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“Look. Listen. Learn. Be Aware: Fire Can Happen Anywhere.” 

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Click the picture to go to NFPA’s Fire Safety tips page.

“Look. Listen. Learn. Be Aware: Fire Can Happen Anywhere.” 

This week is the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Fire Prevention Week and this year’s theme is: “Look. Listen. Learn. Be Aware: Fire Can Happen Anywhere.” We at ServiceMaster Restore thought it would be appropriate to remind people that fires can and do still happen – at home, as well as in the workplace – and that there are basic but vitally important steps people can take to remain safe.

During this week, the NFPA encourages homeowners to check their smoke alarms to ensure they are working in the event of a fire.

Here are some tips on avoiding common causes of fires:

  • Cooking-related fires
    • The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling or broiling food. Turn off the stove if leaving the kitchen for even a short period of time.
  • Candle-related fires
    • More than half of all candle fires start when things that can burn are too close to the candle. Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn.
  • Heating-related fires
    • Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
  • Electrical-related fires
    • Only plug one heat-producing appliance (such as a coffee maker, toaster, space heater, etc.) into a receptacle outlet at a time.

Whether at home or at work, it is important to create a fire escape plan, and we encourage using the following tips:

  • Walk through the home / business and inspect all possible exits and escape routes. Families with children should consider drawing a floor plan of the home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors.
  • When walking through the plan, make sure the escape routes are clear and doors and windows can be opened easily.
  • Choose an outside meeting place (a neighbor’s house, a light post, mailbox or stop sign) a safe distance in front of the home / business where everyone can meet after they’ve escaped. Mark the location of the meeting place on the escape plan.
  • If there are infants or older adults in the home, assign someone to assist them in the event of an emergency.

 

Candle Safety Tips and Alternatives

Click the picture for extensive candle safety tips and much more.

The weather has been cooling off and along with the colder weather, comes closing the windows you had open all summer for that amazing fresh air. In place of the fresh air, most people like to burn candles to keep their homes smelling nice. Fire Safety with candles is very important! Candles are beautiful and smell amazing, but it is an open flame, and if not monitored properly can lead to a fire in your home. In fact, accidental candle fires account for approximately four percent of all U.S. residential fires. Studies have shown that 85 percent of candle fires could be avoided if consumers followed three basic safety rules:

  1. Never leave a burning candle unattended.
  2. Never burn a candle on or near anything flammable.
  3. Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.

There are also other options besides candles to keep your home smelling nice. Potpourri and Eucalyptus are good alternatives that can also look pretty. There are candle warmers, which you plug in and place a larger candle on top of the warm surface and it just melts it instead of burning it. And a more recent addition to these alternatives is the essential oils diffuser, which works like a humidifier with water and a few drops of your favorite scented oil.

 

Home Fire Drill Tips from ServiceMaster

If you or your business experiences a fire, please contact us immediately and not attempt to clean anything yourself. We can provide guidance on the steps to mitigate the damage. Please call us at any of our locations:

Salem: 503-585-4017 Corvallis / Albany: 541-738-4624 Lincoln Co.: 541-996-2255

September Is National Preparedness Month

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September Is National Preparedness Month

National Preparedness Month

ServiceMaster Restore Wants You To Be Prepared!

Summer vacation is over and the kids are back in school. The days are getting shorter and fall is almost here. September is a great month here in the Pacific Northwest, but it’s also time to transition from summer into our colder, wetter months and get prepared against any type of disaster that can strike. We at ServiceMaster Restore want to provide you with some helpful tips in honor of September being National Preparedness Month.

  • Be informed
  • Make a plan for any emergency you could face
  • Build an emergency supplies kit
  • Get involved by sharing your participation on social media

ServiceMaster can provide your home or office with brochures that provide homeowners tips on what to do after a water, fire/smoke or vandalism loss to minimize damage. Contact us at any of our 3 locations to request copies of these brochures to share with your policyholders at your office. You can reach the Salem office at 503-585-4017, the Corvallis office at 541-738-4624 or the Lincoln City office at 541-996-2255.

Below are just a few of those tips you can share:

  • After water damage, remove as much water as possible by mopping and blotting and removing area rugs from the floor.
  • After fire damage, do not touch anything with your bare hands. Oil from hands can cause additional damage to upholstery, walls and woodwork.
  • After vandalism occurs, make a list of all damage and use a shop vacuum to remove glass from carpet and upholstery.

Is Your Business Prepared?

National Preparedness Month isn’t just a time for homeowners to prepare for an emergency, but businesses need to be ready as well. Creating a plan BEFORE disaster strikes and taking the necessary preventative measures helps your commercial clients minimize damage, lower claim costs and get back to business as usual as quickly as possible.

At ServiceMaster Restore, we provide assistance and resources to help your commercial clients understand the basics of how to create a pre-loss plan.

Contact us today for a copy of our Pre-Loss Planning Guide, or to hear more about our CODE YELLOW Preferred Client Program to provide this benefit to your commercial clients.

Words From Our Customers! 

We love hearing from our customers! Here are a few recent reviews we have received:

10/10: “I enjoyed working with Brandon. He was very professional and did an excellent job of keeping me informed on what was going on. I would definitely recommend Service Master to friends or family.” – Karen G.

10/10: “Very professional. Great communication. On time.” – Gretchen Q.

10/10: “Quick response on an emergency water leak. Demolition and mitigation done within 24 hours; service technician Jacob G out of the Salem office went above and beyond expectations; he did not leave until late in the day to make sure his part of the job was done. This avoided a major delay of having no progress over the weekend.” – Leigh H.

10/10: “On time, professional, knew what needed to be done.” – Kathy & Stan C.

10/10: “The technicians were here when they said they would be, were friendly and explained what they were doing each step of the way. – Hannah S.

For more information about how ServiceMaster can be a resource to you and your home or business, please call us at any one of our 3 locations:

Salem – 503-585-4017

Albany & Corvallis – 541-738-4624

Lincoln City – 541-996-2255

ServiceMaster Restore is a leading water and fire restoration provider in Salem, Corvallis, Albany, Lincoln City, Newport and all of the surrounding areas.

Prepare Your Business For Wildfire Season

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Are You Prepared For a Wildfire?

August is Peak Wildfire Season in Oregon. Is Your Business Prepared?

Living here in the Pacific Northwest, it can feel like wildfire season is never too far away. Especially if you watch the evening news and see the abundance of wildfires and forest fires that are currently burning in and around Oregon. Wildfires cost billions of dollars to fight and recover from annually – and for businesses – the impacts of a wildfire can be catastrophic. If you’re a business owner, learning how to prepare for a wildfire is absolutely vital. Protect what you’ve worked so hard to build with these wildfire preparation tips from the experts at ServiceMaster Restore.

Know Your Wildfire Season

The first step is to know when wildfires occur in your region. Here we are in August and it is the peak season for wildfires. Federal officials anticipate a big wildfire season in the Northwest throughout the rest of August and possibly into September.The latest forecasts show droughts throughout much of Oregon and Southeast Washington and the potential conditions for large fires if the region sees a continued stretch of hot and dry weather, according to the latest drought and climate outlook.

“If everything lines up with the dry condition and lightning, we could see an above-normal fire season across Oregon,” said Ed Delgado of the National Interagency Fire Center.

Your Year-Round Prep

  1. Create defensible space. Defensible space, or firescaping, is a method of planning your lot’s layout and landscaping so that if fire strikes, you have strategic advantages. Keep plants thinned and well irrigated. Make sure firefighters can easily move around your building if needed.
  2. Manage big, open areas. Wind can drive wildfire under decks, into alleys, into attics or crawlspaces, or toward other big spaces on your lot. A simple, economical way to combat this is with mesh screens, especially if you can find removable ones. That way, you can access areas you need for business and firefighters can get in if they have to.
  3. Keep your structure clear. This means cleaning roofs and gutters, alleys, porches or decks, and the perimeter of your building. It can be worth it to help a neighbor out if you see they’re accumulating debris, too. Remember that everyone benefits when everyone knows how to prepare for a wildfire, and pitch in as needed. You might end up saving both your businesses.
  4. Have a continuity plan. It may not be business as usual, but determine if you’ll be able to keep working while any smoke and fire damage to your property is repaired. Is there alternate workspace you can use in an emergency? How will you handle clients and vendors, communications, supplies, and other daily matters? Make a plan now, so you don’t lose time and money to poor planning later.

When Wildfire Approaches

You’ll never be 100 percent ready for wildfire, but with a good plan made in advance, you can act quickly, protect your business, and get yourself to a safe location as soon as possible if a fire does strike.

  1. Save your important documents. Important business papers to preserve could include incorporation or tax documentation, contracts, and sensitive data or information. Take your computer backups home at night or, better yet, save them to the cloud. Keep hard copies in one location so you can grab them and go.
  2. Contact customers. Be ready to keep in touch with customers or clients. Let them know that your business is prepared in the event of a wildfire, and communicate quickly in the wake of one. Reassure them that you’re doing everything possible to keep things running smoothly.
  3. Keep employees safe. Let your employees know how to communicate and react if a wildfire approaches. Having a plan for your business can also ensure peace of mind for employees. Above all, make sure your plan accounts for employee safety during a wildfire.

Every business owner hopes that wildfire season leaves them unscathed, but nature’s unpredictability requires careful planning. Follow these tips to stay prepared, and if your business does suffer damage from a wildfire, contact the Willamette Valley’s & Central Coast’s industry-leading professionals to learn how we can help you get back to business as soon as possible.

No business owner wants to deal with the aftermath of a fire. Should the unthinkable occur, call the experienced professionals at ServiceMaster Restore to help you through the restoration and recovery process. We’re here 24/7/365 to answer all your questions around structural and property damage and restoration. Contact us anytime to learn how we can help you get back to the business of doing business safely and quickly.

How To Stay Safe During Wildfire Season

At ServiceMaster Restore, we care about our customers and we care about our employees. We found this video created by the Oregon Public Health Division with some tips on how to stay safe during wildfire season. Be sure to check out the video and might not be a bad idea to share it with your co-workers and employees!

For more information about how ServiceMaster can be a resource to you and your home or business, please call us at any one of our 3 locations:

Salem – 503-585-4017

Albany & Corvallis – 541-738-4624

Lincoln City – 541-996-2255

ServiceMaster Restore is a leading water and fire restoration provider in Salem, Corvallis, Albany, Lincoln City, Newport and all of the surrounding areas.

How To Protect Against Workplace Fires

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Salem Oregon, Corvallis Oregon, Albany Oregon, Lincoln City Oregon, Newport Oregon, Woodburn Oregon, Keizer Oregon, Dallas Oregon, Stayton Oregon, Silverton Oregon

Commercial Fire Damage Restoration, Business Fire Cleanup, Smoke & Odor Removal

7 Steps To Help Prevent a Fire at Your Business!

Fire prevention in the workplace is a serious matter, and not just because your livelihood is on the line. A fire can put your business at risk, but it can also do the same for the lives of you and your coworkers. Luckily, there are some basic steps you can take to ensure workplace fire safety for everyone who helps keep your business running. Check out the following seven expert tips to make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep your business and coworkers safe.

1. Create a fire prevention plan. Take the time to create a plan for workplace fire safety. Create guidelines for employees, make a calendar with inspection dates and important maintenance, and share it with everyone at your business.

2. Clean house. If your place of business is cluttered up with unorganized equipment, materials, debris or paperwork, you have a fire hazard on your hands. Making a clear pathway to an exit not only removes flammable items, but also helps you get to safety. Tidy up! And don’t forget to keep the garbage or disposal areas clear.

3. Set a smoking policy. Smoking introduces potential fire hazards. Consider the following as you create a safety-minded workplace smoking policy:

Designate smoking and non-smoking areas.
Have ashtrays available and make sure people use them.
Keep ashtrays clean of other material and away from flammable items.
Clean all ashtrays regularly.

4. Install and test smoke detectors. Smoke detectors are one of the simplest, most effective things you can do for fire prevention in the workplace. Install the best ones you can afford and inspect them regularly. Working smoke detectors can give you valuable time to react to a fire, which can make a huge difference in reducing harm to your business and the safety of your coworkers. Conduct periodic fire drills by using the test feature on your smoke alarms, to ensure that everyone knows how to react in the event of an emergency.

5. Install sprinklers. Sprinkler systems are an effective part of any workplace fire prevention plan. Used in conjunction with a warning system like smoke detectors, automatic sprinklers can help mitigate the impacts of a fire at your business. A professional can help you design a sprinkler system configuration that addresses important or at-risk areas of your business.

6. Place and check fire extinguishers. Like sprinklers, fire extinguishers can sometimes prevent a minor fire from turning into a major disaster. Buy enough fire extinguishers as appropriate for the size of your building, and make sure they’ll be accessible when it matters. That means no junk or equipment making them hard to reach. Putting them under cabinets or on high shelves won’t do much good when a room is full of smoke, either.

7. Check for hazards. Make time on a regular basis to inspect equipment, areas where chemicals are stored and other identified high-risk areas. Perform maintenance on electrical equipment as soon as problems are spotted. Fires are often preventable, and the last thing you want is for your business to be destroyed by a fire that could have been averted through proactive maintenance.

Smart policies, persistent vigilance and swift action can help you avoid or mitigate fire damage at your place of business. Keep your eye on our blog for more tips on how to keep your workplace safe, and know that you can always contact us if a fire does hit your business. You can also like us on Facebook by liking ServiceMaster of Salem for other videos and tips! From cleaning up smoke and ash damage to evaluating damaged office equipment, our experienced crews know what it takes to help your business get back on its feet as quickly as possible.

No business owner wants to deal with the aftermath of an office fire. Should the unthinkable occur, call the experienced professionals at ServiceMaster Restore to help you through the restoration and recovery process. We’re here 24/7/365 to answer all your questions around structural and property damage and restoration. Contact us anytime to learn how we can help you get back to the business of doing business safely and quickly.

Fire Safety – Commercial Fire Damage Services

At ServiceMaster Restore, we’re business owners too. We understand the traumatic experience a fire can have on a business. For information on how ServiceMaster Restore can help you and your business get back up and running as quick as possible after suffering a fire, please watch this short video on how we can work with you to get you back in business quickly. (Click HERE to view the video):

For more information about how ServiceMaster can be a resource to you and your home or business, please call us at any one of our 3 locations:

Salem – 503-585-4017

Albany & Corvallis – 541-738-4624

Lincoln City – 541-996-2255

ServiceMaster Restore is a leading water and fire restoration provider in Salem, Corvallis, Albany, Lincoln City, Newport and all of the surrounding areas.

What To Do If My Home Loses Power

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Severe Weather – Rogue Thunderstorms reported in the Willamette Valley

Should You Be Concerned About the Recent Thunderstorms? 

In the past few days, we have witnessed a series of thunderstorms that have rolled through our neck of the woods. This latest round of storms were dubbed “Rogue Thunderstorms” by the National Weather Service as thunder rumbled and lightning repeatedly lit up the sky. There were also warnings for flash-flooding and reports of downed trees. Since extreme thunder and lightning storms are not common in our area, we thought it was a good time to address what you can do to protect your home, business and family after a severe weather event. Please take a look at the following steps on what to do if your home or business loses power and you are relying on a generator.

Generator Use After You’ve Lost Power 

One of the most common issues residents face during a severe storm is a community-wide power outage. When this happens, a backup generator could be your only source of power. A generator can allow you to recharge your phones to call friends, family and emergency services, plus power your air conditioning or fridge to sustain you until the storm passes. Find out everything you should know about using your generator for emergency home use with tips from ServiceMaster Restore.

The Importance of Generator Safety

It’s essential that you use your generator in the proper manner. In fact, if they aren’t used correctly, you run the risk of producing excess amounts of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to sickness, hospitalization or even death. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), gasoline-powered generators are one of the most common sources of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning after a power outage occurs. That’s why it’s crucial for you to understand how to properly use this machine to keep your home and family safe.

How to Use Your Generator

Before you plan to use a backup generator, it’s recommended that you read the manufacturer-provided manual to fully understand the correct way to set up and operate the machine. Then, follow these tips to ensure you’re using your generator safely:

  • Teach your children proper emergency preparedness tips and generator safety.
  • Never run a generator inside of the home or in a closed garage.
  • Always use generators at least ten feet from your home.
  • Make sure your generator has enough fuel to hold you over until power can be restored.
  • Keep extra fuel in a separate, safety-approved container.
  • Drain old fuel from the generator and let it fully cool before adding new fuel.
  • Test out your generator before storm season begins so you can be sure it’s working properly.
  • Buy a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm to detect levels when your generator is turned on.
  • Use dry hands to turn your generator on.
  • Use an outdoor-rated extension cord to power your essential appliances.

Powering Essential Appliances

The amount of energy your generator puts out depends on its size and how many watts of power it can produce. Regardless of the size of your particular generator, there are certain appliances that you should consider powering up over others:

  • The refrigerator. To have a reserve of food and water that won’t spoil, power up your fridge. This is especially important if you know the power will be out for more than a few hours.
  • Sump pumps. If you use a sump pump, this crucial item should also maintain its power to pump water out, even if you’re without electricity.
  • Microwaves. Depending on the wattage output of your generator, a full-size oven or microwave should also have power so you can warm up food, especially if your power will be out for days on end.
  • Lights. Lastly, use your backup generator to provide power to a few lights in the home.
  • Window AC units. Stronger generators can even power a window AC unit, allowing you to stay cool and comfortable even when the power goes out.

Great Tips on What To Do If You Lose Power! 

This is a great video to watch with some valuable tips on what you can do if your home or office loses power. It’s always good to be prepared in case of an emergency and we encourage you to share this video with all of your family, friends and co-workers! (Click HERE to view the video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr0iJQh6lD8

For more information about how ServiceMaster can be a resource to you, your home or business, please call us at any one of our 3 locations:

Salem – 503-585-4017

Albany & Corvallis – 541-738-4624

Lincoln City – 541-996-2255

ServiceMaster Restore is a leading water and fire restoration provider in Salem, Corvallis, Albany, Lincoln City, Newport and all of the surrounding areas.

Salem - #53168

Fire Damage Restoration Salem Oregon, Water Damage Restoration Salem Oregon
2275 Judson Street SE
Salem, OR
Phone: 503-585-4017

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Fire Damage Restoration Corvallis, Oregon,
Water Damage Restoration Corvallis, Oregon
30649 HWY-34
Corvallis, OR
Phone: 541-996-2255

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Fire Damage Restoration Lincoln Co., Oregon, Water Damage Restoration Lincoln Co., Oregon
4075 NW Logan Rd Unit AB
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Phone: 541-996-2255

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