Tips to Help Educators Handle Property Damage at Schools and Educational Facilities

9/5/2022 (Permalink)

Blog Summary: SERVPRO of Northeast Fort Worth offers tips to help schools and educational facilities deal with a property damage disaster.

SERVPRO of Northeast Fort Worth rapidly provides cleanup and damage restoration services to schools suffering a property damage disaster. The SERVPRO team understands that the impact of property damage not only interrupts the educational process, but it also disrupts the fabric of a community.

Educational activities touch every area of life. From the youngest students in K-4 elementary to local technical colleges and the largest universities, education is a part of life. Thirty-five colleges are located within fifty miles of Keller, TX, with a total enrollment of almost 430,00 students. Extended interruptions of the daily school schedule send shockwaves throughout the community, affecting thousands of people and businesses. A fire damage, smoke damage, water damage, or storm damage disaster can bring life to a halt. If the water damage disaster is extensive but not severe enough to halt classes, a mold infestation can shut down the educational facility until the hazard is remediated. Every day the institution is empty, the hardship on families and the community increases. A rapid response and a quick cleanup and restoration are top priorities if educational activity is to return to normal.

A water damage disaster can flood tens of thousands of square feet of classroom and activity space if the leak goes undetected over a weekend or vacation period. A burst water pipe or fire sprinkler malfunction on an upper floor can flood the entire complex. A massive response is needed to address the scale of the disaster. Principals, facility managers, and custodial staff charged with the care of the facility should consider SERVPRO of Northeast Fort Worth as a dedicated service provider in case of a property damage disaster in Park Glen, TX, or surrounding areas. Because SERVPRO of Northeast Fort Worth is a member of a large franchise family, the SERVPRO response can not only be rapid, but it can also be massive to meet the challenge of an extensive fire damage, smoke damage, and water damage disaster. Dozens of crews can respond within hours, with the first crews arriving in about an hour to begin the cleanup and restoration.

When school officials pre-qualify SERVPRO of Northeast Fort Worth as the dedicated provider, a disaster response plan can be formulated to deal with any size and type of disaster. A team of property damage restoration specialists arrives on the scene, poised to take action. For large-scale disasters, a central command and control center can be set up to direct the efforts. A detailed and well-documented estimate is created that will prove useful for the insurance claims process. SERVPRO leads the way when it comes to large-scale deployments to clean up and restore large-scale disasters.

What to Be on the Alert for Following Fire, Smoke, and Water Damage in a School

A water damage disaster involves more than wet floors or sagging ceilings. Water finds its way between walls, under flooring, and into HVAC ducts and crawl spaces. In a fire damage disaster, smoke and soot contamination remains well after the flames are put out. Water damage restoration involves so much more than a few hours of filling and emptying a wet-dry vacuum until the visible water is removed. Likewise, a fire damage cleanup and restoration effort requires more than the removal of smoke with fans. School officials and property maintenance staff need to be aware of the following issues when dealing with a property damage disaster.

#1. Pay attention to persistent unpleasant odors.

A water intrusion creates a scenario where stagnant moisture and mold can become an issue in about a day or two. Pathogens in the carpet multiply exponentially in the presence of excess moisture, leaving behind a musty, mildewy smell. Smoke and soot leave behind a different set of odors depending on the different items and materials that were burned. These odors can be difficult to eliminate entirely.

#2. Look for damage to instructional materials and equipment.

Textbooks, electronics, and other educational materials are at risk when exposed to water, fire, smoke, and soot. If immediate attention is not given to these damaged items, they may not be salvageable.

#3. Inspect classrooms and activity areas for damaged furniture.

Heat, smoke, and contaminated water from a fire can render plastic, wood, and cloth furniture useless or unsafe. The key to salvaging rather than replacing furniture is quick action with state-of-the-art equipment, cleaning techniques, and deodorizing and sanitizing solutions.

#4. Contaminated food and water must be discarded.

When external floodwater enters an educational facility, the cleanup and restoration stakes are high. Floodwater is heavily contaminated, often with E. coli and other harmful pathogens. If floodwaters have affected water foundations, food stores, and the cafeteria, the problem is serious and requires skill, knowledge, and the right equipment and cleaning products to make the learning environment clean, safe, and odor-free.

#5. Watch and smell for a mold infestation.

A mold infestation can erupt in 24 to 48 hours. A musty mildew smell and black, green, or brown stains indicate mold growth. Physical contact with and inhalation of mold spores is to be avoided. A professional cleanup and restoration company with experience dealing with mold will anticipate the likelihood of a mold problem and address it immediately.

#6. Be aware of fire and electrical risk hazards.

A water intrusion from a roof leak is inevitable where educational facilities have tens of thousands of square feet of roof space. A roof leak creates slip-and-fall risks and can also lead to electrical hazards. Only authorized personnel should enter areas affected by the water intrusion or flash flooding.

How to Prepare for a Fire, Smoke, or Water Damage Disaster

The best course of action is to pre-qualify a reputable, locally owned, bonded, and insured property damage cleanup and restoration company, before disaster strikes. Unnecessary delays allow the damage to spread, increasing the scope and expense of the project. A rapid response, quick cleanup and restoration, and the capacity to scale to address the disaster are crucial.

For more information about the property damage restoration company, contact SERVPRO of Northeast Fort Worth, TX, by emailing office@SERVPROnortheastftworth.com. The office can also be reached by calling (817) 741-5737.