Fire Remediation

1. 73rd Annual Convention June 5-7, 2014 San Diego, California Fire Remediation Presented By Kathy Marshall – WRT, ASD, CLM and FRT CE Provider # 273024 Class # 28165

2. A Moment of Silence

3. Emercon Construction has been serving the Insurance Industry since 1987 • Specializing in Water, Fire, & Mold Damage, and Re-Construction on Commercial & Residential Properties • Preferred Vendor for Most Insurance Companies, Fireman’s Fund, Liberty Mutual, Hartford, CIG, Safeco, AIG, Travelers and many more.

4. 2012 Fire Statics by NFPAwww.NFPA.org • 1,375,00 - Fires were reported in the U.S. during 2012 – 1% decrease from 2011 • 480,500 – Were Structure Fires- decrease of 0.8% • 172,500 – Vehicles Fires • 692,000 – Were Outside and Other – slight increase of 0.9% from 2011 • $9.8 Billion in direct property damage 2012 • The Fire Department responds to a fire every 23 seconds in the U.S.

5. 2012 Fire Loss Time Clock • One structure fire was reported every 66 seconds • One home structure fire was reported every 85 seconds • One vehicle fire was reported every 156 seconds • One civilian fire death occurred every 3 hours and 4 minutes

6. So What is Mitigation • Mitigation – (Dictionary)To make less severe; to soften, to make more bearable • Mitigation – (Contractor) The necessary steps to preserve and protect the property from further damage

7. What is the Goal • Preserve & Protect the Property from further damage • Health & Safety for everyone is the primary goal • Board-up the Property/Vandalism • Control Secondary Damage • Shore up, ceiling, roofs and tarps

8. Insurance Claim Types

9. The Largest % Approximately $20 Billion dollars in residential claims were paid out in 2012 Inattentive Behavior Children Candles Holidays *Thanksgiving *Christmas * 4th of July

10. Movie Time

11. Christmas Tree Fire

12. The Result

13. So what are the Benefits of Mitigation • Damage doesn’t spread • Lower loss cost • Improve customer service perception • Customer retention • Customer referrals • Improved loss ratio

14. What is the Goal of the Fire Department • Goals and Concerns of the Fire Department • Save Lives • Protect Surrounding Properties • Save this Property • And the contents

15. Mitigation to Make Less Severe • Psychological damage • Smoke damage • Fire/Burn/Combustion • Physical hazards • Hazmats • Open files • Poor loss rations • Lost clients • Let’s look at each of the effects

16. Psychological Damage • After an emergency we all tend to get a bit lost. Most of us will never have to live through a fire but we’ve all been touched by some kind of disaster and understand how hard it is to focus after a terrible thing has happened. • Every insurance professional should be working toward helping make the policyholder whole in every sense of the word.

17. Smoke Damage • Air volume doubles for every 10 degree rise in temperature. • As the heat increased the pores in materials open and smoke/odor molecules are driven into surfaces.

18. Fire/Burn/Combustion Two types of fires. - Simple - Complex Two types of burns. -Chemical -Heat Two types of combustion. -Complete -Incomplete

19. Physical Hazards Are there holes burned in the floor? Are the overhead rafters still structurally sound? Is the floor wet and slippery? Is the fire still smoldering? Did anything burn that may cause contaminants?

20. Hazmat What burned? Plastics and other materials that are commonly found have toxic fumes. What’s in your house?

21. Open Files An adjusters perspective: Adjusters are bombarded by new claims on a daily basis. There are approximately 17,000 claims per day in the US. That’s 340 claims per day/per State.

22. Poor Loss Ratios Everyone's Perspective: If loss ratios are not balanced everyone in the system ends up losing. Carriers won’t be profitable. Agencies will lose money. Adjusters will have to re-examine files. Policy holder will pay increased premiums.

23. Lost Clients The agents perspective: -What does the policy holder buy? -When do you lose policies? -How do you avoid it?

24. Four Factors of Fire Mitigation • Time • Humidity • Temperature/pressure • Type of combustion materials

25. Within Minutes • Within Minutes: acid and oily residues coupled with high temperatures may cause discoloration to plastic surfaces. • Within Hours: Acid residues will stain grout, fiberglass, Formica counter tops and appliances begin to yellow. Finishes on furniture will discolor. • Within Days: metal becomes corroded and pitted, walls yellow permanently • Within Weeks: Crystal, glass and china may be permanently damaged. Carpet fibers yellow.

26. At Risk Surfaces • Metal and glass surfaces • Faucets • Towel bars • Aluminum window frames • Chrome trim • Marble • Porcelain • Tile/Grout • China • Crystal

27. Emergency Cleaning Also called a pre-clean The goal: Neutralize the acid residue Use a surfactant agent Or cooking oil Protects surfaces and reduce claims costs.

28. Safety Concerns • Lead paint in older building – before 1979 • Mold • The need for respiratory protection • Ventilation • HEPA filters • Air scrubbing equipment • Smoke particulates

29. How much can be saved by doing an emergency per-clean?

30. What about here?

31. Why do you think we only cleaned the tub & faucet?

32. Remember this Sink?

33. Wall Coverings and Smoke Mitigation • Test Clean or you might “set” the soot permanently! • The Famous “Chem Sponge”

34. Tools of the Trade

35. Ultrasonic Cleaners • Mild cleaning solution agitated with sound wages in a tank. Used to clean non-porous and/or delicate items • Jewelry • Ceramics • Computer equipment • Appliances

39. Esporta Wash

40. Dry Ice Blasting • Similar to sand, aggregate or water blasting but can be very delicate. • Furniture • Glass • Paper • Structure

41. Ozone Generators • Used to remove odors. Normally items are stored in a sealed room with ozone generator • Not safe for natural rubber

42. Vapor Tek • This unit uses the Vaportek patented essential oil membranes to release non-toxic, odor-neutralizing dry vapor into the air.

43. Thermal Foggers • Used to cover odors in areas and on items. • Masks odors

44. Air Scrubbers are used to remove particles in the air • The are HEPA filtering devices

45. Resources IICRC – http://www.iicrc.org ACGIH – http://www.acgih.org/home.htm ASCR – http://www.ascr.org OSHA – http://www.osha.gov EPA – http://www.epa.gov NAHB – http://www.nahb.org

46. Thank you for attending • You will receive 2-CE Credits • Did you sign in and sign out?