Emergency Fire Response Guidelines

9/19/2023 (Permalink)

Fire and smoke damage can be especially destructive.

Fire and smoke damage can be especially destructive. SERVPRO© has service response guidelines set in place to assure our clients of a timely response to emergency residential fires.  

• One Hour - Within one hour from notice of loss, we will contact you to arrange for service. You will know help is on the way!  
• Four Hours - Within four hours of loss notification, we will be on-site to start mitigation services. The key to reducing damage and saving money is responding quickly to your damage.  
• Eight Hours - Within eight business hours of on-site arrival, a verbal briefing of scope will be communicated to the appropriate person, normally your adjuster or property manager.  

With our emergency fire response guidelines, we can get your property back to pre-fire condition “Like it never even happened.” 

Be Prepared for a Fire

9/10/2023 (Permalink)

It is always better to be safe than sorry.

House fires come when you are least expecting it and can spread quickly throughout your home with little time to escape. That is why it is important to create a fire safety plan for you and your loved ones. The National Fire Protection Association has very useful tips to help you be prepared if you have a house fire.  

Escape Planning Tips  

• Get everyone in your household together to plan. Inspect all possible exits and escape routes in your home. If you have children, consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, and marking the locations of smoke alarms.  
• Install smoke alarms in each bedroom, outside of each bedroom, and on every level of your house.  
• When walking through your plan, check to make sure your escape routes are clear, and doors and windows can open easily.  
• Choose an outside meeting place that is a safe distance from your home.  
• Make sure your street number is clearly visible from the road. If it is not, paint it on the curb or install house numbers to make sure that emergency responder can find your house.  
• Have everyone in your household memorize the fire department's phone number.  
• If you have infants, older adults, or family members with mobility limitations in your household, make sure that someone is assigned to help them in a drill and the event of an emergency.  
• Inform visitors about your fire plan.  
• Be prepared for a real fire, once you hear smoke alarms, get out immediately.  
• Once you are out of the house, DO NOT go back in.  

It is always better to be safe than sorry. It is also important to be prepared in the event of a fire. For more information on how to create your fire plan, visit nfpa.org. 

Building and Reconstruction Services

8/29/2023 (Permalink)

After protecting and securing the structure, the professionals at SERVPRO® can begin the restoration process.

When your business has been damaged by fire, water, or storm damage, the immediate concern should be temporary protective measures such as placing roof tarps to prevent additional damage and boarding up to secure the building and remove water and debris. 

After protecting and securing the structure, the professionals at SERVPRO® can begin the restoration process. Your business may need reconstruction work to get your property back to its preloss condition. 

SERVPRO® can also simplify the commercial restoration process by handling both the initial damage mitigation and rebuilding the affected areas. Having one qualified company for the entire process can save time and keep costs low. Our team can provide this continuity by supervising a full range of restoration services that will bring a building back to full functionality, including: 

• Board Up 
• Roofing Services 
• Temporary Fencing 
• Roof Tarp 
• And More! 

Commercial Mold Remediation

8/23/2023 (Permalink)

Our team quickly works to contain the infestation to help prevent its spread to other parts of the building.

Besides causing a major business interruption, a mold problem can present a serious health risk for people exposed to your commercial property. Mold can spread quickly through a property if left untreated. Mold infestations can be caused by minor water intrusions, like a slow roof leak or loose plumbing fitting. Every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity.  

Our team quickly works to contain the infestation to help prevent its spread to other parts of the building. Next, we will begin the remediation process, working safely and effectively to manage the situation. We have the training, experience, and equipment to contain the mold infestation and remediate it to preloss condition.  

If you suspect your property has a mold problem, call SERVPRO®. Our team will respond quickly and work fast to manage the situation. 

Learn About Derechos

8/21/2023 (Permalink)

For a band of severe storms to be classified as a derecho, it must travel 240 miles and move at a speed of at least 58 miles per hour.

What is a derecho? Hot and humid weather conditions threaten a rare severe thunderstorm called a derecho. According to the National Geographic, a derecho is a widespread, long-lived, straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms. Derechos produce walls of strong wind that run throughout the landscape, causing hundreds of miles of damage.  

For a band of severe storms to be classified as a derecho, it must travel 240 miles and move at a speed of at least 58 miles per hour. Unlike tornadoes and hurricanes, the winds from a derecho follow straight lines. In fact, the term “derecho” means straight in Spanish.  

Derecho winds can be as strong as winds found in hurricanes and tornadoes. So, how do these strong winds form? It is created by a downburst. When wet air in a thunderstorm meets the drier air surrounding it, the water in the air evaporates. When water evaporates, it cools the air around it. Since the cool air is denser, it rapidly sinks to the ground and creates strong winds.  

The downburst can suck more dry air into the storm, making stronger downbursts. Derechos happen when the right conditions for downbursts occur over a wide-ranging area.

Preparing for Back to School

8/18/2023 (Permalink)

Maintaining a clean environment is important to keep the teachers and students healthy.

School is about to start back up again! Maintaining a clean environment is important to keep the teachers and students healthy. 

• Maintain healthy environments by frequently cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces. 
• Teach and reinforce handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and increase monitoring to ensure adherence among students and staff.  
• If soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol can be used (for staff and older children who can safely use hand sanitizer).  
• Encourage staff and students to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. 
• Students and teachers should know to stay home if they feel unwell. 

SERVPRO® has the training and equipment to deep clean commercial facilities like schools. If your school needs a deep clean, call SERVPRO ® of Shiawassee/West Saginaw Counties today at 989-494-5575. 

The Importance of Smoke Alarms

8/16/2023 (Permalink)

Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years whether they are still working or not.

Smoke alarms save lives every day. Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a crucial role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out. Here at SERVPRO® of Shiawassee/West Saginaw Counties, we want to keep you and your loved ones safe.  

Here is What You Need to Know  

• A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire. Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area.  

• Install alarms on every level of the home.   
• Smoke alarms should be interconnected. When one sounds, they all sound.   
• Larger homes may need extra smoke alarms.  
• Test your smoke alarms at least once a month. Press the test button to be sure the alarm is working. If the alarm still does not work replace the batteries, and if it still doesn’t work replace it.  
• There are two kinds of alarms. Ionization smoke alarms are quicker to warn about flaming fires. Photoelectric alarms are quicker to warn about smoldering fires. It is best to use both types of alarms in the home.  

• When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Don’t wait.  
• Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years whether they are still working or not.

Standing Water

7/28/2023 (Permalink)

When floodwater enters your home or business, it can cause standing water.

When floodwater enters your home or business, it can cause standing water. Standing water is a pool of water that does not flow. This can be a dangerous thing if it is not handled correctly. The cleanup can sometimes take up to 10 or 11 days to completely disappear unless it is mitigated immediately. Here are some protective measures to take into consideration when dealing with standing water. 

Stay Away from Standing Water  

• Sewage, debris, and other unpleasant things can be damaged by standing water.  
• Standing water is a breeding ground for bacteria and other parasites.  
• Wading through standing water can make you sick.  
• Wash your hands after contact with standing water.  
• Water conducts electricity. Underground power lines can give you a dangerous shock.  

Standing water should be dealt with right away. If you find yourself dealing with standing water of any kind, SERVPRO® is here to help make it “Like it never even happened." 

No Job is Too Large

7/26/2023 (Permalink)

No job is too large for our Disaster Recovery Team.

The SERVPRO Commercial Large Loss Division is composed of our best of the best in restoration. Our elite large-loss specialists are prequalified and strategically positioned throughout the United States to handle any size disaster. Team Miller has an elite group of team members that compose our Disaster Recovery Team. 

At SERVPRO, the difference is our ability to dispatch trained production professionals and cut costs through the strategic placement and oversight of temporary labor. 

Clients for the Commercial Large Loss program include the following: 

• The Hospitality Industry 
• Property Managers 
• Universities 
• Municipalities 

Every large loss is supervised by a commercial operations manager to help ensure seamless communication and timely mitigation for any size disaster. Whether it’s water damage, fire damage, storm damage, demolition, reconstruction, or commercial cleaning, no job is too large for our Disaster Recovery Team.  

Prevent Cooking Fires

7/21/2023 (Permalink)

Cooking fires can unexpectedly happen.

Cooking fires can unexpectedly happen. Follow these tips to prevent fire damage when cooking. 

Flammable Objects - Keep Away from the Stove  

• Keep anything that can burn a safe distance away from the stove.  
• Clean up food and grease from burners and the stovetop.  
• Wear short, tight-fighting, or lightly rolled sleeves. If clothes catch fire, stop, drop, and roll over and over or back and forth to put the fire out. Seek medical help.  

Be Ready to React Fast to a Cooking Fire  

• When in doubt – just get out!  
• If you try to fight fire with a fire extinguisher, be sure that:  
  • Other people are leaving the home  
  • Someone is calling the fire department  
  • You have a clear exit path  
• If a small fire starts:  
  • Slide a lid over the pan  
  • Turn off the burner  
  • Leave the pan covered until it is completely cool  
• For an oven or microwave fire, turn off the unit and keep the door closed.   

If your home experiences damage from a cooking fire, SERVPRO® has the training and equipment to restore your home back to pre-fire condition.