Trauma Cleanup
FAQ's
November 19, 2019 by David Scott
There are some services most people don’t think about—or even know they exist—until the time comes that they need it. In the case of Bio-One, we offer services that we hope you’ll never need, but we’ll be here for you if you do.
Our trauma clean up helps to return your home or business to a clean, safe state following an unattended death, suicide, homicide, or other situation that leave biohazard materials behind.
Since most of our customers have never heard of trauma cleanup before the night they required our services, many have questions about what we do. Here are some of the most commonly posed questions and concerns.
Why Can’t I Handle the Cleanup on My Own?
Only specially trained people are able to properly handle the cleanup of blood and other biohazard materials. The laws regarding blood cleanup are quite strict, and it’s easy to understand why when you consider the potential dangers.
E coli, MRSA, and other dangerous bugs can live outside the body for weeks. Unless the blood is cleaned up correctly, there is a real danger of exposing all who enter the home to serious health risks.
How Much are Death Scene Cleanup Services?
The cost of suicide cleanup, homicide cleanup, and similar services varies based on several factors, so there is no one price to suit every situation. Most of our customers don’t end up paying anything out of pocket as insurance covers 95% of the jobs we do.
It’s also worth noting that we don’t discuss collecting payment until after the job is done. Following a traumatic event, our focus is on providing the services you need to help return your home to a safe state.
How Fast Is Your Response Time?
Emergencies don’t happen only during normal business hours. That’s why you can reach the owner of Bio-One—not a voicemail or answering service—24/7. In most cases, our team will be on the job within an hour of receiving your call.
How Long Will it Take?
Most of our death scene cleanup services are completed within just a few hours. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that we have the proper licenses and certifications to properly dispose of blood and other biohazard materials in a way that is safe and meets all regulations.
I’m Worried the Cleanup Crew Will Judge Me.
That’s not something you ever have to worry about with Bio-One. We handle dead body cleanup, hoarding situations, and other scenarios in which the homeowners needs professional help to restore the safety of their home and many have endured a tragic situation. We approach each job from a place of sincere compassion. Our team also arrives in discreet vehicles, so you won’t have to worry about answering questions from inquisitive neighbors.
Anytime you need a Tucson-area trauma cleanup specialist, Bio-One is the trusted choice. Contact us today for more information or to schedule a consultation. Give us a call at 520-771-5960 or fill out our simple online form to get started.
Losing a loved one in an accident is incomprehensibly painful. The seeming unfairness and randomness of the moment is almost impossible to accept at first as grieving friends and family members try to rationalize what happened. They often feel guilty for not doing enough to prevent the death despite the fact that the incident was entirely out of their control. But nobody can prepare for the sudden and unexpected. Accidental deaths are by definition unnatural and unintentional. They include slips and falls, traffic accidents, poisonings, accidental weapon wounds, drownings, fire injuries, head traumas, industrial accidents, choking deaths, explosions, and natural disasters. Fatal accidents have always been a leading cause of death in America. But unfortunately, they are becoming more common.
According to the non-profit National Safety Council, accidental deaths increased 96 percent over the last 25 years. Though they decreased significantly between 1950 and 1980, fatal accidents have been growing rapidly since the mid-1990s.Despite our innovation in creating safer technologies, today’s rate of 52.2 deaths per 100,000 people hasn’t been seen since the mid-1970s. Now, accidents are the number one leading cause of death for people aged 1 to 44, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For all demographics, they are the third leading cause of death nationwide, with 169,936 deaths reported by the CDC in 2017.
While researchers have not reached a consensus on why accidental deaths are increasing, the NSC points to three trends to explain the rise, including increases in poisonings, motor vehicle deaths and falls among older adults. All of these injuries are preventable, they say, arguing on their website that institutions “have not consistently prioritized safety at work, at home and on the road”. Poisonings, the leading unintentional injury among CDC data, increased 11 percent between 2016 and 2017 . The NSC attributes the growth to the opioid crisis, which claimed the lives of 47,000 Americans in 2017 .
To put the CDC data into perspective, 466 people die from accidental injuries every day The number of friends and family members affected by the death of a loved one is even higher, resulting in an ever-growing community of people who must find ways to manage their grief. Bio-One works with these families every day to facilitate their steps towards recovery.
When fatal accidents happen, we dedicate our resources to helping families restore their home or business in a safe, private and efficient manner. Because first responders do not decontaminate crime scenes after they respond to a call, we step in to ensure that families are not exposed to disease and other dangers. Crime scenes harbor harmful bloodborne pathogens that contaminate the immediate area, leaving everyone on the property vulnerable to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Our licensed technicians use powerful, environmentally safe chemicals to thoroughly disinfect the area so you can rest assured that your family will be safe. We work with an appreciation for your valuables and will replace furnishings if need be. In hoarding situations, we remove clutter that may present a danger to other inhabitants, including feces and other biological waste.
When you give us a call at your local Bio-One office, we’ll immediately connect you with a representative that will address your unique situation. Because we value your time during this difficult moment, a team will be dispatched to your home or business within an hour to complete the service. When they arrive, they’ll come in unmarked vehicles to safeguard your privacy. Our team approaches their work with the sensitivity it demands and endeavors to address your needs with the compassion it deserves. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. We are on standby 24/7/365.
NOVEMBER 10, 2019 by DAVID SCOTT
Some think for one to be a great first responder that it’s more of a calling than it is a job. Imagine delivering tragic news to a broken-hearted family, talking a suicidal person from taking their own life, or working to save someone who has OD’d…and then being haunted forever when the efforts don’t work.
Those are a few of the many examples of the things that first responders do every day, but when it comes to helping a family try to move on after a tragedy that took place in their home, the first responders can’t do it all.
They can provide words of comfort and offer to send for the chaplain, but then they have to walk away to help the next person—and they leave behind a family to figure out how to deal with the physical mess left behind by a suicide, unattended death, or other situation.
Bio-One’s job begins where the first responders’ jobs end. We provide compassionate and thorough trauma and crime scene cleanup services throughout the Tucson area. Our services include:
· Decomposition/Undiscovered Death Cleanup
· And More
When the police move on and the coroner has done his job, we come in and do our part to restore your home to its pre-event condition.
We truly care about our customers, and we do our best to provide compassionate service and fast response times. Typically, we arrive within an hour, and most jobs are completed in just a few hours.
When you call us—anytime, day or night—you don’t get a receptionist or a call center; you get the owner. That’s because we understand if you’re calling that you’re likely dealing with a very difficult situation, so we want to be there for you.
You won’t have to worry about discussing payments until after the work is done. Our first priority is restoring your home. The Bio-One team says it all the time: We hope you never need our services, but you can count on us to be here if you ever do.
We often forget about the people left behind in the wake of a homicide. News stories reveal who died but often fail to identify how their death impacts their loved ones. When someone is murdered, their family, friends and significant others endure one of the most traumatic experiences that anyone can face. These survivors are some of the least researched crime victims in America, and they are everywhere. According to the most recent FBI data, 16,214 Americans were murdered in 2018. For every one of those individuals an average of 7 to 10 relatives were severely impacted, according to an estimate by Lu Redmond, a homicide grief expert.
If the murder rate remains consistent, Redmond’s estimate means between 113,000 and 162,000 Americans will become homicide survivors each year. That’s in addition to the pool of survivors who already lost loved ones in previous years. Though the lack of research makes it impossible to quantify how many total homicide survivors there are in America, the number is high enough to warrant concern for how they are treated by health professionals.
For survivors, the grieving process is almost impossible to endure. Though loved ones will grieve in different ways depending on their relationship with the victim, the loss is shocking, unimaginable and absolute. They never had a chance to say goodbye to their loved one, and the plans they both shared will never come to fruition. This realization may be sudden. In some cases, it may take years. Some survivors find it difficult to accept a loved one’s death at first, resulting in a delayed reaction that is triggered by a situation that reminds them of the victim. According to the National Center of Victims of Crime, grief symptoms include shock, disbelief, numbness, changes in appetite and sleeping patterns, difficulty concentrating, anger, confusion, increased anxiety and fear. Financial loss, depression and family conflict are also common symptoms.
Discovering a murdered loved one in the home can trigger post traumatic stress disorder. After the first responders leave the scene, some survivors may feel compelled to clean up the aftermath themselves. Confused that the paramedics don’t complete this work, they may think the cleanup process is their responsibility and act immediately. After all, they want to restore the scene as quickly as possible. Operating in a state of shock, they’ll remove the blood stains, body tissue and contaminated materials from the home without recognizing the threat to their physical and mental health. In addition to exposing their body to dangerous bloodborne pathogens, survivors may experience traumatic flashbacks of the experience in the future and suffer from heightened anxiety and emotional numbness. These PTSD symptoms prolong the recovery process, making it even more difficult for survivors to cope with their new lives.
Bio-One works with communities across the nation to avoid this outcome. We employ certified technicians that respond to scenes of violent crime and clean up dangerous biohazards that pose a threat to you and your family. When we receive a request for our services, we’ll send a team to the job site within an hour to assess your situation and perform a comprehensive cleaning solution that restores the property. Our powerful, environmentally friendly chemicals eradicate harmful pathogens that spread Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV, giving you assurance that you will be safe long after the area is decontaminated. We’ll dispose of the infected materials that cannot be salvaged and replace flooring and other furnishings if we need to. Once the area is thoroughly cleaned, we’ll return it to its pre-incident state so you can focus on recovering.
We conduct this work because we want to help people who have been left to deal with a difficult, painful task. That’s why our company motto is “Help first, business second.” We don’t ask for payment until after the job is complete because we want to remove the safety threat from your home as quickly as you do. Every person on our team will arrive on-site with an understanding of the trauma you are going through and a respect for your privacy and personal needs. Contact your local Bio-One office today and we’ll immediately connect you with a representative that can assist you. We are available 24/7/365.
Dangers of
DIY Hoarding Cleanup
November 4, 2019 by David Scott
The television show Hoarders has shed light on an important issue, but it has also caused a serious and sad disorder to become a morbid fascination for many. In reality, those that suffer from hoarding or associated disorders need professional help—both to treat the causes for the behavior and with hoarding cleaning services that will make their homes safe and healthy.
Family members and friends of a hoarder may want to help by trying to clean out the home. This is not a good idea for many reasons. First, hoarding isn’t just failure to clean. The hoarder needs help dealing with the issues that led to the hoarding. Without that, cleanup can be very traumatic and even serve to make the situation worse.
Once the therapist believes the person is ready for cleanup, it’s best to call on the help of professional trauma and hoarding cleaners. There are several reasons for this, not the least of which is that cleaning out a hoarder’s home can be dangerous.
Some of the things you may come across during hoarding cleanup include:
· Human Waste
· Blood
· Animals
· Broken Glass
· Used Needles
· Serious Insect Infestations
· Mold and Mildew
· Rotting Food
· Structural Damage
· And many other dangers
It’s for that reason that experts recommend those providing hoarding cleanup services don protective gear such as masks, respirators, heavy-duty, puncture-resistant gloves, and even biohazard suits.
General rule of a thumb: If a job requires the use of a biohazard suit, that’s a good indication it should be left to the professionals.
There can even be hidden hazards in mild hoarding situations. Rather than taking chances, call on the proven Tucson area hoarder cleaning services of a reputable company like Bio-One. We provide professional, compassionate services, and our team has the training to do the job safely.
Contact us today for more information, to discuss your needs relating to hoarder cleaning services, and to schedule a consultation. We’ve helped many people start over after a hoarding situation, and we can do the same for you.
Worried about how to pay, we have you covered. We now offer financing through Lendvious.
Although eight years have passed since the world’s top mental health experts classified hoarding as a unique compulsive disorder, the problem persists throughout the country. Researchers say that up to 20 million Americans suffer from this illness, which is described as an obsessive tendency to accumulate troves of objects with no practical value.Because hoarding is historically stigmatized and underdiagnosed, this number is likely a conservative estimate. Even more troubling, hoarding is expected to increase as the population ages and mortality rates rise. But the studies that dole out these numbers understandably focus on hoarders over other stakeholders in the community. Hoarders’ actions impact far more people than reflected in the data. Fires and collapsing structures caused by unstable hoarding situations jeopardize the safety of neighbors and government workers. Even animals suffer. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a quarter of a million animals are hoarded each year. But the people afflicted by the disorder’s worst consequences often live in the same household as the hoarder.
Families deteriorate as high levels of dysfunction, increased conflict and financial uncertainty hinder intimacy and devastate the emotional wellbeing of everyone in the home. Objects overwhelm the space and are guarded zealously by hoarders who are pathologically unable to discard anything they deem valuable. Hoarded items commonly include old newspapers, rotting food, cardboard boxes, pets, excessive piles of clothes and furniture that dominates the home. Space becomes constricted and practically unlivable, prompting hoarders to carve narrow passageways out of the clutter to navigate between rooms.
But despite the extreme measures’ hoarders take to endure these living conditions, the situation cannot be controlled. There is no space for shared activities among the family and no room to use necessary facilities like ovens, showers and beds. In fact, the concept of “space” alters entirely. Children may have to sleep on couches in the living room or in bed with parents to circumvent the clutter. Activities like eating, reading and sleeping are subject to the limitations of space and the normalcy of disorder.
The effect of living like this leads to feelings of isolation, depression and vulnerability. Confounded by the fact that the hoarding family member is usually controlling, stubborn and sensitive to criticism, other people in the home often feel undervalued and powerless. Any attempts to remove the clutter are met with fierce opposition and outrage by the hoarder, who suffers from severe distress when confronted with the notion of losing their valuables. Aware of these consequences, the family usually lives in isolation, refusing to invite friends and relatives over to the home out of embarrassment. These claustrophobic conditions extend to the mind, which is overwhelmed by feelings of frustration, helplessness and anxiety. Financial strains ensue as the hoarder spends money on items that have no discernable value to other family members. As the acquisition of objects greatly outweighs the removal of other objects, credit limits are reached and space disappears, leading to home maintenance fees, financial debt and increasingly frequent family altercations.
Onlooking children often find themselves torn between parents in these situations. Child protective services may be invoked at some point, breaking up the family and degrading the bond between child and parent even further. This possibility weighs heavily on the minds of older children, who often feel compelled to silence for fear that they will be relocated by the authorities. Child protective services are often justified in removing them from the home. Households governed by an extreme hoarder are vulnerable to disease, air pollutants, pests and fires. Children in these homes also face stunted social and cognitive growth as they endure harsh living conditions and parental strife. Moreover, research indicates that hoarding behaviors are learned and adopted by the children of hoarders, who may subsequently pass these tendencies down to their own kids.
The strains that hoarding places on families illustrates why reaching out for help is so important. If you or a loved one are affected by this destructive disorder, please contact Bio-One for assistance. We remediate homes affected by hoarding on a daily basis and can connect you with tools that can help. We are on standby 24/7/365.
Potential Dangers
Of Blood Cleanup
October 31, 2019 by DAVID SCOTT
Blood cleanup is usually discussed as it pertains to a hospital or other public facility. There are very specific and highly regulated laws for such cleanup situations—and with good reason. The dangers of improper blood cleanup are very real.
For example:
· Certain strains of E coli can survive for nearly four months on damp surfaces and for about four days on dry surfaces.
· Norovirus can be transmitted by simply touching a contaminated surface, and the virus can survive for weeks.
· MRSA, a dangerous, antibiotic-resistant Super Bug, can live for weeks outside of the body.
And the list goes on.
Failing to properly follow protocols or failing to don proper gear before beginning blood cleanup not only puts you at risk, but it poses a potential risk to anyone who enters a space where blood was not handled correctly.
You might change your mind when you see the extensive list of actions required to do it properly. While all of the same strict guidelines may not apply to your home, they are implemented in public spaces for a reason: to reduce the chances of infection being spread to the person doing the cleanup and to others through minute traces of blood left behind.
That means if you want to eliminate those risks in your home, you’ll need to follow similar protocols.
Instead of taking chances and doing it yourself, hire the professional services of Bio-One. Our highly trained, certified technicians follow all guidelines pertaining to blood spills and we dispose of all biohazard materials according to federal and state regulations.
Whether the blood in your home is from an unattended death, suicide, or other incident, you can count on Bio-One to provide thorough, compassionate, and affordable cleanup services.
Contact us for more information about our blood cleanup and other services or to schedule a free consultation. Call Bio-One today or fill out our online contact form now to get started.
What to Look For
In a Biohazard Cleanup Company
SEP 01, 2019 by David Scott
If you find yourself in need of a biohazard cleaning company, it’s important to know what to look for when deciding which provider to hire.
The problem is that many people have never even heard of such a service—until the day they need one following an unattended death, suicide or homicide cleanup, to handle a hoarding situation, or other event.
When you consider that the quality of the work could impact the health of others who spend time in the home or business, it’s easy to understand why selecting a fully qualified company is a must.
Here are few things to look for:
Licenses and Certifications
Crime scene and trauma cleanup is much different than normal janitorial services. Companies that perform such services must comply with OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogen Standard and the best companies will have completed relevant training in order to provide thorough and effective services.
Bio-One employees receive in-depth and ongoing training, and we hold full licensing in biohazard services.
Experience
Biohazard cleanup is not the kind of job you want to trust to a novice. Instead, find a provider with significant experience who will be able to handle any type of cleanup situation.
Our technicians have the experience they need to get the job done right.
References
Check references and read reviews to see what past customers have to say about the work performed.
Bio-One is happy to provide references, and we do what it takes to earn 100% customer satisfaction.
Quick Response Times
When you need trauma cleanup, you can’t wait. Choose a company that responds quickly to return your home or business to its pre-event condition.
Bio-One answers your call 24/7, and we respond fast with our compassionate, expert services. In fact, you can reach the owner directly at any time of day, and we’ll typically have a team on the job within an hour.
We hope you’ll never need biohazard cleanup services. If you ever do, Bio-One is the smart choice. Contact us today for a free consultation and to get the fast, fairly priced, expert services that have made us the trusted choice for Tucson-area trauma cleanup.
OUT OF THE DARKNESS
Southern Arizona Walk
October 14, 2019 by David Scott
As the most trusted trauma cleanup specialists in the Tucson area, the team at Bio-One sees close up the impact that suicide has on a family. We’d happily shutter our business if it meant another family would never have to live through the despair of knowing a loved one took their own life.
As the suicide rate continues to rise, it becomes the job of all us to look for ways to help those who are unable to, at the moment, help themselves.
One way we can all help is by taking part in an Out of the Darkness Community Walk put on by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP.)
The purpose of these walks, which take place in cities throughout the country, is to raise awareness of suicide and to help raise much-needed funds that are used by the AFSP to conduct research, create educational programs, and provide support to families who have lost someone to suicide.
They have lofty goals: The AFSP wants to reduce the suicide rate by 20% by 2025. If they are able to achieve that goal, 9,500 lives would be saved. You can help make that goal a reality by walking in the Tucson walk, which will take place on October 19th at Reid Park.
Gather sponsors to support your walk and then gather with those who have suffered a loss, who struggle with suicidal thoughts, or who simply understand the urgency of supporting this important cause.
Registration is free, and participants must register by October 18th at noon. The sooner you register, however, the more time you’ll have to get sponsors.
Consider setting aside a few hours to lend your support to those mourning a loved one or struggling to not give in to the temptation to take their life.
Together, we can make a difference.
Details
· Date: 10/19/19
· Time: Check in – 9:30 a.m. Opening Ceremonies – 10:30 a.m.
· Location: Reid Park, Tucson
For more information call Gina Gillis at 520.329.0099 or email regina_gillis@hotmail.com
Suicide Prevention
It's everyone's business
July 16, 2019 By David Scott
This may be something you don’t expect a business to say, but there are portions of our business for which we hope we never make another sale.
One type of call we never want to receive is for suicide cleanup. Unfortunately, those calls come far too often. Statistics from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention paint a grim picture:
· There are 129 Suicides Per Day
· Suicide is the 10th Leading Cause of Death in the United States
Another alarming statistic comes from the Center for Disease Control:
· The Suicide Rate has Increased 30% Since 2000
While part of our business is helping families deal with the aftermath of this tragedy, we’d much rather that suicide prevention programs find a way to reverse the sad trends we’ve seen and that lives could be saved as a result.
Following a suicide, those left behind often feel guilty about not having done more to help the person who had been threatening to or showing signs that they were going to take their own life.
Guilt has no place at the table. Loved ones do their best with the information they have, but the sad reality is that if someone is truly determined to take their life, they will find a way to do it.
That being said, the front lines of suicide prevention are with those who interact with the person day in and day out. The person may not call a suicide hotline. They might not seek professional mental health care—but if they live in your home, work with you, attend classes with you, or see you at church, you have a chance to make a difference once you detect a potential problem.
Hera are some tips from Front Line Service, a community behavioral health organization, when dealing with a person you believe is in crisis:
· Be Willing to Listen
· Don’t Be Judgmental
· Avoid Lecturing on How Precious Life Is (they don’t feel that way right now)
· Don’t Make Promises Not to Share the Information
· Offer Hope by Discussing Alternatives
· Remove Firearms, Pills, and Other Methods of Suicide
Most importantly: If you think someone you know is thinking about suicide, call a suicide prevention hotline in your area for advice specific to your situation.
If you’re a child or teen who has a friend that has mentioned suicide, tell a school counselor, your parents, or another adult you can trust.
Don’t worry about whether or not you’re over reacting. If you’re wrong, that’s great, and no harm is done. If you’re right, your actions just might save a life.
Our hearts break as we watch families go through this type of tragic event. While we can put their homes back together, we know their lives and hearts will never be the same.
If you see something, say something. We’re all on the front lines of suicide prevention.
As trusted Tucson extreme cleaning specialists, we’re able to help people return their homes to normal after events such as a robbery, unattended death, and more. We are available 24/7 365 days a year. When you need us we are here within the Tucson Community, call us at 520-771-5960.
If you are in Arizona and need immediate help, call EMPACT:
480.784.1500 or 866.205.5229
Arizona teens can call Teen Lifeline:
602.248.TEEN (8336) or 800.248 TEEN
