On December 15th, we had the opportunty to Adopt a Family as part of the Ogden Family Foundation 'Adopt the Family' Christmas event.
The Ogden Foundation was born out of a need to help the underserved population in Southern Nevada. There mission is to provide homeless, foster, and at-risk youths, as well as underserved famiies, with programs and services that support families, unite communities and promote healthy lifestyles. We share their belief that health is a full circle and cannot be complete without having a healthy body, healhy mind, and healthy spirit.
We were so happy to be able to adopt this family for Christmas. They are a wonderful family so deserving of this gift. Even with such a trying year with the devastating loss of their Mom/Grandmother, mom and dad are working hard for their incredible 3 children.They were so appreciative and want to give back to other families once they are back on their feet.
In our line of work, it's about helping people in their time of need. We would like to thank the Ogden Family Foundation and the host location, Monterra Apartments for providing such a great experience for all of the families.
Wishing All a Healthy and Happy New Year!
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Germs have been rough this year and continue to hit during spring. Reports on the potential dangers of antibiotic-resistant superbugs mingle with discussions of the effectiveness of vaccinations and various other medical interventions. While germs may be too small to be seen with the naked eye, encountering them can have a major impact on your health, and these microscopic menaces can lie in wait on a wide array of common surfaces. How long can germs live on surfaces? And what can you do to protect yourself and your health?
HOW LONG CAN GERMS LIVE ON SURFACES?
When germs are on the prowl, no place is safe. Buses, commuter trains, rental cars, and private vehicles transport both people and virulent germs. Retail establishments, health clubs, educational institutions, restaurants, hotel rooms, and even cruise ship cabins can shelter germs. In fact, practically anything that you touch can expose you to germs, putting your health at risk. According to the National Health Service, the lifespan of a germ varies depending on the type of germ and the surface that it is on. How long can germs live on surfaces? Below we explore a few common examples.
COLD GERMS
The common cold is a frequent source of misery. A variety of viruses can trigger it, and like other viruses, cold germs tend to survive for longer periods on hard, nonporous surfaces like desktops and handrails. On suitable indoor surfaces, cold germs can linger for days, but fortunately they rarely remain infectious for more than 24 hours. Cold viruses can also thrive on the skin, but their survival time there is generally measured in mere minutes or hours.
INFLUENZA GERMS
Viruses that cause influenza can survive in the air as droplets for hours and live on hard surfaces like phones and keyboards for up to 24 hours. Infectious flu viruses clinging to a tissue can last for about 15 minutes, but viruses on the hands tend to fade quickly. Most will be only a minimal threat after five minutes. It may be a small window of time, but influenza germs don’t warn you of their presence and can make you very sick if you’re unlucky enough to encounter them when they’re infectious.
NOROVIRUS GERMS
A highly contagious virus that triggers stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea in those unfortunate enough to catch it, a norovirus can spread through small droplets that travel through the air before settling on surfaces like elevator buttons, table tops, and clothing. While they don’t thrive as successfully on porous materials like tissues and fabrics, noroviruses can survive on hard surfaces for days or weeks if the conditions are favorable.
MRSA GERMS
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria, the culprits behind dangerous MRSA infections, are unfazed by many of the antibiotics that are effective in combating other staph infections. Like viruses, these germs tend to survive for shorter periods on porous surfaces than they do on nonporous ones, but they’re capable of living for days or weeks on surfaces if the circumstances are right.
PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM GERMS
Everyone has seen it. If you’ve worked in restaurants or other public venues, you may even have wielded it: the dreaded wet, grey rag. Habitually passed over tabletops between customers with a few desultorily swipes, it is an obviously inadequate weapon when it comes to eradicating germs. But what is required to disinfect a surface?
DISINFECTING BASICS
If you want to kill the germs lurking on a surface, you need to choose an appropriate disinfectant. You also have to apply it properly. That means saturating the surface with enough of the germ-fighting chemical to get the job done and ensuring that there’s enough contact time (time when the chemical is on the surface) to allow it to eliminate any germs present. Choosing a low-grade disinfectant or skimping on either saturation or contact time can compromise your germ-fighting efforts, so it’s vital that you choose your products carefully and read and follow their directions.
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If you find yourself looking at a crime scene, your initial reaction may be to clean it yourself. You may want it to be gone as soon as possible and that's completely understandable. Here's some reasons why you shouldn't do that.
1. Fluids! Coming into contact with bodily fluids, especially blood, can be harmful. It can carry disease and pathogens that you just don't want on or near your body!
2. Invisible to the eye! If you don't take care of all of it, you can still recieve harmful effects. This means if you try and clean it and leave behind any traces of the scene (even germs and pathogens you can't see), your home won't be as sanitary as you think it is. You know how they say won't you don't know won't hurt you? Well in this case, it can.
3. Don't stress! While you may be worried that you can't afford crime scene cleaners, your insurance will usually take care of it! Don't let this detail keep you from getting the professionals in the door!
Never try to clean a crime scene yourself! You'll be happier, more sanitary, and less stressed when you let the professionals come take care of it.
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I was thinking this morning about a conversation yesterday I had with a potential client. The service needed was a home trash-out and gross filth clean-up that had a number of cats and dogs. Many of our calls for this type of service starts with the physical situation and 'what' we will need to do. Whether it's a home that got away from someone or a clean-up following a trauma event, we are in listening mode trying to understand the entirety of the situation.
While yesterday's call started like many others this one made me think that many of them, including yesterday's call, quickly move to something much more personal. In this case, it was a mom trying to understand how her adult daughter could create and live in such an environment in such a short time. We sat in her car talking about the service but it quickly moved to the emotional experience of what brought us to this point. In this case, the parents, whom have a nice home in another state, had no idea of the living conditions their daugher had. This was overwhelming to her. I was asked point blank, what compels a person to live like this and have I seen this before. My response was I have and I understand how hard it must be to see this. Given how she felt, I made her comfortable that we can help her get the home back in order and livable. Also, I suggested some things she can do to help her daughter. Having built some relationsips in the therapist community, I wanted her to know there are ways she can help her.
What was interesting was the next conversation. When she found our website, she was quickly comfortable with Bio-One because she felt the sensitivity to people's situations. She was appreciative to how we are portrayed on our website and it must be because of the culture of the company. I spoke with her about "Why' we do what we do and how important people are to us vs 'getting' business. This is embedded in our culture as it is a personal value the company founder, Nick, believes in... People First, Business Second.
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Author: Danny Maiello
It was a Friday night holiday weekend just past 7 o’clock when we received a call from a gentleman that was in need of a blood clean up. His sister’s boyfriend had committed suicide in the garage with a high caliber rifle. He struggled to talk, not knowing how what to say but he knew he couldn’t have his sister come home until all of the blood was cleaned. The man stated he called multiple companies and received either no response, they couldn’t come out immediately, or they would come on Monday after the holiday weekend. That just doesn’t work.
We arrived at 9PM and took the gentleman through the steps of how we would clean the area. I told him, after, when we are finished and the area is cleaned up and manageable for your sister to come home, we can sit down and talk about payment. We finished cleaning by 8 o’clock the next morning and were gone before his sister ever came home.
After speaking with the gentleman, he said he was very appreciative and never thought after multiple calls he made for help, someone would respond so fast. You can try to prepare mentally for something like this but it’s hard to know where to start or who to call. I don’t understand how anyone could turn away a victim’s family whose life has completely changed in an instant. People need to quickly have this first step after a tragedy. This is why we do what we do.
Contact us directly
702-704-3724
Info@bio-OneHenderson.com
Contact Bio-One Inc.
BioOneInc.com
720-463-3004
Author: Danny Maiello
This work never stops serving as a reminder of why we do this. This particular week, we started on Saturday the 19th helping the grandson of a woman who no longer could live in their mobile home due to gross filth and hoarding of trash and other items through the entire house. To help manage cost, we focused first in the den/living room as the whole carpet was covered with feces and dirt 3 inches thick with trash on top of it. My tech and I got started and gutted it out all the way to the sub-floor. Daniel, our client, was so excited about the completed work he asked us to come back the following week to help with the rest of the house.
Sunday, the 20th, marked the midway point of Bio-One Henderson’s first year in business, but it has felt nothing like a business with the fulfilment we get when helping families. With that said, I took that Sunday to go to the movies and dinner with my parents to reflect and spend time with them. The experience of Bio-One has been life changing and I can’t wait for the future.
On Monday, we maintained the work truck and resupplied what was needed. Tuesday, we began early with disinfecting most areas of the home first and then removing trash on the floor to clear a path to work. After a few hours, we removed all the clutter and most of the furniture from the house. The carpets wouldn’t roll up or fold easily due to the animal urine and water damage so something so easy took a lot of effort. Daniel decided to stay nearby as he wanted to witness the process. He came to talk with us during our water breaks, thanking us and asking if we needed anything.
The main point that struck me is he was so shocked and thankful for turning this home around. He said he plans on living in the home and starting new. The simple fact that I can help someone start fresh and new makes me feel amazing, it gives me the strength to help the next person.
That next person came in the form of an emergency call Tuesday night. Someone shot themselves in an open field next to an elementary school and it needed to be cleaned up before the school opened on Wednesday. I arrived at the school at 5:30AM and handled the blood clean up. It was really important that it was fully cleaned up before the school opened. Then back to Daniel’s house to finish carpet removal and scraping the sub floor. The next step for this home is a deep sanitation and wipe down of all the walls and ceilings.
Personal life events and/or situations come up so we told Daniel there we could be back first thing the following week or whatever worked best for him. Thursday and Friday were planning and marketing days. Also, days for me to reflect, not just as a business owner but personally as well. This career has no schedule and doesn’t follow the rules of “time”. When a family is in need or someone just doesn’t know where to get started it never matters what time or day it is, we will always be here to help.
Contact us directly
702-704-3724
Info@bio-OneHenderson.com
Contact Bio-One Inc.
BioOneInc.com
720-463-3004
Author: Danny Maiello
Many apartment community managers have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with a suicide, homicide, natural death or an unattended death where decomposition has taken place. It does not matter if you have come across one or many of these situations before, each situation is different, disturbing and has the potential risk of diseases. The safety of you, your staff, and those at or near the scene is the single most important issue. Without the proper training and equipment, apartment community managers and their staff could face significant risk. After the police or coroners have released the scene back to the community, it is important that you call a professional biohazard company to come restore the apartment unit back to livable conditions.
At Bio-One, our goal is to help first no matter the situation. We respond quickly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When someone is need of a blood or bodily fluid clean-up in an emergency, Bio-One will be there. We are certified in bloodborne pathogens, have the right equipment and the proper chemicals to disinfect and kill diseases that may be present. We pride ourselves on cleaning like we would clean our own homes. When we are done, it will be like the event never took place. So, when it comes to difficult cleanup situations, we will be there to help.
Contact us directly
702-704-3724
Info@bio-OneHenderson.com
Contact Bio-One Inc.
BioOneInc.com
720-463-3004
Author: Danny Maiello
We recently completed a sewage backup service. There was limited access under the home so it took two days to complete the bio-hazard clean-up. We received great feedback from the property managers which we happily include below. It’s nice to hear the feedback… but let us tell you what was better…
The homeowners were especially appreciative of the work we had completed because prior to this, the sewage odor was so bad it was keeping them up at night. This was the first night, in a while, they were able to sleep through the night due to the sewage odor being eliminated. It’s always so rewarding to help people that are in need. In this case, giving them a good night’s sleep was ours.
Here is the feedback from the property managers:
May 6th 2018
Tom & Danny, we wanted to take the time to write and let you know how satisfied and pleased we were with the work you performed here in our park. The sewer spill we incurred was significant and had extremely limited access to get to it, basically 24” of crawl space. The fact that Danny and you spent two days here cleaning and performing the list of things you did is a testament to your company and your work ethic. The standard of work was exceptional and both you and Danny are professional and honest.
We will recommend your company and your services to anyone who may need a reference of your company.
Again, thank you for such a great job and. We appreciate your efforts a lot.
Ralph & Gayle VenturaManagers, M&M Mobile Home Park
Contact us directly
702-704-3724
Info@bio-OneHenderson.com
Contact Bio-One Inc.
BioOneInc.com
720-463-3004
