How Suicide Cleanup is Undertaken

Suicide cleanup is a part of the broad based service of Crime Scene Cleanup which involves crime and trauma decontamination and restoring it to its previous state. It is a a niche market in the cleaning industry and involves cleaning the biologically contaminated scene of ones death like suicide, homicide or accidental death. or a scene of a methamphetamine lab.

Broadly speaking, crime scene cleanup and suicide cleanup is almost same but there are few exeptions to this rule. Suicide cleanup requires some extra physical effort and psychological sensitivity that the technicians should be able to handle.

Following are some examples illustrating this. A suicide generally involves close range of weapon to body and so in-depth decontamination and thorough cleaning is required. The cleaners also have to handle family members who might be present at the scene searching for answers that why their beloved person decided to end his/her life. The technicians need to remove all traces of any evidence of a suicide so that no remains are present for family members and friends that might remind them of the tragedy.

Restoring of a suicide scene also means clean and restore sentimental items that mean the lot to the family of the deceased and requires additional time and effort.

On a visual inspection of any suicide scene you will generally find a lot of blood and bodily fluids, but invisible to the eye, a great amount of biohazard contamination is also bound to be there. The suicide cleanup technicians have to search thoroughly in all areas, even those that can not be seen or accessed easily and remove all traces of them from the scene. Most suicide cleanup services have their staff trained in not only dealing up with decontaminating and cleaning up issues but also about dealing with family and friends with sensitivity and compassion. Since most of such companies work in association with leading insurance companies so they can even help you to bill the insurance company directly thus saving you all the hassles.

A suicide cleanup consists of the following steps.
Firstly the scene should be evaluated. Next all contaminates should be located and decontaminated. A thorough search should me made again to decontaminate any traces of contaminates that might have been left out. All types of bio hazardous agents should be properly disposed of. Any microscopic remains should be treated with chemicals and the environment should be treated for odors. Last but not the least all tools and equipments should be disinfected. But before you attempt to clean a suicide scene on your own it is always better to consult a trained professional first.

Shooting near Jersey City playground

Dozens of police officers and emergency workers are at Montgomery and Florence streets in Jersey City where a shooting has left a pile of blood-soaked snow just about 10 feet from a playground, Jersey Journal reporter Michaelangelo Conte reports from the scene.

It is unknown right now if more than one person was shot and how severe the injuries were.

Two ambulances left the scene about 10 minutes ago and police have taped off the area as they take photographs and investigate.

An officer just called for a biohazard cleanup of the snow so no children play in it.

The playground serves kids in the various buildings of the Montgomery Gardens public housing complex.

It takes four months, but Hamilton pays $15,000 to fix, clean dead man's house

By SULAIMAN ABDUR-RAHMAN
Staff writer

HAMILTON — Deborah Thomeier said she has a “renewed faith in the government of Hamilton Township” after it acted “efficiently and quickly” in cleaning up and structurally rehabbing her dead next-door neighbor’s property on Joan Terrace.

“My husband (Joe) and I are very pleased with the speed and the efficiency of the township. ... The property looks 100 percent different,” Thomeier said, referring to the household of the late Edward Bratton, 86, who died of natural causes and was found as a rotting corpse inside his house June 13.

At that time, the interior of the home was littered with garbage and the house’s exterior was covered with vines and tree branches.

Township officials described the interior as a “biohazard” and deemed the rear area of the house to be structurally unsound.

The Thomeiers and other neighbors on the 100 block of Joan Terrace went on the offensive at a July public meeting, accusing the township of being inept at addressing their concerns about the dilapidated and filthy conditions of Bratton’s home.

The township said it couldn’t take action right away because Bratton, a retired state worker, had no known next of kin who could grant them permission to rehab the property. Consequently, the township had to enter a prolonged legal process to rectify the situation.

The township by early September obtained the authority to go to work, spending $8,800 of taxpayer money for a private company to clean the interior and using federal block grant money to pay for the $7,000 structural fixes and demolition of the house’s dilapidated rear.

Rob Warney of the township’s Department of Community Planning and Compliance told The Trentonian the entire clean-up and structural rehabbing was completed last month.

“We have no complaints at this point. We’re just happy it’s over with,” Deborah Thomeier told the newspaper on Thursday. “They did a nice job. They really did. ... I didn’t expect it to be done by the end of September.”

Why You Need Crime Scene Cleanup Services

Crime scene cleanup, trauma scene cleanup or biorecovery after the death of someone either violently or naturally is by and large the responsibility of the victim’s family. Even till few years ago, there were a handful of cleaning companies that specialized in trauma cleaning service. But today this niche service has emerged and there are many companies who provide this service.

Trauma cleaning service requires special experience, skills, equipment and expertise to deal with different types of bio-hazardous waste and dispose them efficiently with the minimum possible emotional stress to the victim’s family.

The most traumatic form of death is violent death and leaves the victim’s family feeling both victimized and traumatized. Coming to terms with the death of a loved one is in itself an uphill task for the bereaved family, and to top it off they have to deal with other practical matters like making funeral arrangements, dealing with insurance issues, contacting surviving family and friends and locating wills. Furthermore, in case of violent crimes the police and the media are also involved. This can really overwhelm any family. Here is where trauma cleaning service comes to your rescue. They lighten one of the heaviest burdens that are of dealing with the horrid aftermath. They will take care of the crime/death scene cleanup, ensuring that the scene is restored to its pre-incident state as far as possible and in the most quick and efficient manner thus allowing you to deal with other important matters. Most service providers work discreetly and protect the confidentiality of the decedent and family.

Most of the times, the crime scenes are so ghastly that they can induce additional emotional trauma on victim’s friends and family. By hiring professionals for this cleanup, you can reduce this emotional stress. Immediately after death Mother Nature begins its process of breaking down the body. Unattended death scenes and dead bodies can be dangerous as it gives rise to blood borne pathogens, viruses and bacteria. You may try to clean the area by yourself but the exposure may result in flu-like diseases or direct attack on the respiratory system. So it is advisable to leave this job to professionals who specialize in bio fluid and blood remediation.

The total cost involved in a trauma scene cleanup will depend on a number of factors. One of the largest factors is labor, how many technicians will be needed to complete the job, how long will the job take and the quantity of medical waste disposal (red bags) that needs to be treated and disposed of. It can range anywhere in the range of $600 to $5000 per job. Some people might call this business as capitalizing on death but it is still essential and indispensable in case of a death.

In many states throughout the country, if the death is related to a crime, the State Victims Assistance program may make monies available to cover the cost of "crime & death scene cleanup." In other cases, homeowner policies may cover this cost as well.

What to look for in a cleanup contractor:
As with any type of contractor it is buyer beware! Always make sure the contactor is local to you (same state). There are many cleanup contractors who advertise on the internet that are many states away, thus dollars away. These companies either send their people long distances or hire a local company and mark up the invoice. Why pay these high cost when it is unnecessary. There are licensed, qualified companies in every major metropolitan area in the United States. Never pay for a company that is based out of state. To locate a local company visit our website at www.biorecovery.com and click on nationwide directory in the left column. Check to see if the company you have chosen is a member of a non-profit association that deals with this industry-currently there is only one association, that being the American Bio-Recovery Association (ABRA). You can verrifiy a company be logging onto www.americanbiorecovery.com and clicking on service providers, to see if they are indeed a member of this non-profit group.

Additionally, always check for the proper insurance and ask for a certificate of insurance and be listed as an additional insured. Many companies do not carry the correct insurance, they have janitorial insurance which will not cover you should an incident arise during the cleanup. Biohazard cleanup contractors should carry general liability insurance for blood cleanup as well as having contractor’s pollution liability insurance and workers compensation insurance for the state they are working in.

Are your cleanup contractors licensed to transport medical waste? If they are charging you for "red bag" transport and disposal, they must be licensed by the state in which they operate, ask for a copy of their license. If they do not have one, or say they have another company who will transport this "red bag" waste, stop and get another company that is licensed, ultimately, you are responsible for this hazardous waste should be mishandled.

NEVER EVER sign a work authorization or contract for service without reading and understanding what these documents are. Once you sign them you are responsible for what they say. There are many horrific stories about companies from Illinois, and other states that charge tens of thousands of dollars for a job that may have cost $3500.00 from a reputable company, but because you signed their agreement without understanding the ramifications of such, like how charges are calculated, you are now stuck with an invoice for $25,000 dollars. These companies will sue you or lien your real property to recoup there payment. Your insurance company will not cover costs that are not customary to the work performed. This is not meant to scare you or change your mind about using a biorecovery type company, it is meant to educate you. You are in the midst of one of the worst times of your life; don't let unscrupulous companies take advantage of you-hire a local company that has a verifiable track record.

Couple sues landlord over mold in Bound Brook rental home

by Ryan Hutchins/For The Star-Ledger

BOUND BROOK -- A husband and his pregnant wife are suing their former landlords, accusing the Jersey City couple of failing to remediate "toxic mold" from the Bound Brook home they rented until May.

A complaint filed last week with Superior Court in Somerville alleges that the mold may have caused the health problems Floyd and Tabatha McColley suffered from while living in the Cedar Crest Road house, and also suggests that it had an impact on the woman's unborn child.

"There's a definite problem with the baby that will require... immediate action after birth," Floyd McColley said Thursday, but stopped short of saying mold is responsible for the unspecified medical issue that was diagnosed by an obstetrician.

The girl, expected in about two months, will be born at Columbia University Medical Center in New York "so she's right there with the best doctors when she's born," said Floyd McColley, who now lives with his wife in Brick Township, Ocean County.

The couple's complaint, filed on July 27 by attorney John Charles Allen of New Brunswick, claims Sameen and Yameen Khan, the Jersey City husband and wife who rented the house to them, failed to respond to complaints that there was "severe leaking" and "substantial growth of toxic mold" in the home they moved into in August 2008.

Both McColley's had become sick after living in the home, Floyd McColley said.

"It was a gradual worsening of symptoms," he said.

They had issues with being over-tired and had trouble breathing, said the husband, who's sickness were more pronounced.

"As a result of the defects to the property and more importantly, the hazardous conditions with the property, plaintiffs were forced to move out," the complaint says.

Both McColleys are healthier since leaving, said the husband.

After moving, the landlords hired contractors who the court filing calls unqualified and not properly equipped to remove the mold. The complaint says workers destroyed property left behind by the McColleys, and Floyd McColley, who hired his own mold expert, said Thursday that the mold was made worse by the contractors.

The Khans never paid for the cost of alternate housing or relocation, the complaint said.
Reached Thursday, Sameen Khan referred questions to the couple's attorney, Michael Wroblewski of New York.

"My clients vigorously deny the allegations and have acted responsibly through this matter," he said later that day, but didn't want to elaborate.

The McColleys' suit, which is requesting a jury trial, asks that the couple be awarded compensation for various damages, as well as legal fees.

Floyd McColley, a military contractor, said he and his wife moved to Bound Brook from Illinois after his employer called him back from Iraq to work in New Jersey.

The home appeared nice when they moved in, but the flooding started with the first rain storm, he said.

"We had high hopes of staying in this place only to find out we'd moved into a nightmare."

Tenants of apartment where Jersey City cops were shot allowed back home after 36 hours

The residents of 24 Reed St. -- the site of yesterday's bloodbath where five cops were shot in Jersey City -- were allowed to return to their homes more than 36 hours after being evacuated.

About 20 residents from the 40-unit building spent time yesterday at an emergency shelter at nearby School 17 and 13 residents spent the night there, said Art Samaras, director of recovery for the American Red Cross of Northern New Jersey, which ran the shelter.

Residents were jubilant as they walked back inside after a showerless day and a half, during which tenants had no access to anything but the pajamas on their backs when they were evacuated from the building at 5:20 a.m. yesterday, said resident Ellwood Bramhan, 57, who lives on the first floor.

Bramhan who has asthma and emphysema, said he wasn't allowed able to get his oxygen tank, and went without it for several hours until the Red Cross supplied him -- sporadically -- with one.

"I don't understand it because I live on the first floor and the incident was on the third floor. I even gave them (the police) a key to my apartment and asked someone to get my tank but they said no. All they had to do was go in there," he said.

Bramhan said he and his neighbors haven't been able to access prescription medicine either.

Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said he probably would have allowed a police officer to retrieve the oxygen tank and readily available medications for residents, but he would not have let the tenants go in themselves.

"I've looked at the crime scene photos, this is one of the most bloody scenes that I have seen in all my years in law enforcement," he said.

Jersey City Deputy Chief Peter Nalbach said police offered to take tenants that needed medication to the hospital emergency room.

As for keeping the tenants out of the building for so long, both Nalbach and DeFazio said it was necessary to investigate exactly what happened during the shootout.

"It's a crime scene," Nalbach said. "Nobody goes in the building but the technicians. There was multiple rounds to collect. There was blood evidence to collect. There was clothing to collect. We were looking for other weapons.

DeFazio said even though it appears that the officers' use of force was justifiable, the death of the two suspects is still considered a homicide.

"That's why this is being taken very, very seriously and a very thorough and deliberate investigation is taking place," he said.

The investigation concluded this morning and then cleanup crews were called in. A handful of people in white-plastic coveralls and face masks were seen cleaning blood outside the building at about 1 p.m.

DeFazio said it was a public health danger to let tenants back into the building before the blood was cleaned up because they could catch hepatitis or other diseases.

Bramhan said residents were cheering and shouting as they came back in.

"It feels good to be back home, it's just that we can't lock our doors," Bramhan said, explaining that police had damaged many doors in the building during yesterday's shootout.

Greg Kierce, director of emergency management and homeland security for Jersey City, said he hoped to fix all the damage by noon tomorrow and and would post a police officer outside the building 24-hours-a-day until the locks were repaired.

Last night Jersey City's Division of Animal Control rescued a dog from the building and looked for two cats, which could not be found, said Kierce.

Related Stories:

5 cops shot in Jersey City: Comprehensive coverage

Authorities confirm identities of two suspects killed in Jersey City shootout

Jersey City POBA head defends operation that ended in gun battle, praises cops and emergency workers

Think Jersey City shootout pair were assailants in shotgun attack caught on video

One of the wounded Jersey City cops arrested Shakur in '02

'Felt like Iraq' Jersey City cops storm in, kicking doors

Transgender Woman Dies

GLOUCESTER TWP., N.J. - An investigation is underway after a transgender woman died during what's being called a "voodoo cleansing ritual" at a South Jersey home.

21-year-old Lucille Hamilton of Little Rock, Arkansas apparently came to Gloucester Township to take part in the ritual.

The Camden County Prosecutor's Office and the Medical Examiner's Office are awaiting toxicology tests - which could take weeks to come back - in determining what caused the death of Hamilton.

Police were called to the 400 block of Loch Lomond Drive late Saturday night.

Hamilton was participating in a ritual performed by a self-advertised "voodoo priest."

Police were called to the townhome after 11 p.m. when Hamilton was found unresponsive. She was raced to a nearby hospital where she died.

Six other people, including children, were also found at the home. All were checked at Virtua Hospital in Berlin Township and released.

Neighbors tell Fox 29 the townhome has been the scene of several self-advertised "voodoo cleansing rituals" - some say it's Santeria-related.

"I'm in fear of my sister and my brother-in-law's life here due to the fact that this continues to go on. They have little children in this house," says neighbor Frank Batten. "It just needs to stop. They have a website and these people are coming from all over the place to do this voodoo ritual stuff...It's just not safe and this is not the community for this kind of thing."

"I'm really shocked," says neighbor Renee Miranda. "I can't stop getting the goosebumps and it really freaks me out. My son plays down here everyday...You never know what goes on behind closed doors."

Police described the victim as a transgender female who was undergoing a sex change in the months leading up to her death.

Investigators say they found no signs of trauma to the body and even stopped short of calling the death "suspicious."

Police will not say if drugs were involved in this case.

The homeowner appears to have done a significant amount of cleanup at the home after this incident, say investigators.

There is no word of any charges pending.

Crime Scene Leftovers Pose Problem For Sanitation

Call it the Case of the Bloody Mattress.

City sanitation workers in southwestern Kentucky were recently left with the problem of how to dispose of a bloody mattress put out with the trash.

The mattress came from a home where police say a 37-year-old man appears to have died from self-inflicted stab wounds. The problem came when trash collectors realized they couldn't pick up a potential biohazard, but didn't want to leave it by the side of the road in a residential neighborhood in Hopkinsville.

"This was an area of concern for us because blood is considered a biohazard and not only can our trash trucks not pick it up, but it could be dangerous for people in the community," said George Hampton, a route supervisor for Hopkinsville Solid Waste Authority.

The Kentucky New Era reports that the mattress disappeared by midweek, but sanitation officials didn't take it and were still trying to make sure it was properly disposed of. The location of the mattress remained a mystery at week's end.

Hopkinsville sanitation workers received an anonymous call reporting a mattress, possibly covered in blood, that had been set on a curb outside of a home. That was the concern of the anonymous caller, Hampton said, who said children in the neighborhood could start to play on the mattress and come into contact with the dried blood that might have diseases.

Because there was blood on the mattress, sanitation workers couldn't haul it off with the rest of the trash.

"It raises a question for us about where we take it from here," Hampton said. "Someone has to clean up messes like these and we can't do it."

Solid Waste Superintendent Bill Bailey said sanitation workers aren't allowed to pick up possible biohazards, including blood, from the side of the road. Instead, Bailey said, the department needs to call other landfills to see who will pick up and take the items.

"Sometimes we can process and wrap it in plastic and dispose of it that way. But other times we have to contact a company that deals with disposing of medical waste."

Charlotte Write, a spokeswoman for Stericycle, a national company that specializes in medical waste disposal, said medical waste is generally burned to kill pathogens that can live in dried blood.

"It is important to dispose of all medical waste, especially waste that comes from the body, so as not to spread diseases," Write said.

Hopkinsville Police Chief Guy Howie said the families must clean up the scene of a murder or suicide or pay to have it done.

"It doesn't sound very friendly, I know, but that's just how it has to be handled," Howie said. "Someone has to clean it up and someone has to dispose of all of this, it's just a matter of figuring out who. It's amazing that just one mattress on a curb can raise so many questions."

Someone solved sanitation's problem by taking the mattress from in front of the home. Bailey said sanitation workers didn't remove it, but finding out what became of the mattress is important. It had to be properly sterilized and disposed of.

"We can't just stick it in our landfill and be done with it," Bailey said. "Whether it's on that curb or not, it's still hazardous material."

Why you need crime scene cleanup services

By Alex Thomson

Crime scene cleanup or trauma scene cleanup after the death of someone either violently or naturally is by and large the responsibility of the victim’s family. Even till few years ago, there were a handful of cleaning companies that specialized in trauma cleaning service. But today this niche service has emerged as a lucrative business and there are many companies who provide this service.

Trauma cleaning service requires special experience, skills, equipment and expertise to deal with different types of bio-hazardous waste and dispose them efficiently with the minimum possible emotional stress to the victim’s family.

The most traumatic form of death is violent death and leaves the victim’s family feeling both victimized and traumatized. Coming to terms with the unnatural death of a loved one is in itself an uphill task for the bereaved family, and to top it they have to deal with other practical matters like making funeral arrangements, dealing with insurance issues, contacting surviving family and friends and locating wills. Furthermore, in case of violent crimes the police and the media are also involved. This can really overwhelm any family. Here is where trauma cleaning service comes to your rescue. They lighten one of the heaviest burdens, that is of dealing with the horrid murder cleanup. They will take care of the crime scene cleanup, ensuring that the scene is restored to its pre-incidental state as far as possible and in the most quick and efficient manner thus allowing you to deal with other important matters. Most service providers work discreetly and protect the confidentiality of the sufferer and family.

Most of the times, the crime scenes are so ghastly that they can induce additional emotional trauma in victim’s friends and family. By hiring professionals for cleanup, you can reduce this emotional stress. Immediately after death the nature begins its process of breaking down the body. Unattended death scene and dead bodies can be dangerous as it gives rise to blood borne pathogens, mold spores and bacteria. You may try to clean the area by yourself but the exposure may result in flu-like diseases or direct attack on the respiratory system. So it is advisable to leave this job to professionals who specialize in bio fluid and blood remediation.

The total cost involving a trauma scene cleanup will depend on a number of factors. One of the most major factors is that how many technicians will be needed for the job, how long will the job take and the quantity of hazardous material that needs to be treated and disposed of. It can range anywhere in the range of $100 to $1000 per hour. Some people might call this business as capitalizing on death but it is still essential and indispensable in case of a death.

Crime Scene Cleanup: What It Involves

A crime scene cleanup service is not without its complications. Crime scene cleaning encompasses restoring the crime scene to its original state. When a crime is usually discovered, crime scene cleaners are not called until after officers of the law, like the crime scene investigators, have done their jobs first and have given the go ahead for the cleaners to come in. If you intend to hire a crime scene cleanup company, you must make sure that they are well equipped and fit right to get the job done. A crime scene presents challenging conditions.

The Use Of Protective Gears:
Crime scenes can very well involve the use of hazardous or deadly substances. For safety reasons then, it has become imperative that crime scene cleaners use protective clothing, in addition to protective tools and gadgets. You must see to it that they have all the necessary protective gears and gadgets. The protective clothing can consist of disposable gloves and suits. A disposable gear is preferred nowadays since it offers the best protection against contamination. You use it one time and get rid of it. That way, the dangers of contamination is virtually brought down to zero percent. Protective clothing extends to respirators and the use of heavy-duty industrial or chemical-spill protective boots.

Among the gadgets that a crime scene cleaning company must have are special brushes, special sprayers, and wet vacuum. These special tools ensure added protection against getting into contact with the hazard could very well be present in the crime scene. There is large, special equipment such as a mounted steam injection tool that is designed to sanitize dried up biohazard materials such as scattered flesh and brain. You would also need to check if they have the specialized tank for chemical treatments and industrial strength waste containers to collect biohazard waste.

Of course, any crime scene clean up must have the usual cleaning supplies common to all cleaning service companies. There are the buckets, mops, brushes and spray bottles. For cleaning products, you should check if they use industrial cleaning products. A crime scene cleaning company must have these on their lists:

1 - Disinfectants including hydrogen peroxide and bleaches - The kinds that the hospitals used are commonly acceptable.

2 - Enzyme solvers for cleaning blood stains. It also kills viruses and bacteria.

3 - Odor removers such as foggers, ozone machines, and deodorizers

4 - Handy tools for breaking and extending such as saws, sledgehammers, and ladders

Established crime scene operators also equip themselves with cameras and take pictures of the crime scene before commencing work which. The pictures taken may prove useful for legal matters and insurance purposes. You never know which.

Needless to say, a specially fitted form of transportation and proper waste disposal is also needed. These requirements are specific. As you can imagine, crime scene cleaning is in a different category on its own. A home cleaning or janitorial service company may not be able to cope up with the demands of a crime scene. A crime scene cleanup service requires many special gears and tools that a home cleaning or a janitorial service company does not usually have or does not require. Crime scene cleaning if not done correctly can expose the public to untold hazards.

What Else To Look For In A Crime Scene Cleanup Company
You may also want to hire a company that has established itself. An experienced company with a strong reputation is always a plus but it could be expensive too. You will do well to balance your needs with what is your budget. There are several companies that offer specific prices such as for death scene clean up categories and suicide clean up categories. Most companies own a website and have round the clock customer service as receptionists.

When looking for a suitable crime scene cleaning service, among the first things you need to do is to scout for price quotes. Crime scene cleanup services usually provide quote after they have examined the crime scene and then they give you a definite quote. Factors that are usually considered include the number of personnel that will be needed to get the job done. It also includes the amount of time that might be needed. The nature and amount of the waste materials that need to be disposed will also be factored in. You can be sure that the more sophisticated equipments needed the more expensive it will get.

Crime Scene Cleanup And Your Insurance
For homeowners, the best approach is always to make sure that crime scene cleanup services clauses and provisions are written down on the contracts or policies. The inclusion of crime cleanup services clauses is very common and has become standard clause in most homeowner’s policy. Make sure that you are covered for this unforeseen event. Make sure that your policy directs the crime scene cleaning company to transact directly with the homeowner insurance company. A crime scene cleaning service is usually a standard clause in many homeowners’ insurance clause. These companies often do the paperwork in behalf of clients.

If for some reason you do not have such coverage by any policies relating to crime scene cleanup on your home, there are ways to keep your expenses controlled.

Finding the right company can be very taxing, especially that you have to deal with the emotional stress stemming from the crime itself, especially with a crime scene involving death.

There are many crime scene cleanup companies in operation nowadays. There are reliable professionals that you can hire and prices are relatively competitive. As of recently, crime-scene cleanup services can cost up to $600 for an hour of their service. A homicide case alone involving a single room and a huge amount of blood can cost about $1,000 to $3,000.

In recent years, crime scene cleaning has come to be known as, "Crime and Trauma Scene Decontamination or CTS. Basically, CTS is a special form of crime scene cleaning focusing on decontamination of the crime scene from hazardous substances such as those resulting from violent crimes or those involving chemical contaminations such as methamphetamine labs or anthrax production. This type of service is particularly common when violent crimes are committed in a home. It is rare that the residents move out of the home after it has become a scene of a crime. Most often, the residents just opt to have it cleaned up. That is why, it is very important to hire the best crime scene cleaning company out there. The place needs to be totally free from contamination of any kind. You have to make sure that the company is able to remove all traces of the violent crime that took place. This includes cleaning biohazards that are sometimes invisible to the untrained eye.

Legally speaking, federal laws state that all bodily fluids are deemed biohazards and you should make sure that the cleanup service company you hire understands this and includes it in the cleanup. These things appear as blood or tissue splattered on a crime scene. You must be able to hire a company that is equipped with special knowledge to safely handle biohazard materials. The company must have the knowledge what to search for in any give biohazard crime scene. For instance, the company should be able to tell clues such that if there is a bloodstain the size of a thumbnail on a carpet, you can bet that there is about a huge bloodstain underneath. Federal and State laws have their own laws in terms of transport and disposal of biohazard waste. Make sure that the company you hire has all the permits necessary.

It will also be a huge plus if you could hire people who not only has the special trainings but also who have the nature to be sympathetic. If you are close to the victim and have the cleaning done at the behest of the victim’s relatives, it would matter that the cleaners tread the site with some level of respect. It is a common site that family members and loved ones are often there at scene. In general, when looking for a suitable crime scene cleaners, you would take into considerations the kind of situation that the crimes scene presents and the demands that it require. Crime scene cleaning companies handle a wide variety of crime scenes and prices may vary from one to the other crime scene and one to the other company.

Each type of scene requires its own particular demands not only to make the crime scene look clean and neat on the surface but to make it germ free, and clean inside and to make it free from all deadly and infectious substances. The cleanup cost for biohazards may vary depending on degree of the bio hazard(s) on the scene. There may even be a category that changes the cleanup pricing which usually involves decomposing bodies and carcasses. Likewise, a cleanup of chemical hazards vary, depending on the amount of chemical hazards as well as the grades i.e. how hazardous the substance is in terms of human contact. Prices are also determined by the number of hours and personnel that it would to get the crime scene cleaned. In addition, the "gross factor" from crime scene involving death and gore needs to be taken under consideration regarding the chemicals that will be used as opposed to those crimes' that do not have gore involved.

Traumatic Grief

By Nancy Crump

Since the late 1980’s, we have seen an increase in interest and research on the effects of trauma on the grief process. We have learned that the grief process from the sudden, unexpected, and often violent deaths of suicide, homicide, auto accidents, natural disasters, and other types of deaths, is very different from the grief process of those who have died from natural causes, old age, or long-termed illness. Many, if not all, of the deaths faced by Bio Technicians fall into the category of traumatic. Those family members who hire you have usually been touched by the trauma of the death. Understanding the traumatic grief process and its differences from other types of grief may be of some help to you as you deal with these family members.

There are several key elements that make the responses by family members to a traumatic death difficult. First is the suddenness of the death. Family members usually did not have time to prepare themselves for the death and to make the psychological adjustments to cope with the news of the death. Also, the suddenness of the death does not give the family an opportunity to say goodbye to the victim before their death. Second, the violence of the death may leave the family with horrific memories and nightmares that often interfere with the grief process. Third, many of these types of deaths require police intervention and the family is often not given the support, information, and compassion they need at the time. Another element can be the presence of the media at the time of the death, as well as weeks and months later if legal issues follow the death. Most traumatic deaths involve young people who’s parents, grandparents, and siblings may still live. Certainly, the death of a child or young person is very difficult to cope with.

Reactions to a traumatic death can be very different, more intense, and longer lasting than other types of death. The emotions following a traumatic death are often conflicting and intense. There is a tendency to relive the death event over and over in an attempt to make it real. Intrusive thoughts and nightmares are very common. Intense physical responses such as inability to eat or sleep, stomach aches and headaches, muscle tension, high blood pressure and a decrease in the autoimmune system are also common. Many times, the survivors must deal with intense feelings of guilt or remorse, feeling that they were somehow responsible or could have prevented the death “if only”. Family members have the need to tell the story of the death over and over again in an attempt to gain a sense of the reality of the death. They often have an overwhelming need to learn all they can about the circumstances of the death - how the person died, whether they were in pain, did they know they were dying, what were their last words, who saw what happened, and in cases of homicide, who committed the murder. All of these reactions are ways the survivors use to grasp the reality of the death and to begin the grief process.

As Bio Technicians, you are often called by family members or meet them upon arrival to the scene. Understanding some of the dynamics of trauma on the grief process may help as you help the family. Understanding the “normalcy” of the reactions you may see can help you feel more competent and assured to speak with family members without wondering whether or not you are saying the “right” thing. Some suggestions are listed below, but the most important thing is to convey sincerity and compassion to the family. They are very vulnerable and sensitive to words, expressions, and body language. Just make sure that what you say and do is congruent with how you feel or you will come across as insincere and uncaring.

Soon after a traumatic death, most survivors simply need to tell the story to anyone who will listen. It is important for their recovery to be able to do this. If you have time to listen, do so. They are not necessarily looking for any input from you; they just need someone to listen.

Remember that there are two basic rules for grieving people – you don’t hurt yourself or someone else. If, during the conversation, you hear comments that indicate the person is thinking of either, you might suggest they go talk to someone else before making a decision to do something like this. Create a list of counselors, therapists, or mental health centers to hand out at times like these. Take comments about thoughts of suicide seriously and offer to call a friend or family member to be with the person and get them help. Suicide rates often increase after a sudden, traumatic death of a loved one. These are very difficult situations for you as a caregiver, but you need to set limits as to what you can and cannot do. Listening and having resources available are all you need. The survivor needs to take some responsibility for them, and others who are better trained to handle these situations need to be contacted.

Although many reactions may look and feel “crazy”, most are normal reactions to the situation. Again, as long as they don’t hurt themselves or someone else, they are probably reacting normally to an abnormal situation. Helping normalize these reactions is very helpful to the survivor. Encouraging the survivor to talk and to express what they are experiencing is also helpful. Making a simple statement such as, “I think I’d feel the same way if this happened to me”, helps the survivor feel less out of control.

There are many support groups available to survivors that would make a good resource for them. Creating a list of those in your community or in nearby communities is a great gift for survivors. They may not want to attend a support group, but usually someone from the group is always willing to talk to them by telephone or offer assistance.

In the work you do, you may find yourself in situations of dealing with survivors who have needs you do not feel comfortable or competent in dealing with. That’s okay as it is not your responsibility to be all things to all people. However, there are these simple steps you can take to help your families in a meaningful way. You can listen. You can refer. You can offer resources. Having some general knowledge of the traumatic grief process may make you feel more competent in dealing with your families and knowing that you are being supportive and helpful in a meaningful way.

Below are some national organizations that offer support groups in almost every locality. They are specific to either the type of death or the relationship to the person who died and are more appropriate to traumatic deaths. They all have web sites or central telephone numbers that can be contacted for local information.

The Compassionate Friends – for parents’ whose child has died of any cause.
MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Drivers offer support for parents who a drunk driver killed child
Widowed Persons Service – sponsored by AARP for spousal death
SOS – Survivors of Suicide support groups
POMC – Parents of Murdered Children and other victims of homicide.

These and many other groups may be listed at your county’s Victim Assistance Office usually located in the office of the District Attorney. Also, check with your local hospices or hospitals. They offer support groups that are open to the public. Some local churches may also host support groups. As you create your list, don’t try to keep up with the dates and times of group meetings as they change frequently. All you need is the name of the group, a telephone number, and possibly a contact person. Leave it to the survivors to take the responsibility to make the calls on their own behalf.

Medical waste found in East Brunswick roadway

by New Jersey Local News Service
Thursday April 30, 2009, 1:00 PM
Health officials responded to East Brunswick this morning after bed pads, gauze, latex gloves and medical packaging were found scattered in Cranbury Road near Cornwall Drive, authorities said.

Police and officials from the Middlesex County Hazardous Materials Unit and the Middlesex County Board of Health were unable to determine where the debris came from or why it was in the road.

East Brunswick Police ask anyone with information about the incident to call (732) 390-6900.

Custodian’s stress-disorder suit restored

Meghann M. Cuniff / Staff writer

A custodian who sued her school district after being forced to clean up the bloody scene of a student’s suicide had her lawsuit reinstated Tuesday by the Washington Court of Appeals.

Debbie Rothwell, who still works at Lakeside High School in Nine Mile Falls, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a lawsuit filed in May 2007 by her lawyer, William Powell, of Spokane. The 16-year-old student shot himself in the head inside the school’s main entrance in 2004. The lawsuit was dismissed in January 2008 by Spokane County Superior Court Judge Greg Sypolt, who ruled the incident was covered by the Industrial Insurance Act.

But the Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 ruling, disagreed and reinstated the suit.

“There are people who do clean up the mess after one of these horrible murders or suicides happen,” Powell said Tuesday, referring to private professionals. “But the superintendent in this case chose not to do that. He should have known better.”

Along with former Superintendent Michael Green, now superintendent of the Woodland School District in Western Washington, the lawsuit names the Nine Miles Falls School District, Stevens County Sheriff Craig Thayer, two sheriff’s detectives and an unidentified man as defendants.

None was available for comment. Like most civil suits in Washington, the complaint seeks unspecified damages.

Rothwell’s complaints center around her task of cleaning up the suicide scene, then being asked to move a backpack she later learned belonged to the victim and contained a suspicious device that authorities detonated using a robot.

She stayed at work until after 4 a.m., cleaning the mess of blood, brain and bone alone, becoming “emotionally distraught and physically ill” before returning to the school less than four hours later at Green’s orders to serve cookies and coffee to grieving students and keep the media from the school, according to the suit.

At issue in the court decisions was whether Rothwell’s claim of post-traumatic stress disorder fell under the industrial injury act, which prohibits lawsuits based on industry injury or occupational disease.

Judges John A. Schultheis and Dennis J. Sweeney ruled it didn’t because it wasn’t the result of one work order. Her trauma grew over several days, according to their written opinion. Judge Teresa C. Kulik dissented.

Cleanup completed at Civic Association

April 5, 2009

Cleanup has been completed at the American Civic Association building in Binghamton, where a gunman killed 13 people and injured four before taking his own life Friday.

The American Bio-Recovery Association, a non-profit international association of crime and trauma scene professionals, said Sunday that the bio-recovery cleaning was complete. The Ipswich, Mass.-based group provided the service at no cost.

Two member companies, Disaster Clean Up of Endwell and the Bio-Recovery Corporation of New York City, donated labor and supplies to remediate the scene with a crew of six technicians.

Bio-Recovery Corporation Aids In Binghamton Crime Scene Cleanup

PRESS RELEASE
April 5th 2009

Bio-Recovery Corporation of New York City and Diaster Scene Cleanup of Endwell, NY responded to the American Civic Association on April 5th 2009 at the request of the American Bio-Recovery Association to aid the American Civic Association and the entire Binghamton community with the cleanup of the crime scene left in the aftermath of Fridays multiple homicide, suicide at their offices located at 131 Front St Binghamton, NY.

At the request of Dale Cillian, President of the non profit American Bio-Recovery Association (ABRA), the two named companies above provided all the labor and equipment to complete this cleanup in one day at no cost to the American Civic Association. "I couldn't have done this without you guys," stated Andrew Baranoski, Executive Director of the non-profit American Civic Association.

The American Bio Recovery Association, an international association of Crime & Trauma Scene Cleanup professionals strives to make these services available to all that require it throughout the United States.

NJ Attorney General opposes PTI for dentist who dumped medical waste

By TRUDI GILFILLIAN Staff Writer, 609-463-6716

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE - The Pennsylvania dentist accused of dumping medical waste into the waters off Avalon last summer will not gain entry into the pre-trial intervention program if the state Attorney General�s office has its way.

Standing outside a court room here, Deputy Attorney General Edward Bonanno said his office opposes allowing Thomas McFarland Jr. into the program, but he would not cite the specific reasons why.

McFarland�s defense attorney, Joseph Rodgers, said the state's objections are tied to the impact the dumping had on Avalon and the state as a whole.

"They see it as it affects the quality of New Jersey beaches," Rodgers said.

Rodgers said his client has suffered from depression largely because his wife is suffering from cancer. Her illness, he said, has had a devastating effect on the family.

"I think it was a cry for help frankly," Rodgers said of McFarland's actions.

McFarland will return to court in May when a judge will be asked to compel McFarland's entry into the pre-trial intervention program.

BILL TO TOUGHEN PENALTIES FOR BEACH-DUMPING ADVANCES

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assemblymen Matt Milam and Nelson Albano sponsored to toughen the financial penalties against illegal ocean dumping was released today by an Assembly committee.

The measure was crafted after several South Jersey beaches were forced to close around Labor Day weekend after illegally dumped medical waste washed ashore. As many as 225 syringes and other medical waste were found in Avalon - leading borough officials to close beaches four times. Syringes also washed ashore in Berkeley, Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Brigantine and Upper Township.

Thomas McFarland, a Philadelphia dentist who owns a Jersey Shore summer home, was charged Sept. 5 with intentionally dumping the waste that caused the Avalon closings. The source of the other waste is still under investigation.

The measure (A-3271) would double the fines for illegal medical-waste dumping in New Jersey's waters to $100,000-per-day. The lawmakers noted that state penalties for water pollution haven't been updated since 1990, while those for illegal medical waste handling haven't been updated since 1997.

"Polluters who foul our beaches must pay dearly for tarnishing the shore's reputation," said Albano. "The true cost of beach pollution goes far beyond what is spent to actually clean this garbage off the sand, but includes the long-term effects when people decide to use this disgusting episode to decide against visiting our beaches."

"Our beach towns and small businesses are in no position to absorb the financial hit caused by someone's reckless behavior," said Milam. "Polluters should be on the hook not just for environmental damages, but economic damages, too."

The lawmakers said that while the current $50,000-per-day fines allowable under clean water law looks severe, its effectiveness has eroded since enactment in 1990.

Had the penalties kept pace with inflation, the trio noted that the fines would be equal to roughly $82,800 in today's money.

The measure was released by the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee and now goes to the Assembly Speaker, who decides if and when to post it for a vote.

On the Net:
www.assemblydems.com
www.youtube/user/njassemblydemblydems

Behind the scenes as a crew takes on the city's dirtiest job

BY Robert Dominguez
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER



Manny Sosa has already spent a good hour on his hands and knees, steaming and scrubbing and finally getting the best of a stubborn stain on a kitchen floor, when he calls out to his supervisor.

“I got the blood up,” says Sosa, his voice muffled through a hazmat helmet and respirator. “But the skin’s not coming off the tiles.”

“Waddya expect?” answers Ron Gospodarski. “The body was decomposing for a week.”

This is clearly no ordinary cleaning job, and the men spending a sunny day in a Manhattan apartment casually getting rid of a horrific mess are not your average custodial workers.

Like the characters in the movie “Sunshine Cleaning,” opening Friday, Gospodarski’s Queens-based company, Bio-Recovery Corp., specializes in cleaning up the grim and gory aftermath of crime and trauma scenes — everything from murder to suicide to a bloody home accident.

Or, as they’ve been hired to do on this day, tidying, straightening and ultimately sanitizing a one-bedroom rental in Chelsea where the tenant keeled over, died in the kitchen — and was found seven days later after neighbors complained of the smell.

The body of the tenant, a single man in his 40s, was removed days earlier. But the stench of death lingers, thanks to a huge and unsightly stain — a crusty, dark-brown puddle of blood mixed with other bodily fluids on the floor where the man was found.

“You can see the outline of the body,” said Sosa before the cleanup. “He was there so long, some of his hair and skin is stuck in it.”

“This is nothing,” says Gospodarski. “I’ve had jobs where the body fluids seeped through the floorboards and walls of a building for six stories, and then they had an insect infestation. And the suicides are the worst, especially when they use a shotgun.The blood splatters all over, and you’ll find pieces of brain and skull on the other side of the room.”

It may be a dirty job, but Gospodarski and Sosa are glad to do it. Bio-Recovery Corp. is one of only a handful of such companies in the New York area, and the pay is good — not surprising, given the morbid nature of the business.

Gospodarski, 47, is a former New York City paramedic who founded the company in 1998 after realizing there was money to be made in cleaning up the crime and trauma scenes he covered.

“A business owner who had a shooting or stabbing in front of his place would ask who was going to clean up the mess,” says Gospodarski. “The city is supposed to do it when it’s on public property, but they don’t.”

He says he can earn anywhere from $650 to $2,000 for a day’s work, depending on the complexity of the job and how much waste has to be disposed of.

A bag of medical waste, for example, costs $75 to throw away at a dump, while an old mattress soaked with body fluids can cost several hundred dollars to get rid of properly.

“We never turn away business,” says Gospodarski, noting that things have slowed down during these rough economic times.

“In a city like New York, you’d think there’d be no shortage of jobs for companies like us. But the problem is that families or landlords can’t afford to pay for a service like ours.”

Even during boom times, there are the potential health hazards. Bent over the stain and brandishing a high-pressure steam machine, Sosa has to wear a hazmat suit, helmet and respirator to protect himself from inhaling dangerous microbes released into the air by the steam.

“You have to assume that every body had a disease like HIV, TB or hepatitis,” says Gospodarski. “But the biggest danger, of course, is getting a puncture wound from a needle whenever we clean up a drug den.”

Bio-Recovery was involved in cleaning up buildings and offices in New York and Florida exposed to anthrax soon after the 9/11 attacks. But a typical job consists of being hired by a building to clean and sanitize an apartment where someone has died, or by a family that wants to clean out the room of a recently deceased relative.

Other times, they’re paid to remove the immense clutter of junk and garbage left behind by a pack rat who’s been evicted from an apartment.

But that’s tame stuff compared to the job a couple of years ago that left even these seasoned pros gagging in disgust.

“A guy died sitting on a toilet,” recalls Gospodarski, who clearly enjoys telling war stories “He had been there for days, and the toilet was clogged. When Manny reached in to clean out the mess, he came up holding the guy’s intestines. Even I couldn’t take the smell.”

“Yeah, once you bring something up out of the water that’s been there a while, it can smell pretty bad,” adds Sosa.

There are occasions, says Gospodarski, when the job can be emotionally draining. He and Sosa, 29, who joined the company four years ago, have cleaned up after several high-profile crimes, including the multiple murders in a marijuana den above the Carnegie Deli and the shootings in the basement freezer of a Wendy’s restaurant in Queens.

“You definitely need a strong stomach for this line of work,” says Gospodarski. “But you also need to be compassionate and a good listener. We’ve been in homes where a teenager killed himself and the family is devastated, and they reach out to us just to talk.”

It’s also important to be respectful of the dead and nonjudgmental, especially in a city like New York, inhabited by all kinds of people — with all types of lifestyles.

“Sometimes you uncover secrets of how people lived — really crazy stuff no one would believe — but you need to overlook that and just do your job,” says Gospodarski.

“It’s bad enough for a family when someone dies. But they shouldn’t have to find out something they don’t need to know about.”
Previous Page Next Page 12

The Top 13 Worst Jobs with the Best Pay

These are dirty jobs and somebody has to do them. At least they get paid well for their efforts
Think you have a lousy job? You're not alone. So do about half of your fellow workers—and about a quarter of them are only showing up to collect a paycheck, according to a survey conducted by London-based market information company TNS. Grumbling over the size of that check is common, too. About two-thirds of workers believe they don't get paid enough, says TNS—even though many of them may actually be overpaid, compared to average compensation data

Crime-Scene Cleaner
Average pay: $50,400
If crime-scene cleanup was just wiping blood off the floors—well, that would be easy. But CSI fans with get-rich-quick dreams should note the job involves more than handiness with a mop and a tolerance for the smell of decomposing flesh. Getting rid of bodily fluids typically calls for more rough-and-ready methods, such as ripping up carpet, tile, and baseboards. It also sometimes means working in confined spaces (if someone was electrocuted in an attic, for example). And when tearing up old houses, workers face exposure to hazards such as lead paint and asbestos—not to mention the combustible chemicals involved in drug-lab abatement.

2009 PASSAIC COUNTY HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION DATES SET

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dolores Choteborsky, Passaic County
Public Information Officer
973-569-5050

PATERSON - County of Passaic, through the Office of Recycling and Natural Resource Programs, will hold a Household Hazardous Waste Collection 7:30 am to 2 pm Sunday, April 26 at the Passaic County Para-Transit Facility, located behind Ski Barn, 1310 Route 23 north in Wayne.

“This event is free of charge to any Passaic County resident,” said Nina Seiden, Passaic County Solid Waste and Recycling Programs Administrator.

Proof of residency is required. The event will run rain or shine.

Items that are accepted include pesticides and herbicides, propane tanks, solvents and thinners; oil base paints and stains, lawn and pool chemicals and household cleaners.

Acceptable materials for disposal also include household and automobile batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, used motor oil and antifreeze, old gasoline and oil mixtures, and fire extinguishers.

Medical waste and explosives are not acceptable for disposal, as well as tire, appliances, computers, smoke detectors or electronics.

Materials must be brought to the site in their original containers and be clearly marked, since the mixing of certain chemicals can be extremely dangerous. Any oil, antifreeze or oil and gas mixtures should be brought to the collection in disposable containers.

Businesses may participate for a fee but must call ahead of time to register and obtain a price quote.

Upcoming dates are:
• 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 6 at the West Milford Recycling Center, 30 Lycosky Drive (off of Marshall Hill Road) in West Milford
• 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, October 10 at Passaic County Para-Transit Facility (located behind Ski Barn) 1310 Route 23 north in Wayne.

For more information, call the 24 hour recorded hotline at 973-881-4506 or visit www.passaiccountynj.org/departments/naturalresources or call 973-305-5738.

www.passaiccountynj.org

Crime Scene Cleanup: What It Involves

The Restoration Resource

A crime scene cleanup service is not without its complications. Crime scene cleaning encompasses restoring the crime scene to its original state. When a crime is usually discovered, crime scene cleaners are not called until after officers of the law, like the crime scene investigators, have done their jobs first and have given the go ahead for the cleaners to come in. If you intend to hire a crime scene cleanup company, you must make sure that they are well equipped and fit right to get the job done. A crime scene presents challenging conditions.

The Use Of Protective Gears:
Crime scenes can very well involve the use of hazardous or deadly substances. For safety reasons then, it has become imperative that crime scene cleaners use protective clothing, in addition to protective tools and gadgets. You must see to it that they have all the necessary protective gears and gadgets. The protective clothing can consist of disposable gloves and suits. A disposable gear is preferred nowadays since it offers the best protection against contamination. You use it one time and get rid of it. That way, the dangers of contamination is virtually brought down to zero percent. Protective clothing extends to respirators and the use of heavy-duty industrial or chemical-spill protective boots.

Among the gadgets that a crime scene cleaning company must have are special brushes, special sprayers, and wet vacuum. These special tools ensure added protection against getting into contact with the hazard could very well be present in the crime scene. There is large, special equipment such as a mounted steam injection tool that is designed to sanitize dried up biohazard materials such as scattered flesh and brain. You would also need to check if they have the specialized tank for chemical treatments and industrial strength waste containers to collect biohazard waste.

Of course, any crime scene clean up must have the usual cleaning supplies common to all cleaning service companies. There are the buckets, mops, brushes and spray bottles. For cleaning products, you should check if they use industrial cleaning products. A crime scene cleaning company must have these on their lists:

1 - Disinfectants including hydrogen peroxide and bleaches - The kinds that the hospitals used are commonly acceptable.

2 - Enzyme solvers for cleaning blood stains. It also kills viruses and bacteria.

3 - Odor removers such as foggers, ozone machines, and deodorizers

4 - Handy tools for breaking and extending such as saws, sledgehammers, and ladders

Established crime scene operators also equip themselves with cameras and take pictures of the crime scene before commencing work which. The pictures taken may prove useful for legal matters and insurance purposes. You never know which.

Needless to say, a specially fitted form of transportation and proper waste disposal is also needed. These requirements are specific. As you can imagine, crime scene cleaning is in a different category on its own. A home cleaning or janitorial service company may not be able to cope up with the demands of a crime scene. A crime scene cleanup service requires many special gears and tools that a home cleaning or a janitorial service company does not usually have or does not require. Crime scene cleaning if not done correctly can expose the public to untold hazards.

What Else To Look For In A Crime Scene Cleanup Company
You may also want to hire a company that has established itself. An experienced company with a strong reputation is always a plus but it could be expensive too. You will do well to balance your needs with what is your budget. There are several companies that offer specific prices such as for death scene clean up categories and suicide clean up categories. Most companies own a website and have round the clock customer service as receptionists.

When looking for a suitable crime scene cleaning service, among the first things you need to do is to scout for price quotes. Crime scene cleanup services usually provide quote after they have examined the crime scene and then they give you a definite quote. Factors that are usually considered include the number of personnel that will be needed to get the job done. It also includes the amount of time that might be needed. The nature and amount of the waste materials that need to be disposed will also be factored in. You can be sure that the more sophisticated equipments needed the more expensive it will get.

Crime Scene Cleanup And Your Insurance
For homeowners, the best approach is always to make sure that crime scene cleanup services clauses and provisions are written down on the contracts or policies. The inclusion of crime cleanup services clauses is very common and has become standard clause in most homeowner’s policy. Make sure that you are covered for this unforeseen event. Make sure that your policy directs the crime scene cleaning company to transact directly with the homeowner insurance company. A crime scene cleaning service is usually a standard clause in many homeowners’ insurance clause. These companies often do the paperwork in behalf of clients.

If for some reason you do not have such coverage by any policies relating to crime scene cleanup on your home, there are ways to keep your expenses controlled.

Finding the right company can be very taxing, especially that you have to deal with the emotional stress stemming from the crime itself, especially with a crime scene involving death.

There are many crime scene cleanup companies in operation nowadays. There are reliable professionals that you can hire and prices are relatively competitive. As of recently, crime-scene cleanup services can cost up to $600 for an hour of their service. A homicide case alone involving a single room and a huge amount of blood can cost about $1,000 to $3,000.

In recent years, crime scene cleaning has come to be known as, "Crime and Trauma Scene Decontamination or CTS. Basically, CTS is a special form of crime scene cleaning focusing on decontamination of the crime scene from hazardous substances such as those resulting from violent crimes or those involving chemical contaminations such as methamphetamine labs or anthrax production. This type of service is particularly common when violent crimes are committed in a home. It is rare that the residents move out of the home after it has become a scene of a crime. Most often, the residents just opt to have it cleaned up. That is why, it is very important to hire the best crime scene cleaning company out there. The place needs to be totally free from contamination of any kind. You have to make sure that the company is able to remove all traces of the violent crime that took place. This includes cleaning biohazards that are sometimes invisible to the untrained eye.

Legally speaking, federal laws state that all bodily fluids are deemed biohazards and you should make sure that the cleanup service company you hire understands this and includes it in the cleanup. These things appear as blood or tissue splattered on a crime scene. You must be able to hire a company that is equipped with special knowledge to safely handle biohazard materials. The company must have the knowledge what to search for in any give biohazard crime scene. For instance, the company should be able to tell clues such that if there is a bloodstain the size of a thumbnail on a carpet, you can bet that there is about a huge bloodstain underneath. Federal and State laws have their own laws in terms of transport and disposal of biohazard waste. Make sure that the company you hire has all the permits necessary.

It will also be a huge plus if you could hire people who not only has the special trainings but also who have the nature to be sympathetic. If you are close to the victim and have the cleaning done at the behest of the victim’s relatives, it would matter that the cleaners tread the site with some level of respect. It is a common site that family members and loved ones are often there at scene. In general, when looking for a suitable crime scene cleaners, you would take into considerations the kind of situation that the crimes scene presents and the demands that it require. Crime scene cleaning companies handle a wide variety of crime scenes and prices may vary from one to the other crime scene and one to the other company.

Each type of scene requires its own particular demands not only to make the crime scene look clean and neat on the surface but to make it germ free, and clean inside and to make it free from all deadly and infectious substances. The cleanup cost for biohazards may vary depending on degree of the bio hazard(s) on the scene. There may even be a category that changes the cleanup pricing which usually involves decomposing bodies and carcasses. Likewise, a cleanup of chemical hazards vary, depending on the amount of chemical hazards as well as the grades i.e. how hazardous the substance is in terms of human contact. Prices are also determined by the number of hours and personnel that it would to get the crime scene cleaned. In addition, the "gross factor" from crime scene involving death and gore needs to be taken under consideration regarding the chemicals that will be used as opposed to those crimes' that do not have gore involved.

Risks of Using In-house Employees for Environmental Cleanups

By Gerard M. Giordano, Esq.

In an attempt to save money, property owners may be tempted to use their own Employees to clean up contamination at their facilities in order to comply with state or federal environmental laws. However, there may not be any real savings because when property owners (as employers)do commit to such a venture,they must comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA)regulations that may be applicable. These are designed to protect employees from occupational injuries and illnesses,and failure to comply with these regulations could result in fines that may offset any savings.

A property owner who orders his employees to clean up or work with hazardous substances must comply with a number of precautionary regulations. The most comprehensive is 29 CFR 1910.120, which deals with hazardous waste operations and emergency response. An employer is required to develop and put into writing a safety and health program for any employees engaged in hazardous waste cleanup operations.

The elements of an effective program include requiring an employer to identify and evaluate specific hazards and to determine the appropriate safety and health control procedures to protect employees before any work is initiated. Likewise, protective equipment must be utilized by employees during the initial site entry and, if required,during subsequent work at the site. The employer must also periodically monitor employees who may be exposed to hazardous substances in excess of OSHA ’s regulations.

Once the presence and concentration of specific hazardous substances and health hazards have been established, employees involved in the cleanup operations must be informed of any risks associated with their work. Under certain ircumstances,regular ongoing medical surveillance of employees by a licensed physician, and without cost to the employees or lost pay, may be required.

Numerous other safeguards are also required by OSHA. For example, OSHA’s hazardous communications program, 29 CFR 1910.120, requires an employer to establish and implement a hazard communication program if, during the course of the cleanup, employees may be exposed to hazardous chemicals.

The requirements are essentially the same as those in workplaces where employees are routinely exposed to hazardous chemicals. The program must include container labeling, production of material safety data sheets and employee training. The employer must also provide a full description of the OSHA compliance program to employees, contractors and subcontractors involved with the cleanup operations as well as OSHA,and to any other federal,state or local agency with regulatory authority over the cleanup.

Regulation 29 CFR 1910.120 also requires an employer that retains the services of a contractor or subcontractor to inform them of any identified potential hazards of the cleanup operations. Generally, it is the involvement of employees that triggers an employer’s obligations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. If contractors were retained, it would be the contractors’ responsibility to comply with these OSHA requirements on behalf of their employees, assuming that the employer
retaining the contractor has neither employees involved in the cleanup nor employees potentially exposed to health hazards arising from the cleanup.

In addition to the contractor’s required compliance with OSHA regulations, it is imperative that a property owner include in any agreement with the contractor that the contractor must comply with all pertinent OSHA regulations. If possible,the agreement should also provide for indemnifications from the contractor to the property owner for claims arising from the cleanup. These indemnifications will be important if the employees of the contractor are injured or subsequently become ill because of such work. The indemnifications should survive the completion of the work. These precautions will help insulate the property owner from both governmental actions and potential third-party claims.

Failure to comply with OSHA regulations on the part of the property owner who uses his own employees to perform a cleanup or work with hazardous substances may result in substantial penalties. Under OSHA, fines can be levied for each violation found by an inspector. These violations can result in non-serious, serious or willful violations with penalties as high as $70,000 for each violation. If a subsequent inspection is performed and violations are found which have not been corrected from an original inspection,daily penalties could be levied resulting in substantial fines.

Compliance with OSHA regulations should be a factor when a property owner decides to use in-house employees for cleanups. In the long run, there may not be any savings to the employer. Furthermore, because of the employer’s lack of familiarity with the OSHA regulations governing the cleanup of hazardous sites,the employer could be subject to fines as a result of its failure to comply with the OSHA regulations.

Therefore, it may be prudent in the long run to retain a company whose business is devoted to doing only cleanups. This company will have the expertise and continuing obligations to protect its employees.

Gerard Giordano is special counsel at the law firm of Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard, P.A., based in Hackensack, NJ. He is a member of the firm’s Environmental Department, and his practice focuses particularly on OSHA matters. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Giordano worked at the U.S. Department of Labor – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as an industrial hygiene compliance officer.

Restoring Buildings After Emergencies

By Greg Olear

Apartment buildings, whether cooperatives or condos, are inherently fragile. When that many units share the same plot of land, and the same walls, the same floors, the same elevators and stairways, standpipes and boilers, lobbies and roofs, disasters—whether broken water pipes or the tragic in the case of decomposing bodies, fatal fires or building explosions—have the potential to spread quickly. Thus, when something nasty befalls a building, the first order of business is to contain the problem.

Once the situation has been contained, however, then the hard part begins: the cleanup. How do buildings get back on their proverbial feet after a major maintenance meltdown? What should a board or property manager know about dealing with disasters? And is there a way to prevent bad things from happening in the first place? Let's take a look.

Water, Water Everywhere
When contemplating disasters, the first example that comes to mind is usually fire. Fire, after all, can spread quickly and devastate an entire city, and do so in spectacular fashion. Much of Lower Manhattan was burned to the ground by the British in the War of 1812, and, while our ability to prevent and combat fires is far superior to what it was two hundred years ago, fire remains a big fear.

But it's not fire, but the element that puts it out, that causes most of the damage to New York residential buildings.

"Look around, and see how many buildings are burning right now," says Ron Alford, the founder and president of Disaster Masters Inc. in Queens. "None. On the other hand, water damage is going on right now, as we're talking," or as you're reading this.

Water damage can happen in many ways. In the winter, Alford says, if it's nine degrees outside for a few days, and the right combination of doors are left open accidentally, the standpipe—the central conduit for water in the building—can break. In the summer, condensation from air conditioning units can wreak havoc on hardwood floors, especially in apartments that have been vacated for the season.

Leaky pipes can drip into the apartment downstairs, and then the apartment two floors down, and then the one floor below that. And busted standpipes can do much more extensive damage. Remedying this kind of problem can escalate to the total replacement cost of the entire building, says Alford, if the damage is extensive.

Floods of this nature are seldom the result of negligence, Alford says.

"These are not caused by shoddy maintenance," he explains. "Because of the local laws, the buildings are all well-maintained. The things we do tend to be sudden and insured."

Insurance can be its own headache. Insurance companies can send the wrong personnel to handle a problem, or, worse, deny a claim. Getting money from insurance companies can be such a tricky process, in fact, that Alford has a side business that deals solely with getting claims paid by insurance companies, and has authored a book on the subject.

Handling the Unexpected
Property managers have to be adept at dealing with acts of God or natural disasters that you have no preparation or training for. One such scenario involved Donna Ross, the director of management at Andrea Bunis Management Inc. in Manhattan. Ross, a 30-year veteran in property management, has been with Andrea Bunis for the past 15 years. Back in August 1989, she was called to the scene of a Con Edison steam pipe explosion reminiscent of the one that recently shut down blocks around Lexington Avenue and Grand Central Terminal this summer.

The 1989 pipe explosion killed three people, injured 24, and caused evacuation of about 200 residents of the 185-unit cooperative at 32 Gramercy Park South. What the managers and residents did not know then was that the pipe contained asbestos and it would be months before the cleanup and restoration brought things back to normal.

"Saturday night was the explosion and Sunday morning I and other agents were at the site to see what we could do to help the residents of the building," says Ross. "Since we did not know at that time that the building was contaminated with asbestos, we were helping people clean up sweeping the asbestos in the air and our lungs.

"Days after the cleanup started, it was determined that there was asbestos found throughout the building and the DEP [Department of Environmental Protection] evacuated the building. Residents were given very little time to take some belongings and leave. Police were stationed on each of the floors to guard the apartments until the decontamination started. Residents were put up in nearby hotels at first and as time went on, it was determined that this was not going to take a few days. They were then moved to apartment efficiencies or given money to go elsewhere. Management set up trailers near the building so that residents would have access to management to help in their daily needs," Ross explains. Some people were allowed back inside to retrieve belongings or medication, she says, and others to pack things for a much-needed vacation away from the city. "We had no idea that it would be eight months later before all was said and done."

Ross was enlisted to serve as a liaison and coordinate management tasks between different city agencies, including Con Ed, the NYPD, the FDNY, asbestos removal specialists and various contractors. The building had to be decontaminated and completely cleaned, blown-out windows had to be replaced, the water tower had to be cleaned and repaired, and day-to-day questions and concerns taken care of, she adds.

"Residents still needed information about what was happening with their homes. I was answering their questions as to reimbursement for their food, and housing and clothes. The explosion happened in August, and a few seasons had passed, so residents needed different seasons of clothes. Remember most of them left that day in August with what was on their back. Basically, the building was completely cleaned inside and out before residents would be allowed to move back in."

Remains of the Day
Then there is the other potential disaster—the decomposing body. Sometimes there is violence involved—suicides or homicides, for example—but usually, the decomposing body problem occurs when a single, typically elderly person dies, and no one realizes it until the smell trails into the hallway.

"Let's say an elderly person dies of natural causes," says Ron Gospodarski, president of Bio-Recovery Corp. in Long Island City. "New York being transient as it is, usually the kids are elsewhere. It goes undetected for days or weeks until someone smells it and calls 911."

The police then come and seal off the area while they conduct an investigation. "Nobody can go in there," Gospodarski says. "And you have this nasty odor coming out."

The more the body decomposes, the worse the odor gets. "The odor will infiltrate everywhere," says Ron Vogel, president of Emergi-Clean Inc. in Linden, New Jersey.

Meanwhile, the police yield to the public administrator, who is in charge of locating and contacting the next of kin. Once it is determined that the death was not a homicide, the body is taken away. But some of the remains remain—and those remains reek. Until the police or the public administrator grants access to the apartment, there isn't much the board can do about it.

"Sometimes we'll go with" the public administrator, says Gospodarski. "But most of the time, they don't let us in."

This can be extremely unpleasant—and dangerous.

In one case, Gospodarski says the liquefied remains had eaten through the hardwood floors—it was a brownstone, so there was no concrete between the floors.

"Bodily fluids were dripping into the apartment below, where there was a newborn baby," he recalls.

This is, needless to say, not the most healthful situation.

Cleaning up human remains is not generally something that's covered at board meetings. Many property managers are probably at a loss as to what exactly the next step should be. There is no subheading for this kind of thing in the Yellow Pages—and that's not the most effective disaster preparedness anyway.

"The worst thing you can do is use a phone directory for a disaster," Alford says.

Many boards or property managers will ask the super to handle the mess. Not only does this put the health of the super at risk, and subject the building to major liability, it's also illegal.

"Supers are often forced to do it, which is illegal," says Gospodarski. "Who can clean it up legally? Fifty percent are cleaned up by managers or supers. Is that legal? No."

To legally handle human remains, one requires yearly shots for hepatitis B, as well as special training and certification from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and the Department of Environmental Protection or Conservation, which is prohibitively expensive for most buildings.

"The cost would be unbelievable," says Vogel. The total cost to meet all of the requirements would be in the thousands of dollars for each individual certified, he says.

Then there's the matter of disposal. Let's say someone dies in bed, and bodily wastes infiltrate the mattress.

"Where do they dispose of it? You can't put it in the sanitation system," says Gospodarski. "It has to go by red bag. You have to be licensed to pick it up."

This doesn't stop bloody mattresses from finding their way into the regular trash, of course. This is New York, after all. But that is illegal, too.

Finally, there's the bottom line. Who pays for the mess? The estate of the deceased? The co-op, because the liquefied remains oozed between floors? The deceased's insurance company? The co-op's insurance company? Often, the co-op ends up with the tab - and a cleanup of this sort can cost anywhere from $450-$2,000.

"They say, 'Let's pay to get it fixed first,' and then they'll worry," Vogel says.

"Often, the management company will pay, and then get the money from the board," says Gospodarski.

What should a building do to prepare for such a catastrophe?

"You need to know who to call," says Alford. Managers and boards should have an emergency or restoration company in mind before a disaster strikes.

Some companies even offer "pre-disaster audits," where teams would inspect the premises for potential problems.

What It Teaches You
Surviving an emergency takes patience and understanding, Ross says.

"As a property manager, the job itself teaches you to juggle many things at once so that you are able to accomplish your goal—add a lot of patience and consideration to the mix and you can survive a crisis like this one or this job in general."

Residents need to trust the board, management and the hired professionals to maintain the public safety and health and well-being of the residents they're entrusted to care for.

"In order to be an effective property manager you need to wear many hats," says Ross. "You need to be able to be calm under pressure, caring and considerate, understanding that you're dealing with people's homes, a very sensitive subject. In an agent's day, very few people are calling to thank you for something you may have done, most calls are complaints. You need to take the call, solve the problem and move on," she says, adding that you need to also manage the stress that comes with the job.

Greg Olear is a freelance writer, editor, web designer, astrologer and stay-at-home dad living in Highland, New York.

But somebody's gotta do it

By Bob Shryock
bshryock@sjnewsco.com

"I drink a Scotch every day," says Jim McMenamin. "I'm gonna have a Scotch now."

And you couldn't blame him if some nights he had two. Or more.
Called "the world's oldest crime scene cleaner" by his boss, Andrew Yurchuck, the 84-year-old Oak Valley resident has supervised more than 700 bio-hazardous decontamination jobs for Glassboro-based Bio-Clean of New Jersey ("When tragedy strikes, Bio-Clean is there") in the last five years.

The work can be as unspeakably revolting as it is necessary, but McMenamin often draws the short straw and has adopted his own philosophical approach: "If it's not our blood, it doesn't bother us."

McMenamin warmed up for the late-life assignment by being a Harbison's Dairies milkman for 23 years in the horse-and-wagon days and following that by being a Teamsters union president until retiring in 1968. Neither job was quite as traumatizing as cleaning up after a murder or suicide. (Yes, Jim knew Jimmy Hoffa. No, he doesn't know what happened to him.)

McMenamin became bored with his lengthy leisurely retirement, saying he "couldn't sit still."

He learned the work "from scratch" and became fascinated with a job that clearly isn't meant for everyone. Or, for that matter, hardly anyone.

"You need a strong stomach and you need to be able to take strong odors," understates McMenamin. He has, well, over 700 stories, but many of them will remain untold. "Wherever there's work, we go. And every job is a different job."

McMenamin works "when needed," sometimes three days a week, sometimes seven, and finds himself essentially on call. He was in Newark last week, helping clean the apartment of a man who'd died a week earlier. "We needed two Dumpsters to get the junk out of there. But we do a thorough job."

"Jim can outpace most of the younger technicians and his work ethic is amazing," says Yurchuck, CEO of Bio-Clean. "He's missed only three days of work since he started five years ago. He's the kind of guy co-workers are happy to work with. He usually works with the younger, less-experienced technicians to show them bio-recovery techniques. Most of the newer ones can't believe how hard he works and ask him for advice daily. He brings wisdom to every job. Sometimes it's difficult to get him to take a break."

As forgettable as some of his jobs can be, McMenamin is mentally strong enough to deal with the work and loves Bio-Clean.

"Our main object is service," he says. "Andrew taught me what I know. He knows his stuff. He can see a spot on the wall. He's the most fabulous man I've ever worked for and never gets angry. It's the only company I know that worries more about its employees than making a profit."

Jim and Zoe have been married 63 years and have three children, three grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Jim calls her "a queen," and says she supports his less-than-traditional choice of octogenarian jobs "even though I drive her insane.

"It doesn't bother her. If I'm happy, she's happy."

And don't look for Jim to be heading back into retirement soon.

"I can go on forever," he says.

But every once in awhile, a Scotch helps.