If your priceless family bible – a fragile 1832 German edition, no less – is among the possessions soaked in home flood waters, what do you do? One bible owner, and countless other distressed disaster victims in North America, immediately called Paul Davis Restoration. They knew that Paul Davis answers calls for help 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year, then dispatches a specialized team pronto. This well-executed process not only kicks off emergency services and restoration within a few short hours, it thoughtfully takes care of people standing in harm’s way.
The process begins with a call from property owners themselves, insurance agents and carriers, or referrals via fax and email. A company representative nearly always answers the phone personally anytime night or day; electronic notifications receive return calls within 30 minutes. That initial contact establishes the warm and competent relationship that endures throughout the project.
“The team member on call is technically capable, but just as important, they comfort and reassure as they document incident details,” says Steve Rotay, Regional Vice President for Paul Davis. “A fire or flood is one of the most traumatic things that can happen to a person. The situation is larger than what happened and how we will fix it. It’s about caring completely for that person, his or her life and loved ones, and commitments and responsibilities.”
To spare disaster victims repeated recounting of the trauma, Paul Davis listens carefully to obtain all the necessary facts in that first call in order to quickly start addressing the problem. As soon as the call ends, a video goes out to the customer about what they can expect from Paul Davis services. Experienced technicians immediately load fully stocked trucks with necessary specialized equipment they could need for the event. Uniformed and driving a branded vehicle, they call the affected person while en route and almost always arrive on site within two hours of the first call. Most technicians – at least one on every team – are certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration. All carry photo identification.
Immediately after the team provides information and secures an access agreement, damage assessment and emergency services begin. If water damage has occurred, for example, destroyed materials like wallboard are removed right away and drying quickly commences. For fires, the removal of affected possessions may happen first. Whatever the individual steps, every project employs specialized products and precise, technical procedures. From scientific moisture meters to high-tech soot-removing solutions, every aspect is carefully designed to return the site and its contents to excellent condition.
Another critical aspect of Paul Davis services? Exceptional communication and coordination with the affected parties and their insurance carriers from the first phone call through project completion. “Part of our job is delivering certainty and comfort during a very difficult time,” Rotay concludes. “The soaked carpet or the burned clothing may not be the homeowner’s biggest concern. It’s dad’s football jersey, or a teacher’s letters from long-ago students, or the pair of 2,000-year-old Han dynasty vases – all true examples from our recent projects, by the way. Paul Davis employs experts in emergency services and restoration. They’re also skilled communicators. When it comes to careful mitigation and restoration, This is no time for second best.®