Specialists • Cover eastern U.S. • With other SERVPROs cover the country
- 37. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Restore vs. Replace SERVPRO begins each job with a “restore-first” mentality This approach: – Reduces recovery time – Completes job faster – Lower costs
- 38. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 About Sante Builders • More than 35 Years in the Industry • Second Generation of Quality Construction • Superior Remodeling Workmanship • Outstanding Customer Service
- 39. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Full Service Restoration 1 • Structural Engineering • Steel work • Concrete work • Plumbing and mechanical • Electrical
- 40. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Full Service Restoration 2 • Roofing & Siding • Custom doors & windows • Painting & wallpapering • Granite & solid surfaces • Architectural mill-work • Landscape Consultation & Excavation
- 41. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Commercial Services • Commercial construction • Commercial building renovation • Commercial office build-out • On-call emergency building repair
- 42. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Misnomer: SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield • Connecticut • Boston, MA • Worcester MA • Portland, ME • Albany NY • South Carolina
- 43. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield • Reduce mold and mildew • Handle biochemical cleanups • Blood born pathogens • Restore documents and valuables after soot, smoke, or water damage • Get industrial machinery back on line • Construction and more
- 44. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 More Resources • RIMS • OSHA's Fact Sheet on Planning and Responding to Workplace Emergencies (PDF*) • American Red Cross Ready Rating
- 45. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/EnfieldRalph DiCristofaro • 844-254-1480 Thank You Are you ready for the unexpected? Ralph DiCristofaro SERVPRO of Bloomfield/ Enfield, IICRC Certified Firm, Top 100 Franchise 100 Peters Road Bloomfield, CT 06002 Toll Free: (844) 254-1480 Cell: (860) 308-5585 Office: (860) 216-2785 E-mail: servpro10121@gmail.com 24 Hour Emergency Service
Editor's Notes
- Ralph, I recommend saying nothing at the beginning. Just get the video rolling.
- Wow! People usually think these types of disasters will never happen to them. To that I say, “Don’t bet on it!” So let’s get you prepared. First of all, thank you for letting me speak with you. It’s an honor. We’re going to talk about how you can become even better prepared to prevent damage and recover from damage when it occurs. I also want to reveal to you some hidden issues that some risk managers often don’t know about. Please feel free to stop me to ask questions along the way. Your questions will help keep me focused on your concerns.
- I’ll start with one of the biggest points most people miss. We all know the impact of a natural disaster can be huge. But here’s the thing. The cost of the cleanup and repair after a natural disaster is only a small percentage of your total cost. Did you know that? If a natural disaster damages your business the big cost, the big loss, is in business interruption, right? It’s not the cost of the property damage or the cost of restoring your property to its previous condition. In most cases, businesses lose far the most money in lost business. Even a small business with four employees loses a lot of revenue if they have to close for a few days. At SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield we’ve worked with businesses who lose $xx,xxxx, $xx,xxx, or even $xxx,xxxx every day they can’t open their doors or serve their customers. That adds up fast. And that’s why one of our major goals is always to get a business back in business as soon as possible. You’ll see some examples of that during this presentation. Now let’s go over what you can do to be prepared for any natural disaster so you can keep the damage cost as low as possible and get back to business as soon as possible.
- First, businesses that get through a natural disaster well tend to have had an emergency response plan in place before the disaster happened. The research proves it. How many of you knew this? (wait for a show of hands.) And I know RIMS has a good Risk Maturity Model that can help you with this issue. (NOTE: Ralph, I would mention that you’re aware of the RIMS Risk Maturity Model. Ask them what it is. Here’s how it’s defined on the RIMS website. It’s probably much broader than the SERVPRO tool and may not get into the nitty-gritty details that the SERVPRO tool does in a very brief space.) RIMS Risk Maturity Model is a free assessment tool for executives in risk management - and others charged with risk management responsibilities - to develop and improve sustainable Enterprise Risk Management programs. This online resource for ERM allows you to score your risk management program and receive an immediately available report. The analysis, based on guidelines set forth in the model, serves as your organization's roadmap for improvement. Regardless of which risk management standard or framework you are using, risk professionals and their internal auditors can use the RIMS Risk Maturity Model assessment for assurance purposes to determine whether the organization's risk management program is meeting expectations, and for considering potential recommendations to mature the program.
- Let’s venture out into the real world via SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield. We’re out there providing cleanup and restoration services every day. Here’s a true story from last year that went right but only because of some good luck. (NOTE: Ralph, tell the story of the Bloomfield professional building that lacked a plan. Mention specifics like: July 14, 2015 40,000 square foot 3 stories Took fire trucks from seven communities to put the blaze out Many businesses – including law firms, and medical practices – were shut down while restoration took place. The town Fire Marshall estimated the building would need to be closed for several months. A 25 person crew from SERVPRO Bloomfield/Enfield worked 24 hours a day for a week and two more weeks cleaning up. The building reopened in one month, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in business interruption loses. The big problem? The building owner got lucky. He did not have an emergency response plan in place. He found SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield because his insurance agent referred him to us and we responded immediately. Without a plan in place and without the fast-acting insurance agent many or all of the businesses in this building could have been shut down forever.
- By the way, when you suffer storm damage of any kind or a fire like that professional building did, fast action is critical. You want to be certain to start remediation as soon as you can. For example, after a water disaster, mold can start growing and multiplying as soon as within 48-72 hours. If the water isn’t removed quickly and the area dried out you will face another crisis – a crisis of micro-bacteria. And mold is an issue after many fires because most fires are put out with water. The water’s great for stopping the fire but it needs to be rapidly removed.
- So I said professional building owner who had that fire last June did not have an emergency response plan and did not know us. In contrast, this Bloomfield retirement community did have a plan in place and a relationship with us. (NOTE: Ralph, tell this Duncaster story with the facts like: The owners had moved in just four days earlier into their new condominium Every condo in this complex is at least a $600,000 property Sewer backup put 3-4 inches of dirty water across the floors Within one hour we always have a priority responder on site as we did here Within two hours we have a full team on site as we did here The sewer water covered a large storage area, hallway, and a good portion of the unit. ) The good news? This retirement community DID have an emergency response plan in place. Plus, they knew us. They called SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield and we responded immediately. We cleaned up the flooring, walls, and contents over the weekend. The entire property was good as new within two weeks. In this case, the fast response prevented more damage and was made possible by the immediately implementation of the already existing emergency response plan. By the way even though we’re called SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield we cover a wide geographic area. In fact, our crews have done cleanup and restoration work in South Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and elsewhere.
- Let’s stop here so you can answer a question for me. Most of you are risk managers, right? Or you are in the field of risk management? So you should be able to answer this question.
- What is the most advanced and valuable emergency response equipment? (NOTE: Ralph, they may respond by saying it’s having an emergency response plan in place. Tell them that’s a good answer but it’s not the best answer. Let three or four people answer the question. Compliment them on their answers (whatever they are) but explain there is a better answer.)
- Whatever the latest and greatest water damage, fire damage, smoke damage, mildew damage, or other damage restoration equipment is, that equipment is not what’s most valuable.
- Having an emergency response plan is very important ,but it’s not the most critical, the most valuable weapon you must have ready.
- As much as I love my crews and my job, SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield is NOT the most important, most advanced key to your success during and after an emergency.
- Care to have one more try at answering this question? (NOTE: Ralph, try to get one or two people to take another stab at this. This can engage them more in the talk and make it more into a conversation rather than a lecture.)
- You and your risk management team are the most advanced and valuable emergency response equipment. You’re the key. Nothing is more important in preparing for and handling a disaster than you are. (NOTE: Pause. Let them absorb this fact.) Advanced equipment still requires people. A great emergency response plan still requires you to implement it. The SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield team can only do our best work if we get clear direction and help from you. You are the most advanced and valuable emergency response equipment. You are the ones who can best anticipate, prepare for, implement, and manage your company or business through the effects of a natural disaster.
- You’re key because you’re the mastermind behind the preparation. And the most valuable thing you may do to prevent or respond to a natural disaster is to build a good emergency response plan. Just by building a plan you find things you can do to eliminate or reduce the likelihood of some disasters occurring, right? Maybe creating your plan gets people to remove those dangerous chemicals that are being stored on site. Maybe in the course of planning you uncover a serious need to upgrade your building’s sprinkler system or you take other actions that reduce risk. But success is not all dependent on you.
- Success depends on you and your team. We see a huge ugly issue nearly every week at SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield. Companies put their emergency plans in the wrong hands. You want the right people in charge during a crisis. A great plan in the wrong hands is not going to work, right? Here’s how I’d describe who the right decision-makers in a crisis would be. You want on your emergency response team people who can handle a disaster without getting overwhelmed or frustrated. Calmness is a great virtue in a crisis because it lets you think clearly. The people in charge need to know and understand the plan. They also must be willing to deviate from the plan if it isn’t working. No plan will fit the disaster you experience perfectly. You have to make adjustments. And the leaders of an emergency response team must know how to delegate, involve others, and keep people engaged. In a crisis you need all hands on deck. People will want to help but they will need clear direction on what they can do.
- Having a plan, being actively involved, and having the right people in charge of any disaster response is the best way to eliminate disasters, reduce their impact, and recover from them as quick as possible with as little cost as possible. When you are truly ready for the unexpected natural disaster you can sometimes prevent a disaster from happening. You moved out those dangerous chemicals. Or you conduct a building review and eliminate that drainage issue that would have caused flooding if had not acted. There are many ways you can reduce or eliminate the risks from natural disasters. And the best disaster is the one that never happens. By planning and preparing and anticipating and having the right team in place, you prevent some disasters. By having an emergency response plan in place you keep the costs and the impact of any emergency lower, right? Most of you know this and have a plan in place. But here’s the thing. Here’s what some of you who do have a plan do not have.
- You may not have a plan that’s up-to-date and complete and ready to implement. How good is an emergency response plan that was created five years ago and hasn’t been updated? How good is a plan that covers four facilities when you added a fifth facility six months ago? How good is a plan that no one is fully trained to implement? How good is plan that has the wrong people set to implement it? We’re going to go over each of these potential gaps in your ability to best handle a natural disaster and provide you with some recommendations. But first, there’s one important thing to say about planning. As critical and as important as planning is…
- No plan works perfectly. Right? We make plans then life happens and we have to adjust. That’s why General and U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower was famous for this quote. Plans may become hard to use because your disaster or your crisis will never occur just the way you think it will. But, like Eisenhower implies here, in the process of planning we learn. In the process of planning we eliminate many factors that could make a disaster worse. Things like missing a phone number or not knowing where a shut off valve is. Planning teaches us so much. You go into a disaster with much more confidence when you have a plan. Sure parts of the plan may not work but you adjust. Does this make sense? (NOTE: Get one or two people to contribute a thought here. Again, this keeps them engaged and shows everyone that this talk isn’t all about you talking 100% of the time. You’re communicating that you want their thoughts and ideas.)
- Okay, the first thing about planning is that some of us don’t do it. We think, “We’ll get to that next quarter.” Or, “That’s not a top priority for us right now.” Or, “I don’t really think our department should handle that.” I know most of you don’t think this way. But some facility managers and risk managers act this way. They need a plan like the SERVPRO Emergency Ready Profile. They need a ready resource that contains all the critical contact information for the police and fire and security and hospital and other essential services they may have to call in a life or death situation.
- They need to be sure that the people on site know where shut off valves and other essential building equipment is. And it’s important to work with people and firms who can provide everything you might need.
- By the way, there are several cleanup and restoration services that many risk managers and facility managers don’t think about and plan for. Here’s a partial list. These are all services SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield provides. Law firms, for one, often need a document drying service. Many storms damage electrical systems so your cleanup and restoration partner should have the capability to help you there. Art restoration comes up a lot when we work with homeowners who are collectors of fine paintings and other art. And manufacturers often have machines worth $500,000 or a million dollars or more. Be sure you know how to get a hold of people who can get a damaged piece of machinery back up and running.
- At SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield we’ve seen some companies who have an emergency response plan in place but it’s so minimal that it’s nearly useless when an emergency occurs. Here’s an example. Some emergency response plans show where the shut off valves are but do not explain that those valves are controlled by keys and in an emergency the person implementing the plan doesn’t know where the keys are kept. So here are a few items that any adequate emergency response plan needs to include. Is there anything you would add to this list? (NOTE: Ask them questions to get them involved, keep them interested, and share their expertise.)
- One piece of advice I’ve given to many facility managers and risk managers is to review your emergency response plan and look for holes in it. What service might you need in a crisis that you haven’t listed in your plan? Your internet provider? A plumber? An electrician? Go overboard in trying to include the contact information for every possible resource you may need in your plan. In the case of an emergency response plan there’s no such thing as too much information.
- Good emergency response plans must also include property information. The response teams that will show up during a disaster need clear, complete information on where you are and how to get to you and what hazardous materials are on site and what your building’s constructed of, etc. Here are some of the items that I cover when I do emergency readiness planning with my clients.
- Another gap in emergency planning is not providing the first responders and cleanup and restoration crews with all the information about proper and safe access to your building. How do emergency response teams need to access your building? Where are the elevators? Where is the stairway access? What may be unusual about access to your building or its operational equipment? Does your plan include all this information? Do your local first responders already have this information? What else does your plan include that I haven’t listed or discussed? (NOTE: Draw them in. Get one or two or three new ideas from the RIMS members. They are 30 people and you are one so they have more information than you do. Get them to share it.)
- In Connecticut and Massachusetts and other places we go, we’re run into some businesses and companies who do have an emergency response plan but it’s been gathering dust for years. No one has reviewed the plan to be certain it still applies. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield recommends you review your emergency plan every year. Conduct training annually for the people responsible for implementing the plan. As simple as it sounds, sometimes the right people don’t know how to quickly find the plan. It should be easy to access by tablet, smartphone, computer, and on paper.
- The incomplete emergency plans I’ve run across tend to be lacking the ways listed here.
- And if you think your plan is as complete as it can be, test the plan on newer employees. It may look great to you but what about to someone who’s new. Does the plan make sense to them? Do they see anything missing? Would they know exactly what to do should an emergency happen? Or you can call me in and I can do an analysis of your existing plan.
- Here’s something I find risky. Very risky. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield has worked with some companies and businesses who think they’re prepared. The company has spent a lot of time creating a complete, up-to-date emergency response plan. But when a disaster occurs and it’s time to put the plan in action they discover that their people are not fully trained and equipped to perform. This goes back to the point we made earlier about having the best possible people in charge of your plan. Smart companies avoid this problem. They do annual training. They run either a tabletop or a full scale mock drill of a disaster. They test to make sure the emergency response team can locate the plan within a minute. That should be easy if it’s on an app on your smartphone or tablet. And, the smartest companies make sure that the right people have access to the plan. It doesn’t help if only one person is key to implementing the plan and that person works 9 to 5 and a crisis happens at 10 p.m.
- SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield also recommends you test to be certain you have access to all the recovery resources you might need. We work with businesses and companies who have their own recovery crews and equipment but what they have isn’t enough for every crisis. For example, if the crew is designed to handle a 1,000 square foot chemical spill when your entire facility is 20,000 square feet, you need to have ready access to more resources. We talked earlier about having an emergency drill. You can do one in a conference room on the tabletop or you can be more comprehensive and organize a full scale drill. And remember that the purpose of a drill is to identify any gaps or flaws in your plan so you correct those things.
- Imagine your business suffered a major fire. Let’s say you had a complete up-to-date emergency response plan in place and implemented it well. That still leaves you with clean up and recovery. The first thing you’ll want is emergency services. That may mean water extraction, document recovery, debris removal, and more. And you’ll want to be certain your facility is stabilized and secure. That means making certain the facility is safe and that no further damage can occur. Examples are installing air filtration equipment after a fire loss to improve air quality or installing an exterior fence to limit access. SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield provides these services. We provide both emergency services and services to stabilize and secure a facility or property after a disaster.
- But none of the things mention on that last slide are the highest priority in the long run. The highest priority SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield sees after a natural disaster is business interruption services. You want to get your business back up and running as soon as possible because every day you’re not in business you lose more revenue. For this need SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield provides services like cleaning office spaces so people can quickly get back to work. We can help restore your business to its pre-disaster condition. That includes doing construction. For some companies we’ve helped them relocate to temporary portable offices. Remember that fire in the professional building I mentioned at the beginning? The local fire department estimated the building would have to be shut down for two or three months. We got the building back in pre-disaster condition within three weeks (?). That saved them tens of thousands of dollars. (NOTE: Ralph, check my facts on this.) But the key to recovery is your priorities. Tell whatever clean up and restoration service you use what you need and when you need it. One example I know of happened after a hospital suffered major damage. The recovery crew thought getting the patient care rooms safe, clean, and ready to use would be the first priority. But in this case, the hospital needed to get its billing department operational first. It was vital that was clearly communicated early in the restoration process.
- I don’t want to end without telling you a bit about SERVPRO. Because we began in the residential market some people don’t realize how much work we do in the commercial market. It’s a lot and growing. More consumers recognize the SERVPRO brand than any competitor brand. Through the hundreds of SERVPRO facilities throughout the nation we have the resources to meet any business or commercial natural disaster or crisis. That includes construction. We have our own construction company so we can help you rebuild.
- Our office describes what we do in this way. Most of what we do is clean up and restore properties – both commercial properties and residences. We’re most likely to hear from people when there is: A fire A sewer back up Storm damage from wind, snow, ice or other severe weather A chemical spill And more—the list goes on.
- SERVPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield ranks in the top 100 of 1,800 SERVPROs in the U.S. and Canada. In Connecticut we are among the top four. We just recently expanded into a 50,000 square foot warehouse. And we handle large losses. Our crews cover just about all of the eastern United States. With 1,800 other SERVPROs throughout the country we can handle just about any cleanup and restoration across the country and now in Canada.
- In one way, our name – SERPRO of Bloomfield/Enfield is a misnomer. We have done cleanup and restoration work in many parts of the eastern United States. In my three years our crews have done work in Mount Clear, New Jersey; Albany, New York; Boston, Massachusetts; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Buffalo, New York, and several storm damaged towns in South Carolina. Our Bloomfield/Enfield Connecticut crews helped businesses and homeowners recover from flooding in St. Louis and severe ice damage in Boston and more. Anywhere we can get to within 24 hours is an area we can serve.
- When the phone rings we have to be ready for anything. Our crews go through extensive training—both at the corporate level and locally.
- You’ve got lots of resources you can call on. In addition to SERVPRO, remember to use the educational resources you have from RIMS. Other resources that might be helpful to you include OSHA. See OSHA’s three page “Planning and Responding to Workplace Emergencies” fact sheet. The Red Cross has many good materials available. You should definitely become part of the Red Cross Ready Rating program. We are. And the IBHS has a 49 page book called Open for Business. It’s a disaster planning tool kit for small to mid-sized businesses.
- Thank you for your time today. My goal has been to help you become even more ready to successfully handle unexpected fire, water, storm, or other damage. I’m always available to you and would love to visit your facility to review your emergency response plan or meet with your facility manager or help in any other way. We have time for questions. What would you like to ask?