September is National Preparedness Month

9/8/2023 (Permalink)

Be Prepared Not Scared

National Preparedness Month is observed every September to promote the importance of preparing for emergencies that can happen any time of the year.

Older adults are especially vulnerable when emergencies and disasters occur.  There are things that can be done however to help if these events occur. 

          BUILDING AN EMERGENCY KIT

• Water and non-perishable food for several days for you and your pets
• Extra cell phone battery or charger
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio that can receive NOAA Weather Radio tone alerts and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place  
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for personal cleanup
• Non-sparking wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Can opener (if kit contains canned food)
• Local maps

Be sure to share with your family and friends what your plans are should an emergency occur.

You can find other helpful information on the website ready.gov

What ever happens SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties will be there to help make it "Like it never even happened."

Helping Businesses Prepare For A Disaster In Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties

9/12/2022 (Permalink)

Businesses Can Plan For Disasters With This FREE Profile from SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties

Be Prepared Not Scared

SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties will create an Emergency Ready Plan, which is a comprehensive plan to get your business back up and running quickly after a disaster hits.

Emergency Ready Profile (ERP) FAQs:
Here are the most frequently asked questions we encounter when introducing the ERP to property managers and business owners.

What Is an ERP?

An Emergency Ready Profile^® is compiled by our Marketing Representative.  It is a digital document that organizes critical emergency information so that a property owner or manager can respond quickly and efficiently. While many emergency plans focus on getting people out of a building safely, our plan aims to get everyone back in the building as soon as possible.

What Does an ERP Cost?

There is no charge for an ERP. As a national sponsor of the American Red Cross, we help commercial property owners and business managers create their profile(s). Homeowners can download the SERVPRO^® Ready Plan App to create an ERP for their home.

What’s In It For You?

With an ERP, you will be able to reduce business interruption and quickly mitigate a loss following an adverse event, saving both time and money. Important information like where to find your water, gas, electric, sprinkler shutoffs, and key contacts to begin restoration will be right at your fingertips in the SERVPRO^® Ready Plan App, and you will be able to share this information quickly and easily with anyone who needs it.

What Is In It For SERVPRO?

You may be wondering, “What’s in it for SERVPRO if there is no charge for an ERP?” That is a fair question. First, we hope that by helping you prepare before you need our services, it will make it more likely you will think of us when disaster strikes. Second, we know that having this information organized ahead of time will allow us to better serve you (should you choose to call us) following an adverse event. However, even if you never use our services, we will still have the satisfaction of helping our community be better equipped to survive a disaster.

Who Has Access To Your Information?

Once we compile your customized ERP, we deliver the finished digital profile to the property owner, business manager, or any approved personnel at your company. An email is sent with a link providing your unique username and password. You can share and print your ERP immediately with all necessary parties at your discretion. You can also edit information, change your password, or allow your Marketing Representative to assist you anytime.  A copy is also secured on our company’s server so that our Technicians responding will have the critical information needed to assist in your time of need.

Call SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties at 814 849-5653 to get started.

September is National Preparedness Month

9/14/2021 (Permalink)

Be Ready for Whatever May Come Your Way

        National Preparedness Month 2021

                 BE Prepared Not Scared

WEEK ONE (September 1-4): Make A Plan. Talk to your friends and family about how you will communicate before, during, and after a disaster. Make sure to update your plan based on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations due to COVID and the Delta variant.

WEEK TWO (September 5-11): Build A Kit. Gather supplies that will last for several days after a disaster for everyone living in your home. Don’t forget to consider the unique needs each person or pet may have in case you have to evacuate quickly. Update your kits and supplies based on recommendations by Ready.gov a website from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

WEEK THREE (September 12-18): Low-Cost, No-Cost Preparedness. Limit the impacts that disasters have on you and your family. Know the risk of disasters in your area. Learn how to make your home stronger in the face of storms and other common hazards. Check your insurance coverage to make sure it is active and updated.

WEEK FOUR {September 19-25}: Teach Youth About Preparedness. Talk to your kids about preparing for emergencies and what to do in case you are separated. Reassure them by providing information about how they can get involved.

Be sure to visit Ready.gov for additional tips and lists.

What ever happens SERVPRO of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties will be there to help make it "Like it never even happened."

Safety First Before the Feast Avoiding Fire Damage at the Holidays

11/13/2019 (Permalink)

Each November, families gather to celebrate Thanksgiving by preparing a delicious feast, but if you don’t practice safe cooking habits, your happy holiday could quickly become hazardous in a blink of an eye. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking is the main cause of home fires and injuries, with the Thanksgiving holiday being the peak day for cooking-related fire emergencies. Review the following safety tips to help ensure you can enjoy a safe holiday.

• Never leave cooking food unattended—stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling, or broiling food. If someone must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, they should turn off the stove.
• Check food regularly while cooking and remain in the home while kitchen equipment is in use. Use a timer as a reminder that the stove or oven is on.
• Keep small children away from the cooking area. Enforce a “kidfree zone” and make them stay at least three feet away from the stove and oven.
• Keep anything flammable like pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels away from the stove, oven, or other appliances in the kitchen that generates heat.
• Do not wear loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking. n
• Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease build-up. n
• Purchase a fire extinguisher to keep in the kitchen year round. Contact the local fire department for training on the proper use of fire extinguishers if you are unsure. n
• Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all kitchen appliances like stoves, ovens, and toasters are turned off. n
• Install a smoke alarm near the kitchen, on each level of the home, near sleeping areas and inside and outside of bedrooms. Use the test button to check it is working properly every month. Replace the batteries at least once a year.

SERVPRO® of Clarion Jefferson and Forest Counties wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving and holiday season.  

 Source: National Fire Protection Association

CARBON MONOXIDE: A SILENT KILLER

10/16/2019 (Permalink)

   What You Need to Know!

You can’t see or smell carbon monoxide, but at high levels, it can kill a person in minutes. Often called the silent killer, carbon monoxide, or CO, is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels, like gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, and propane burn incompletely.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning. It is estimated another 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized due to CO poisoning. All people and animals are at risk for CO poisoning, with some groups— including unborn babies, infants and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or respiratory problems— being more susceptible to the effects of carbon monoxide.

An excess of CO, leading to CO poisoning, can result from faulty furnaces or other heating appliances, portable generators, water heaters, clothes dryers, or idling cars left running in garages. Taking some basic, precautionary steps can help eliminate the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Protect yourself by reviewing the following tips provided by the United States Fire Administration.

• Have fuel-burning appliances, like oil and gas furnaces, gas or kerosene heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves inspected by a trained professional every year.
• Open the damper for proper ventilation before using a fireplace. Never use your own oven or stovetop to heat your home.
• Make sure all fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside to avoid CO poisoning. Keep the venting for exhaust clear and unblocked.
• If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Never run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not blocked with snow, ice, or other materials.
• Make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow and other debris.
• Only use barbeque grills outside, away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings. Some grills can produce CO gas. Never use grills inside the home or the garage, even if the doors are open.
• Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings to prevent exhaust fumes from entering the home.

The Secret to Happiness

7/15/2019 (Permalink)

Did you know that the act of volunteering has been linked to overall happiness? In an article in Harvard’s HealthGuide, authors noted that volunteering is good for your physical and psychological health. According to research when we help others it makes us happy. The more we give the happier we feel, and our kindness becomes contagious and positively impacts others. According to a study published in Psychological Science, when we help someone we feel good and that leads to more altruisticacts. And, no surprise here, the volunteer's happiness pales in comparison to the joy of those on the receiving end of the generous service.

SERVPRO is proud of all the volunteer activities our employees do from serving on Church Boards to participating in community events such as the Laurel Festival and the Jefferson County Fair and the Emergency Responders Expo.  We are happy to be part of the community and supporting events to make it the best place to live and work.

Would You be Ready in an Emergency?

11/19/2018 (Permalink)

Would YOU be ready in an Emergency? 

Thursday, November 29 
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Laurelbrooke Multipurpose Room
133 Laurelbrooke Drive
Brookville, PA

     Guest speakers to include:
          Tracy Zents, 9-1-1 Services will provide tools you can use in an emergency away from home
          Beth Sawyer, Red Cross  will address services provided in a disaster to members of the community
          Judie Wohnsiedler, Serv-Pro will share "What Not To Do in an Emergency"  and why it's important to get help quickly
          Elizabeth Clinger, McKinley Health Ctr                   Dietitian will discuss food items to keep on hand in the event there is no power or water
          Melissa Politio, McKinley Health Ctr      Administrator will share how the Health Center stays ready for emergencies in the community

Family and Friends Welcomed

Refreshments to be served.
Please RSVP to Alyssa Snyder (814) 715-3418