Recent Community Posts

Sweltering Summer Safety

8/10/2022 (Permalink)

The summer heat is not letting up and it’s necessary to remember safety tips for excessive heat. Heat affects all people, especially the young, elderly, and sick.

If you must go out outside in the heat, wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing, and apply sunscreen.

Avoid leaving children or animals in parked cars.  Temperatures can become deadly in a matter of minutes.

Be aware of heat exhaustion signs, such as heavy sweating, weakness, cold pale and clammy skin, nausea or vomiting, and fainting. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all are signed to look out for; particularly, as heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which is life-threatening. Signs of heat stroke are a high body temperature (103°+), rapid and strong pulse, and possible unconsciousness. If you think someone may have heatstroke, call 911 and move them somewhere cooler. Try to reduce the body temperatures with cool, wet cloths or a cold bath. Extreme heat is a serious danger.

For more information on preparedness and prevention, visit the CDC website or read the ready.gov flyer for extreme heat preparedness.

Halloween in Quarantine

10/21/2020 (Permalink)

Amidst the current restrictions imposed by COVID-19, Halloween will look a little different this year. However, there are still several ways to celebrate the holiday in safe ways; whether by implementing social distancing precautions or maintaining a full quarantine. With consideration to a variety of comfort levels, we have collected a short list of alternative ways to celebrate Halloween 2020!

  • Trick-or-treat at home – Treat each room in your home as its own unique house! Decorate the doors to each room and leave a small bowl of candy at the entrance for trick-or-treating.
  • Host a Zoom party – Dress up in your best costume and schedule a Zoom party with all your friends. Organize a costume contest, drinking games, or a fun Halloween trivia night to get everyone involved!
  • Plan a mask contest – Whether the contest remains strictly among family members or includes friends over Zoom, collect supplies to design unique Halloween masks! Alternatively, if you decide to partake in traditional trick-or-treating, customize your mask to match your costume and wear for Halloween. For methods and ideas, check HERE.
  • Ghost your neighbors – In the days leading to Halloween, create a goody bag full of Halloween candy and treats to leave on the doorstep of your friends or neighbors. Tape a sign to the bag that says, “You’ve been booed!” along with your name and instructions to “Boo” someone they think needs a good scare.
  • Organize a reverse trick-or-treat – Choose a worthy organization and find out what nonmonetary donations they need. Then, ask people in your neighborhood to drop those things off. You can watch a family Halloween movie while you prep the items for donation.
  • Parade your pets – Dress up your pets for a Halloween walk or at-home fashion show!
  • Leave a bowl of candy on the porch – For those still participating in traditional trick-or-treating, leave a bowl of candy on your porch for children to grab on their way through the neighborhood.
  • Consider trick-or-treating within your social group – To maintain normal Halloween activities, consider organizing a small, socially distanced, Halloween party among your social group. Or, for those with a close-knit group within their neighborhood, develop a route to trick-or-treat at the homes of those you are familiar with.

As we approach Halloween, it is important to be aware of what your neighborhood is doing. Some neighborhoods are participating in trick-or-treating activities while others are not, and social distancing guidelines are being developed and enforced within various communities. Therefore, it is necessary to become informed before planning holiday festivities.

From SERVPRO of Gilbert, Chandler South, Ahwatukee and South Tempe, Happy Halloween and safe trick-or-treating!

How to Prepare Your Children to Return to School Safely

8/10/2020 (Permalink)

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic currently affecting schools across America, things will look a little different this 2020-2021 school year. We have collected a handful of tips to help keep your children safe as they return to school and prepare them for a smooth transition.

  • Identify high-touch items or surfaces with your children and demonstrate ways to avoid touching them to mitigate the spread of germs.
  • Teach them safe practices when walking down the halls. Although it is often difficult or impossible to stay 6 feet away from peers in cramped hallways, a good rule of thumb is to keep their hands in pockets when possible. Or, if students do not have pockets, keep their hands clasped together in front of the body or tucked inside long sleeves.
  • Train your child in PPE before school restarts. By gradually wearing masks for an extended time, it will be easier for them to acclimate to wear during 8 hour school days. Further, it discourages them from touching their masks or otherwise misusing PPE.
  • Describe and practice proper handwashing techniques. This includes washing both sides of the hands, between fingers, under fingernails, and up the wrist.

By emphasizing safe practices at home, healthy habits are encouraged and children enter school with the tools necessary to best protect themselves and those around them. Unfortunately, the chaotic nature of school environments and the unpredictability of other students is cause for uncertainty, however, developing safe habits can be hugely beneficial in preventing the spread of infection.

In the case that your school sustains an outbreak or your child contracts the virus, we have disinfection services that extend to properties as big as schools, or as small as your home. Call us at 480.558.7620 to get a quote.

COVID-19 Disinfection Event

5/28/2020 (Permalink)

Last week, we at SERVPRO of Gilbert, Chandler South, Ahwatukee and South Tempe partnered with our friends at Lowe’s to disinfect the vehicles of our Arizona first responders in appreciation for all they do to uphold our health and safety throughout the pandemic we currently face. During the 3 hour event, we disinfected more than 40 squad cars for our Tempe police officers. First, misting the interior with a disinfecting spray meant to affect the entirety of the vehicle, then following with sanitizing towels to localize the product and further disinfect high-touch surfaces.

All of us here at SERVPRO are extremely thankful for all that police, firefighters, nurses, and doctors have done for our community during this global crisis and hope to give back in any way we can. It is this appreciation that inspired us to provide complementary disinfections for first responder’s vehicles and further pushes us to remain readily available to them in the future as we provide discounted prices for the disinfection of their homes and businesses.

To our first responders, thank you for all the efforts you have made to uphold our health and safety, even at the threat of your own. We at SERVPRO, are extremely grateful to you.

Halloween Candy Safety

10/25/2019 (Permalink)

Halloween Pumpkins Have A Safe Halloween Following These Safety Tips!

Halloween is that love by both children and adults. Here are some simple and safe tips for kids and their holiday treats.

Snacking: Give kids a small meal or snack before they hit the streets for trick or treating. The urge to eat candy while out is great. But, children should wait until they get home. As a family you can inspect the candy and treats. Make a game of it by having them sort count and look at each piece.

Safe treats: Children and adults should not accept and eat treats that are not wrapped by the candy manufacturer. This way it may be easier to see if the tasty treats have been tampered with. Remember to throw away anything that is suspicious.

Food Allergies: If your child has a food allergy, check the label to ensure the allergen isn’t present. Children should not to eat any home-baked goods they may have received.

Beware of Choking hazards: Very young children can choke on innocent items like gum, peanuts, hard candies, or small toys.

At SERVPRO of Gilbert, we hope that you have a Safe and Happy Halloween!

Holiday Food Drive

10/10/2019 (Permalink)

A Non-Perishable Food Donation Box Our Community Food Drive

Fall is the time of year where communities come together to support local food banks for the holidays. SERVPRO of Gilbert and Chandler South has partnered with Arizona Midwest Food Bank to collect non-perishable food items for families in need. We have enlisted the help of several local businesses are joining our effort. They are:

  • Mariposa Point of Mesa
  • Jason Thorpe Allstate Agency 
  • Gerald Sajor Agency – American Family Insurance
  • Mosaic Properties
  • Desert Fitness
  • Michael Janik Agency – State Farm
  • Arizona Midwest Food Bank
  • Tutor Time
  • The Snyder Agency
  • SERVPRO of Gilbert 
  • SERVPRO of Chandler South 

Stop by any of these fine businesses during their regular business hours and drop off non-perishable food items for the community food drive. We all appreciate the communities we serve and strive to continue to better them. We appreciate your support.  You are welcome to check out our social media posts weekly. 

 

Carbon Monoxide - A Silent Killer

8/14/2019 (Permalink)

Beware of Carbon Monoxide in Your Home!

Carbon Monoxide is challenging to detect and is often called the silent killer. You can't see or smell carbon monoxide. It has no smell, color, or taste. However, at high levels, it can poison or kill a person or pets in minutes.

It is essential to recognize the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. They can include a dull headache, dizziness, muscle weakness, confusion, nausea or vomiting, blurred vision, confusion or heart, and respiratory diseases. If you suspect any of your symptoms are related to carbon monoxide, move to fresh air and get out of your home immediately — call 911. The experts will come and access any issues you may have in your home.

It is crucial to inspect all fuel-burning appliances, fireplaces, wood stoves, etc. by a trained professional every year. They can ensure that your home is safe. It is also vital to have carbon monoxide detectors in your home. There are many options available and are easy to install and test regularly.

At SERVPRO of Gilbert, we are concerned about your families safety.

Keep Pets Safe During Monsoon Season!

7/12/2019 (Permalink)

Take Care of Your Fur Babies During Severe Weather!

Monsoons bring very unpredictable weather patterns and unique danger. The dry Arizona deserts are vulnerable to heavy rain, thunderstorms, and fast flooding dangers. Keep your furry friends safe by making sure that you have a pet safety plan in place.

Here are some ideas to help keep your furry friends comfortable and safe during the monsoon season.

  1. Keep your pets inside. When weather strikes, a pet can become frightened quickly. Make sure that even if you let them outside to do their business that all gates are secured.
  2. Some pet families consider putting a tight shirt on their pet to reduce anxiety.
  3. Give them a safe place to wait for the storm out where they feel secure. Providing them with some of their favorite toys or treats may help ease their anxiety.
  4. Create an emergency pet kit with a leash, food, bowls, fresh water, and any medications.
  5. Make sure that your pets are kept on a leash and out of washes and fast running water after the storm. Heavy storms lead to flash flooding.

Take a few precautions during monsoon season and your fur baby will thank you. 

SERVPRO of Gilbert is ready to support you during monsoon season. Call us in the event of a residential or commercial storm, water or fire damage (480) 558-7620

Don't Let Your Dreams Wash Away

5/2/2019 (Permalink)

Monsoon Clouds in Arizona

Monsoon season will be on us soon. One of the best ways to keep yourself safe during monsoon season is to remember that some have a tendency to underestimate the force and power of water. Keeping safe during this season is important for not only your family but your property as well.

There are some important ideas to consider.

  • Find out if you live or work in a flood prone area. If you do, make sure to have an evacuation plan in place that will bring everyone to safety.
  • Flood prevention is key. Make sure that you have sandbags, plywood, plastic sheeting and lumber on hand for a water emergency. Make sure to store these items in a place that is way from water so you are able to make quick repairs.
  • Make sure that any outdoor items are secured so they cannot float away.
  • Know where the high ground is in your area so you can move to this place of safety quickly should the need arise.
  • Contact your local insurance agent and make sure that you have the proper insurance in the event of this type of disaster. 

Should a flood disaster strike. Call locally owned and operated SERVPRO of Gilbert. Our team has decades of experience in the insurance and disaster recovery industry. Our disaster recovery teams responding immediately when you contact us. “We’re faster to any disaster.”

Call Us Today for Prompt and Professional Response- (480) 558-7620

Summer Safety from Heat

6/29/2018 (Permalink)

Stay safe in the heat.

Summer is here and it’s time to take extra safety precautions for the coming months. Heat affects all people, but especially the young, elderly, and sick.

If you must go out outside in the heat, wear loose fitting, light colored clothing, and apply sunscreen.

Avoid leaving children or animals in parked cars.  Temperatures can become deadly in a matter of minutes.

Be aware of heat exhaustion signs such as heavy sweating; weakness; cold pale and clammy skin; nausea or vomiting; and fainting are all signs according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which is life threatening. Signs of heat stroke are a high body temperature (103°+), rapid and strong pulse, and possible unconsciousness. If you think someone may have heatstroke, call 911 and move them somewhere cooler. Try to reduce the body temperatures with cool, wet cloths or bath. Extreme heat is a serious danger.

For more information on preparedness and prevention, visit www.cdc.gov or www.ready.gov

Safety Tips for A Happy Easter

3/26/2018 (Permalink)

Happy Easter from SERVPRO of Gilbert

With Easter celebrations around the corner, ensure family and friends have a safe holiday. This requires just a bit of awareness and planning.  According to National Safety, Inc. there are several things to consider you might have never thought of before, that can ensure a safe holiday celebration.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Possibly forgo a gift of a live animal. While animals such as bunnies, chicks and ducks may be cute and cuddly, they don’t make good gifts.  These animals carry bacteria that can make your child sick as they can carry salmonella and other illnesses.  Children are more likely to get sick due to their non-fully developed immune systems.  Make it a general rule that when your children touch any type of pet, they wash their hands immediately.

Symptoms of Salmonella can show up one to three days after playing with an infected animal, your child may have fever, diarrhea or stomach pain.  Nausea, chills, & headaches are also possible.  This usually lasts about a week.  Children. Elderly and people with weakened immune systems usually have worst symptoms.

In addition not only is the safety of your child a concern but so is the safety of the pet.  If a child doesn’t hold an animal properly, they can potentially hurt the fragile animal by breaking their back or kill the baby animal by mishandling it. 

Practice a bit of caution when hiding easter eggs.

  • Do not hide the eggs near an electrical outlet or plugs
  • Do not hide the eggs in, on, under or around glass
  • Keeps eggs at or below eye level of children
  • Keep count and track the eggs you hid.

If outside:

  • Do not hide eggs in pre-existing holes in the ground.
  • Do not hide eggs in any foliage that has thorns or look potentially dangerous and poisonous.
  • Do not hide eggs in any animal’s home, food bowl or play area.
  • Do not place eggs where pesticides or poisons have been placed.
  • Throw away eggs that have cracks or damage.

Be aware of the possible bacteria and eggs. Eggs are potentially hazardous food as they are in the same category as meat, poultry, fish and milk.  In other words, they are capable of supporting rapid growth of disease causing bacteria like salmonella.

  • Before boiling eggs for Easter decorating/ painting, they must be kept refrigerated until time to boil. Never leave eggs in any form at room temperature for more than 2 hours.  Don’t eat or cook with cracked eggs or eggs that have been un-refrigerated for more than two hours.
  • For eggs used as decoration and table center pieces should be discarded and not eaten.
  • When you boil eggs, use only clean, unbroken and cracked eggs. Set the water to boil at (185-190 degrees F) and boil for at least 12 minutes.  Add a tablespoon of salt to make egg peeling a breeze!
  • Cool you eggs in cold water or just in the air.
  • Cleanliness of hands, workspace and utensils is important between cooking, cooling and dyeing.
  • Wash hands regularly, along with utensils and counter tops that have been in contact with any raw food before handling

Adhere to proper cooking temps when cooking Easter dinner. Fully cooked hams may be heated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit at an oven temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit before serving.  It also may be served cold.  Fresh (raw) hams should be cooked to internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lamb and beef should be cooked at least 145 degrees F, in an oven set no lower than 325 degrees F. Ground meats, on the other hand, should cook to 160 degrees F; steaks and chops to 145 degrees F.

 Keep your furry friends safe!

  • Keep Easter basket grass and foil candy wrappers away from pets.
  • Did you know that all parts of the Lilly flower family are toxic to felines? Yep, keep those Lilly’s away!
  • Chocolate is not good either. They cause accelerated heart rate, constriction of arteries, increased heart rate and central nervous system/ cardiac muscle stimulation.  These effects can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, hyperactivity.  Cardiac failure, seizures, coma and death can result if chocolate ingestion is not found within four to six hours and treated appropriately.

From our SERVPRO family to yours, have a Happy Easter!

Fireworks And Fun With A Pinch Of Caution

6/30/2017 (Permalink)

An easy guide to permissible fireworks in Arizona.

With the Fourth of July weekend arriving soon it’s good to be aware that not all fireworks are created equal.  Unlike some areas in the country, Arizona has strict limitations as to what type of permissible fireworks are legal and safe for consumers to use as well as what days of the calendar year these “permissible” fireworks can be used.

Some of the allowed permissible fireworks are:

  • Ground and handheld sparkling devices
  • Cylindrical fountains
  • Cone fountains
  • Illuminating torches
  • Wheels
  • Ground spinners
  • Toy smoke devices
  • Wire sparklers or dipped sticks
  • Multiple tube ground and ground and handheld sparkling devices, cylindrical fountains, cone fountains and illuminating torches.

Be aware that anything that is designed to rise into the air and explode or detonate or designed to fly above the ground such as bottle rockets, sky rockets, missile-type rockets, helicopters, aerial spinners, torpedoes and roman candles are considered illegal.  The fine for using these types of firecrackers can be up to $1000.

The timeline to use permissible fireworks runs from June 24 through July 6 and December 24 through January 3 on private property.

At SERVPRO of Gilbert we want to wish all of you a happy a safe Fourth of July.  For more information regarding city firework’ guidelines for Gilbert and Chandler Arizona click on the links. https://www.chandlerpd.com/fireworks-laws-in-arizona/ , https://www.gilbertaz.gov/departments/fire-and-rescue/fire-prevention-safety/consumer-fireworks.

March is RED CROSS MONTH

3/10/2017 (Permalink)

The American Red Cross is part of the Red Cross worldwide network.

       The American Red Cross, a charitable organization that relies on donations and volunteers to carry out their mission was founded in 1881. Whether it is a disaster relief, blood donations, military family support, lifeguarding, training and certification in CPR, first aid and more, the Red Cross is part committed to helping those who need it the most. The American Red Cross is part of the Global Red Cross Network, the world's largest volunteer network founded in 187 countries, according to redcross.com


        Every year, the President of the United States declares March as Red Cross Month. They celebrate by honoring the "everyday heroes" who carry out and support the mission of the Red Cross by donating, giving blood, taking a class or volunteering.


   SERVPRO began a partnership with American Red Cross in 2013 and we became an official Disaster Responder partner in 2016. The Disaster Responder program provides families and individuals support, comfort and assistance when a disaster strikes such as a house fire, happens to them. 


BY THE NUMBERS


Volunteers constitute about 90% of the American Red Cross workforce, making it possible to respond to nearly 70,000 disasters every year, most of them home and apartment fires.


Around 3.1 million people donate blood through the American Red Cross.


The American Red Cross collects and processes about 40% of the nation's blood supply to approximately 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.  


Source: The American Red Cross


 

Sad News about our SERVPRO Founder, Ted Isaacson

2/17/2017 (Permalink)

Ted Isaacson

Announcement from SERVPRO Corporate:


It is with great sadness we announce the loss of SERVPRO’s founder, Ted Isaacson. After a sudden and brief illness, Ted passed away on Friday, January 20, 2017, surrounded by wife, Doris, and his family. May God Bless Ted and the entire SERVPRO® Family during this time.


Ted was deeply loved by his family and friends and words cannot express our gratitude for his lifelong love and leadership. We offer our condolences to the entire SERVPRO® Family, and want each of you to remember Ted’s passion and leadership was always focused on helping his legacy prosper in each and every one of you. You truly are a living legacy of Ted’s 84 blessed years.


Thank you Ted, you will be missed