Does Your Fort Worth Business Have a Plan?

10/6/2023 (Permalink)

How quickly your company can get back to business after a hurricane, fire or flood often depends on the emergency planning done beforehand. The regular occurrence of natural disasters demonstrates the importance of being prepared for any emergency. 50% of businesses never reopen following a disaster. While each situation is unique, your organization can prepare better if you plan carefully, put emergency procedures in place and practice for all kinds of emergencies. The following are necessary measures business owners and managers can take to begin preparing.

Develop a Business Continuity Plan

Begin by identifying operations that are critical to survival and recovery. Then carefully assess your internal and external functions to determine which staff, material, procedures, and equipment are essential to keep the business operating.

Review Insurance Coverage

Understand what your policy does and does not cover. Check with your provider about things such as physical losses, flood coverage, and business interruption. Inadequate coverage can lead to significant financial loss.

Prepare Your Emergency Plan

Communication with your employees is central before, during, and after a disaster. Be sure to share emergency information with your staff.

Practice the Emergency Plan

The ability to evacuate workers and customers effectively can save lives. Establish evacuation producers and ensure your staff knows the route.

Secure Your Facility and Equipment

Install exit signs, fire extinguishers, and smoke alarms and detectors in appropriate areas.

Improve Cyber Security

Using anti-virus software, firewalls, and secure passwords will better protect your business’s data and information.

Locally Owned with National Resources

SERVPRO of East Ft. Worth is locally owned and operated, so we are part of the Fort Worth community. When you have a fire, flooding, or water emergency, we’re already nearby and ready to help.

As fire and water damage specialists, we have the experience, the expertise, and the advanced training that enables us to get your property restored quickly and thoroughly. Please call (817) 293-5553.

Importance of Hiring Professional Commercial Fire Restoration Services

9/25/2022 (Permalink)

In an effort against fire loss, most buildings have measures to protect the property from utility room fire or electrical fire loss. A fire sprinkler system is one of the strategies that play an essential role in fire suppression.

This system has sensors that detect a change in room temperature. If the temperature reaches a critical level, the alarm turns on, the valves open, and water jets are sprinkled in the rooms. The fire sprinkler system is the first line of defense against fire before the arrival of backup from firefighters.

Fire Suppression Exercise

The fire sprinkler system alone may not curb utility room fire or electrical fire outbreak from spreading. If no response comes quickly to help the fire sprinkler system, the fire can easily consume the entire building. Firefighters must arrive on time with their fire truck and fire hose to undertake intensive fire suppression. They are professionals in fire suppression, and they spare no effort to make sure that the inferno is put out as quickly as possible. This means that the firefighters can break into doors and windows without asking for permission and are not liable for any damage they cause while fighting the fire.

The fire truck is sometimes brought closer to the building; cranes are ejected to hoist the firefighter and fire hose inappropriate height. The fire hose is capable of injecting high-pressure water from the fire truck onto the fire. Firefighters have to ensure that the fire does not spread further and could take a few minutes while some could go for hours. Utility room fire or electrical fire could spread through the building very fast and must be stopped immediately.

Fire Damage and Firefighting Mess

After the fire, the reality of what transpired inside becomes clear to the owner and the need for fire restoration. Apart from the fire damage, there is soot damage, water damage, and visible smoke damage. Also, the fire hose pressure mixes and turns everything upside down.

The charred mess of fire damage is visible, and sometimes hard to recognize what it was. The flood from the fire truck is all over the place, making some documents and carpets wet. This devastating scene can only be rectified by professionals who are familiar with commercial fire damage restoration.

Professional Commercial Fire Damage Restoration

Hiring professionals for fire restoration is half the job done because you can rest assured that their services would turn the mess around and create a familiar place for your business.

Professional commercial fire damage services usually take a record of the items destroyed and the remaining ones. Those that can be repaired or cleaned are sorted while the rest is appropriately disposed of. They also find out where data backups could be salvaged, such as the computer hard drives, among others.

The soot damage, water damage, and smoke damage are some of the things that must be cleaned fast to restore the face of the interior. Soot damage is cleaned using a dry brush to remove the ash as the painting is done. Water is drained from the rooms and floor cleared, and drying prevents mold from growing. The smoke damage is deodorized from the remaining upholstery and other areas that could have absorbed the odor.

After completing the soot damage, smoke damage, and water cleanup, the damaged items are replaced, and those under repair are brought back. Most of the fire restoration services have adequate tools and workforce to expedite the restoration effort. Commercial fire damage can be a devastating experience, but your business will emerge triumphant over the fire damage if you use professional fire restoration services.

How Do You Prepare for a Commercial Fire?

9/25/2022 (Permalink)

Commercial fire is every business owner’s worst nightmare. Business owners with common sense will protect their assets with a decent insurance policy to ensure they can rebuild in the event of a fire. But what about protecting your most important asset: your own life and the lives of your employees?

To avoid the unspeakable tragedy of losing those you employ in a fire, it’s good to have a fire escape plan. Here are a few tips to ensure your emergency escape plan is sound:

1. Ensure your business has the proper number of smoke alarms. In newer homes, the National Fire Alarm Code (NFPA 72) requires hard-wired, interconnected smoke alarms with battery backup on every building level, outside each work area, and inside each office. If your building is older and smoke alarms are not already in place, install them on every level and outside each work area at a minimum. Test your alarms once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year.
   
   
2. Teach employees what smoke alarms sound like and how to respond if they hear one. If your smoke alarm has a test feature, set aside a training in which you teach your employees the fire escape plan and include a smoke alarm test. If it does not have a test feature, there are videos online which provide demonstrations of what smoke alarms sound like.
   
   
3. Ensure everyone in the building knows of two ways to escape from every room. It’s also essential to establish a meeting spot outside the building. Depending on the size of the building, this may require a customized escape diagram. 
   
   
4. Establish an emergency communications plan. As part of your building’s fire escape plan, make sure everyone knows who to contact in the event of an emergency and how. 
   
   
5. Practice escaping from your building at least twice a year. This may seem excessive, but fire drills can save lives in the event of a real fire. 

Call us for additional information regarding commercial fire damage.

Does Your Fort Worth Business Have a Plan?

8/27/2022 (Permalink)

Develop a Business Continuity Plan

Begin by identifying operations that are critical to survival and recovery. Then carefully assess your internal and external functions to determine which staff, material, procedures, and equipment are essential to keep the business operating.

Review Insurance Coverage

Understand what your policy does and does not cover. Check with your provider about things such as physical losses, flood coverage, and business interruption. Inadequate coverage can lead to significant financial loss.

Prepare Your Emergency Plan

Communication with your employees is central before, during, and after a disaster. Be sure to share emergency information with your staff.

Practice the Emergency Plan

The ability to evacuate workers and customers effectively can save lives. Establish evacuation producers and ensure your staff knows the route.

Secure Your Facility and Equipment

Install exit signs, fire extinguishers, and smoke alarms and detectors in appropriate areas.

Improve Cyber Security

Using anti-virus software, firewalls, and secure passwords will better protect your business’s data and information.

Locally Owned with National Resources

SERVPRO of East Ft. Worth is locally owned and operated, so we are part of the Fort Worth community. When you have a fire, flooding, or water emergency, we’re already nearby and ready to help.

As fire and water damage specialists, we have the experience, the expertise, and the advanced training that enables us to get your property restored quickly and thoroughly. Please call (817) 293-5553.

Benefits of Large Loss For Your Commercial Business

5/8/2022 (Permalink)

Whether the large, commercial property sustains water, fire, or storm damage, there will be many moving parts involved to restore the business.

When a property is affected by a disaster, catastrophic loss occurs. Whether the large, commercial property sustains water, fire, or storm damage, there will be many different moving parts involved to restore the business to its preloss condition. Employing a restoration company that offers significant loss response can be useful for insurance agents and business owners alike. A professional like SERVPRO of East Fort Worth will be able to make the process run smoothly since we work with the insurance directly and handle all parts of most large loss jobs in-house.

Our services include water extraction, board-up services, HEPA filtration, mold remediation, fire cleanup, contents cleaning, odor removal, biohazard cleanup, construction, and much more.

1. Experts Are Equipped With the Right Tools

When a major disaster strikes a large geographic area, it's common for restoration experts to be overwhelmed with requests and phone calls. Some local restoration companies may not be equipped to handle all types of disasters or at a large scale, and these companies may not have access to specialized tools.

A restoration company with a broad reach and the resources of 18 other locations, can bring in experts with the necessary tools to assist in the cleanup and restoration process of even the biggest and most complex jobs.

2. Experience to Handle Catastrophes

Whether a catastrophic loss occurs due to flooding, storm damage, or a fire, it's essential for business owners and insurance agents alike to know that the professionals restoring commercial properties are experienced. One person alone may not have the experience to respond to a major disaster. However, when numerous people assist in responding to a disaster, everyone's combined experience makes the loss response team equipped to manage many aspects of commercial property damage. 

3. Timely Reactions

When widespread damage occurs to an area, other local restoration companies may not assess quickly enough to be a real help. Unfortunately, a slow response can cause a property to acquire more issues, such as mold growth and structural damage. With our 24 hour emergency response, however, professionals can quickly assess a property, and take next steps. After a thorough assessment, experts can begin restoration. So, the faster the professional gets to the jobsite, the faster your commercial property can be restored to its preloss condition.

There is a reason SERVPRO has ranked number one in the industry for over 20 years. We stand with our work because we really are “here to help.”

SERVPRO® Emergency Ready Profile Helps Prepare Your Company for Emergencies

We want to help your business to be ready for the damaging effects of fire, water, and storm. By developing a SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile for your business, you minimize business interruption by having an immediate action plan.

Knowing what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation and can help minimize how water and fire damage affects your business. 

The Emergency Ready Profile (ERP) is a tablet and phone application that allows you to take photographs of important safety and emergency features in your business. Each photograph will have a written explanation of how to turn off the different utility systems. One of our SERVPRO employees will walk you through your business’s safety features and help you establish a plan in preparation for an emergency. Remember Murphy’s law—If anything can go wrong, it will. So, we want to make sure you are not caught unawares. 

For additional information regarding SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile, contact SERVPRO of East Fort Worth at (817) 460-7766.

SERVPRO Conducts Routine HVAC Maintenance and Cleaning

4/25/2022 (Permalink)

Inspecting Your HVAC Unit Can Save You Time and Money

HVAC repair is costly and if the damage is severe enough, it can prevent you from doing business. SERVPRO of East Ft. Worth recommends that business owners schedule professional HVAC inspections each fall and spring. Routine inspections will help you stay abreast of potential problems with your unit, minimize expenses on repairs, and keep your business up and running. 

We have identified some simple maintenance chores that you can do to prolong your system's life and increase its efficiency between professional inspections and maintenance. 

Routine HVAC Maintenance 

1. Get a high-efficiency, pleated air filter for your system.
2. Keep your heating units and AC free of pollen, leaves, and grass.
3. Keep two feet of space clear of your outdoor AC and heating units.
4. Inspect refrigerant lines every month.
5. Replace air filters at least every 90 days.
6. In the summer, turn off the water running to the furnace humidifier.
7. In the fall, replace the humidifier filter and turn the water back on.

Annual HVAC Maintenance

• Replace the carbon monoxide detector battery. 
• Make sure your outdoor AC unit is on firm and level ground. 
• Clean AC condensation with a bleach and water mixture. 

Caring for your HVAC throughout the year will keep your work environment air quality and atmosphere pleasant, which keeps your staff happy and content. It will save you money by improving and maintaining your energy efficiency throughout your building.

We are always ready to inspect and maintain your HVAC system. We're here to answer any questions you might have. Call us today at (817) 293-5553.

Make Sure Your East Ft. Worth Commercial Property Has the Right Insurance

1/13/2022 (Permalink)

Do you have the right insurance?

Fires are devastating to small businesses in East Fort Worth, Florida, because they cause extensive damage to equipment and property, and disrupt daily operations, leading to heavy financial losses. Fortunately, fire insurance policies are available, offering financial benefits like:

• Coverage for physical damages
• Replacement or repair of office fixtures
• Protection against lost business income
• Compensation for costs of doing business in a temporary location

In some situations, this type of policy covers lost data, the interruption of digital operations, and other computer-related business dealings. Ask your insurance provider for specific information. 

Identify and Reduce Fire Risks 

If you own the property or building where your business operates, you may work closely with your insurance company or a fire restoration professional to identify the most common risks and take steps to protect your premises. Even if you don't own the building, you can look for problem spots such as overloaded power strips and extension cords, stacks of flammable materials near heat sources, aging appliances, and indoor smoking areas. You may be eligible for fire insurance that covers your business contents.

Look Outside of Your Business Walls

Fires are generally unexpected and very destructive. In fact, many businesses did have appropriate preventative measures in place before suffering damage. Fires aren't always the result of something that occurs within the workplace.

Sometimes, the emergency is caused by the activities of neighboring businesses, extreme weather, rioting, or vandalism. You may require coverage for the costs of smoke cleanup even if flames never reach your building. 

Understand Your Coverage Needs

As you consider your business needs and discuss coverage options with your insurance provider, be realistic about your needs. Too many business owners purchase minimum coverage and then don't have the necessary funding for complete fire restoration services. Ask your insurance representative about replacement cost versus cash value terms and eligibility requirements. Make sure you have enough coverage to get you through the entire restoration process. 

Small businesses may be particularly susceptible to damages, but the right fire insurance coverage offers important protection. Make sure your business has the coverage it needs before you need it. 

Preparing your Business for Storm Season

1/10/2022 (Permalink)

While we still have the occasional chilly day, it seems that spring has finally arrived in Texas, and with it storm season. The rain and wind have been blowing in, and homeowners prepare for high winds, hail, and possible water damage if either causes damage to their property. But what about your business? Doesn't it need preparation too? Well, SERVPRO of East Ft. Worth is here to help with some tips and tricks to get a storm (and possibly a tornado) ready this spring.

Include shelter-in-place information in your EAP: Knowing when and where to take shelter during a tornado is a crucial part of emergency preparedness. It is something that ALL of your employees should be familiar with. A basement is the best possible place to be during a tornado. However, if your building does not have a basement, you should make sure all employees go to an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor with no windows.

Implement an emergency notification system: Despite most likely having sirens in your area, tornadoes often occur with little to no warning; because of this, many people find themselves ill-prepared for a tornado with little time to take shelter. Using an emergency notification system like Disaster Alert (iPhone) or Natural Disaster Monitor (Android), employees can be made more aware of severe weather in their area. The app can alert them of the tornado so they can seek shelter immediately.

Have a work from the home policy: Within minutes, a tornado can destroy everything in its path. This includes property, homes, and businesses, but it can also disrupt business operations for extended periods. To ensure not all operations come to a stand-still, it is in good practice to implement a work from the home policy if it makes sense for your business. This allows employees to continue working, even if they are unable to make it to the office.

Include training in your plans: If employees are not familiar with using emergency plans, they become essentially useless. Ensure that all employees have been adequately trained on how to respond to a tornado to avoid confusion and future injury while looking for shelter.

Does your Fort Worth Business Need Board-Up Services?

1/10/2022 (Permalink)

If your home or business was affected by storm or fire damage that results in an opening in your building, you might need emergency board-up services. Any opening in the structure needs to be boarded appropriately to protect the building from the weather and illegal entry. Your insurance policy also requires you to be proactive in protecting your home or business after any damage has occurred. Otherwise, the insurance company could account for any further/secondary damage to the structure as negligence.

Not every situation requires the most extensive board-up that the U.S Fire Administration has in their board-up procedure manual, such as after a fire where the entire home is destroyed and is considered a complete loss. While each emergency board up is different, SERVPRO of East Ft. Worth is here to help.  

Let's take a look at how to properly board up a structure after the damage has caused an opening in the building.

Determining How Much Protection is Needed

1. Openings in the basement, first floor doors, windows, and any entry point accessible from a porch, fire escape, or other potential climbing points require additional security measures. Openings should be barricaded with plywood, 2x4s, bolts, and nails.
2. Openings at least 10′ from ground level, which is not accessible from a porch, fire escape, roof, or other climbing points, can be secured with nails in each brace and every 12″ around the perimeter. The plywood should be fitted for these openings so that it rests snugly against the exterior frame, butting up to the siding on wood frame buildings and up to the brickwork on brick buildings. It may be necessary to remove the staff bead so that this fit can be flush and tight.

Board-Up

1. Cut plywood to fit over the window and door openings, flush with the outside of the molding.
   Note: For buildings with a metal door and window frames, the alternative is to cut the plywood and 2x4s to fit the door frame inside buffed up against the band molding.
2. Cut the 2x4s to fit the horizontal dimension of the plywood. You will need two 2×4 exterior and two interior braces for each window and three sets for each door.
   Note: For buildings with metal doors and window frames, the 2x4s for the outside will be cut to the plywood dimensions, fitting inside the door frame, against the band molding. The 2x4s will be cut to the outside dimension of the door or window frame for the inside.
3. Next, pre-drill 3/8th inch holes in the plywood and the braces.
4. The holes will be placed approximately 1/3 of the brace's length from each outside edge of the door and window jam.
5. The two window braces will be placed 1/3 of the distance from the top and the bottom of the window.
6. The three-door braces will be placed; one in the center of the doorway and one half the center's distance to the top and the bottom of the doorway.
7. Place the plywood over the exterior opening and nail it to the frame.
   Note: For metal frames, place the plywood and braces inside the frame against the band molding.
8. Place the 2×4 braces over the interior and exterior of the door or window.
9. Place the large washer over the carriage bolt and place the bolt through the holes.
10. Place the washer and nut inside and tighten securely. Torque the nut so that it slightly compresses the interior 2×4.

Did you know SERVPRO of East Fort Worth provides emergency board-up services? Let us mark a big task off of your to-do list when preparing for a storm. We understand the anxiety when it comes to managing a business during storm watches and warnings. We are here to help. Call us anytime at (817) 293-5553.