Bio-One of Chester County decontamination and biohazard cleaning services

August Newsletter

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Is your "good boy" going through a tough time?

Is she adjusting to the a new environment of did you get that new puppy for your kids and it is going to the bathroom EVERYWHERE? Maybe you just want a hand getting things back on track? 

Bio-One specializes in urine, blood & feces cleanup. Animal feces/urine are bio-hazardous waste, and disinfecting a home or business that has been exposed to these materials requires expert help. The cleanup and disinfection of pet urine and feces need to be done professionally because soap and water are not enough to decontaminate the surfaces. Not only do we thoroughly clean the area, but we get rid of the odor too.  

Bio-One technicians follow professional safety norms, while utilizing specialized equipment and training protocols in Philadelphia Area. If not treated professionally, animal feces/urine—and other body fluids like blood and vomit can cause diseases and spread viruses. 

Homes and businesses cannot afford to leave these infected areas unattended for too long, not with the serious risk of infectious disease. Bio-One will assess an area’s unique problem before tailoring a disinfection protocol plan.

Call for a free estimate: 484-995-3949

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Unattended Deaths 

Unattended death refers to a death that happens when no one is around. More often than not, the body remains undiscovered until several days or weeks have passed.

Some unattended deaths turn out to be suicides or homicides. Dealing with an unattended death can be traumatic for you and your family. 

Bio-One offers unattended death cleaning services you can depend on during this difficult time. 

We are here to help you navigate the issues involved in unattended death cleanup and to provide the highest standards in biohazard remediation.

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Our licensed technicians disinfect and deodorize residential, commercial and industrial locations affected by body decomposition. In many cases bodies decompose at rapid speeds, especially in warm climates, which leads to dangerous release of body fluids. Our decontamination services ensure that cleanup needs are handled professionally and that properties are properly restored.

Our process is the following: 

  • Deep cleaning: Our biohazard team will wear personal protective equipment during this first phase of the process, including goggles, surgical masks, gloves and other protective clothing. This will allow the team to  remove any trace of the biological materials from the area in which the deceased was found. The contaminated items will be removed and perform deep cleaning on all hard surfaces to create the safest environment in the affected areas.
  • Sanitization: Using the correct chemical compounds will ensure that bacteria and viruses have been eliminated, making the area safe for human habitation once more. This step is required to create a safe and hygienic environment and to reduce any risks associated with entering the area.

  • Deodorizing: We will use the appropriate deodorizing chemical compounds to eliminate all traces of the odors left behind and to create a fresh and livable space once again.  

  • Restoring the area: We will work diligently to remove any traces of the unfortunate event from every area. We will ensure that the residence is completely live able and that there is no trace of the unfortunate event. 

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Crime Scene Cleanup 

Bio-One employs certified technicians who not only provide expert cleanup services for traumatic crime scenes and homicides but do so with a deep sensibility to the emotional nature of the work which impacts families, property managers, and business owners.

Situations involving crime such as a homicide are unexpected and can result in injuries that leave behind blood and body fluids which need to be cleaned professionally and discreetly. When a home or business has been affected by a crime scene, and is impacted by blood and body fluids, it should be cleaned as quickly as possible. These scenes need to be cleaned professionally after the police investigation is completed.

Bio-One experts adhere to strict OSHA regulations when safely cleaning homicide scenes and other traumatic crime scenes by handling the removal of the biohazard material of the accident or crime. Biohazards from bloodborne pathogens are properly and discreetly disinfected, decontaminated and disposed. Once the entire area is cleaned of blood and body fluids, we can help you restore the location to its pre-incident state, with a concerted effort to properly handle any personal possessions that carry sentimental value.

Don't ever feel like you need to be the one to clean the impacted, crime scene area - this can be an emotionally taxing process as well as dangerous if done incorrectly.

Our professional crews are compassionate and discreet when working with families, property managers and business owners and are available 24/7. Bio-One ensures safe bio-hazard material handling and disposal, as well as complete cleaning in trauma or crime incidents. Bio-One provides crime and trauma scene cleanup services for properties such as residential homes, vehicles, communities, and businesses.

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Odor Removal 

Spring cleaning season is up and running and we are here to help! Along with cleaning, you may encounter strong odors that have been lingering throughout the winter season. Strong odors are unpleasant. They are also potentially hazardous materials that can carry bacteria and dangerous gases. These odors may be from pets (urine), smoke or water damage. Our environmentally safe odor removal services disinfect all areas affected by the odor and discard household or commercial items that may have been compromised.

 

When eliminating odors from concrete, we would first clean the surface and then spray it with a chemical. The chemical is left to sit overnight sealed with plastic sheeting. 

 

The next day the plastic sheeting is pulled up and a odor sealant is applied to seal in the odors.

 

We do the same process for tile and hardwood, except no sealant is painted on the tile for obvious reasons. 

 

Odors are eliminated once the plastic sheeting is removed. 

 

Whether overwhelming odors affect your personal, commercial or industrial property, our odor removal experts in Philadelphia Area are trained to determine the source of the smell, decontaminate it, and safely dispose of hazardous remnants. We safely remove all traces of harmful allergens that can result in respiratory health problems and allergies. 

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A Clear Home Leads to A  Clear Mind 
At Bio-One, every hoarding job is unique and not only entails clutter clean up, but the recovery of all the items in the home that are still useful, valuable and sentimental to the client. We recognize and understand that this type of cleanup seems overwhelming for friends and family who are faced with the enormous task of attempting to sort through and organize an entire home full of miscellaneous clutter. Discarding possessions can be difficult. We work closely with the client and families to meet their specific needs while consulting every step of the process so that they feel safe and comfortable. 

Living in a cluttered home can be unhealthy and dangerous. Our experienced technicians, have encountered several safety threats in a cluttered home while handling different biohazards. The buildup of possessions over long periods of time increase the risk of accidental fires and injuries.

We work with our clients and families, to install trust while removing unwanted belongings and improving a safe and healthy living space.

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The California Police Athletic Federation (CPAF) is proud to announce that the 2021 United States Police & Fire Championships (USPFC) are now Presented by Bio-One, Inc. 

 

Operating under the motto, "Help First, Business Second," Bio-One provides high-level decontamination and biohazard cleanup services while offering clients the privacy and compassion needed at difficult times. Bio-One operates in 41 states with over 110 locations and is committed to providing first-class service. 

 

"We are thrilled to add Bio-One as the Presenting Sponsor for the 2021 USPFC because   First Responders warrant our support," said California Police Athletic Federation President LC Collins. "Bio-One’s reputation is second to none, and with their partnership, we can offer first responders a health and wellness outlet.  We look forward to working with them for years to come."

 

Founded by San Diego Police Lieutenant Veon "Duke" Nyhus, The United States Police & Fire Championships were first held in San Diego in 1967. Duke recognized the need to promote physical fitness and camaraderie among the Public Safety and First Responder community members. 

 

The USPFC caters to active and retired public safety and first responders who participate in Olympic-style competitions and open to individuals representing firefighters, law enforcement, and officers from corrections, probation, border protection, immigration, and customs across the country. Traditionally athletes compete in 45+ sporting events from biathlon to motocross across 35+ venues in Southern California.

 

"At Bio-One our support for Law Enforcement and Fire Service Officers is unwavering, and we're thrilled to partner with the California Police Athletic Federation during this memorable event," said Nick-Anthony Zamucen, founder of Bio-One. "We wish each athlete success and look forward to celebrating these everyday heroes."

 

The 2021 USPFC Presented by Bio-One will take place from June 10th to the 19th in venues across San Diego, California, and strengthen the relationship between First Responders and the community for many years to come!

 

About the United States Police and Fire Championships

The California Police Athletic Federation (CPAF) is the parent organization of two multi-sport programs designed for peace officers and firefighters. The World Police & Fire Games (WPFG) are open to active and retired law enforcement and fire service personnel throughout the world. The United States Police & Fire Championships (USPFC) are open to active or retired public safety and first responder personnel from an eligible agency within the USA. For more information, please visit www.uspfc.org. 

 

This was a very busy summer, but a bit of an unusual one because it involved only a few “crime scenes,” or situations involving death or traumatic events.  It began with a call from a woman who needed her brother’s townhouse cleaned.  He recently got sick and was having trouble taking care of himself, including, but not limited to, having trouble throwing away things such as spoiled foods, drink containers and other trash.  Because he had recently been admitted into the hospital and was going to move in with their brother, his sister requested that we completely clear out the home, pull carpets, and disinfect the entire place so that could sell it.  As you can see by the before and after photo of just the living room it was no easy task, and it took 3 of us about 2 days to complete.

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The following month we completed a job for the owner of a home that had a rat and mouse infestation.  The owner had to move out due to respiratory problems, but left a finished basement full of furniture, carpets, and other miscellaneous items that were contaminated with droppings.  Also, the entire basement had drop ceilings that needed to be removed along with insulation as this is where the rodents made nests and called home.  On top of that, the entire first floor needed to be remediated and disinfected.  Luckily, I have the right equipment to handle a home of this size with use of an industrial fogger to better treat an entire home in just hours.  After two days in hazmat suits, the owner was ready to be moved back into the now, safe home.  The pictures below are just 25% of the basement.

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n July we handled what, might be, our largest hoarding job yet.  The square footage of the townhouse may not sound huge at 2,500 square feet, but the contents clean out, odor remediation, and cleaning that needed to be done made it the longest job yet at 4 full days.  The story is a sad one that involved a woman whose son was going through a terminal illness.  When EMTs came to take him to hospital after he collapsed, they saw the condition of the home and code enforcement was forced to condemn the home as “uninhabitable.”  They wanted to get the house back to livable ASAP so we got to work right away.  After 4 grueling days the house was cleared of all the disposable items, carpets were removed, floors were mopped and cleaned, and the house was fogged with disinfectant.  Unfortunately, the son had passed a few weeks later, and the owner wanted to sell the home, which I was able to help get it purchased and helped her move into a new apartment.  The pictures to the right are the just the entrance hallway of the 3 bedroom home.

While we were on that job I received a call from a retirement community who was desperate because they just found out that one of their residents has bleed and defecated all over their apartment.  Because of the urgency of this call, me and one of my technicians left the hoarding job to tend to this job for a few hours to return back and finish the hoarding.  I will spare you the pictures of second job here, but these are just 4 examples of the many jobs Bio-One Chester County did this summer. 

 

At Bio-One , we do everything from suicide, homicide, and undiscovered death clean-ups, to hoarding remediation, animal waste and odor removal, to medical waste pick-ups and much more.  If you find yourself in a situation that you aren't sure how to handle it, give us a call and we'll be happy to help with a free quote or even just some free advice.

 

Tom Gervasio

Owner

484-995-3949

 

www.BioOneChesterCounty.com

 

www.ChesterCountyHoarding.com

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Warm Weather = Busy Season

April 29, 2019 by Tom Gervasio  

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In this industry, it has proven that warm weather equals busy season.  Can you guess what jobs are more prominent in warmer weather?  If not obvious, I will explain.  Decompositions, also known as Undiscovered Deaths, and Hoarding projects are more common and frequent during the warmer weather months.  Why is that?  What do Decompositions and Hoarding jobs have in common?  Odor.  You know how your trash cans smell more in the summer time while they sit in your hot garage or outside- same goes for deaths that go undiscovered for several days/weeks and houses that are hoarded (especially the ones with feces and/or rotten food).  

 

The weather in Eastern PA has been getting hotter and so has our incoming phone call volume.  Recently, Bio-One, had multiple hoarding/feces clean up job, and two undiscovered death calls.  Starting in early May, we have a large hoarding job where the home is entirely affected by dog feces and urine- several years’ worth.  

 

Undiscovered deaths are being discovered a bit sooner due to the smell that manifests from a decomposed body.  Mold, feces, rotten food, dead rodents, rodent feces, and the list goes on and on with items/bio-hazards found in a hoarded home that cause those awful smells most people cannot handle (or their stomach for that matter).  Is it a coincidence that the two most common jobs that come with warmer weather were the jobs we had the past month, probably not. 

 

Does our job sound gross to you?  I guess I can understand why, however I do not see it that way.  All owners of Bio-One got into this business to help people despite how cliché that may sound.  Who better to need help than a family member who discovered their loved one's death caused damage to their home?  Or how about a person yearning for a healthier life and is to the point of desperation to get their home cleared out and cleaned?  Hoarders do not like to call us and have strangers come into their home; they are embarrassed and feeling shame and guilt.  But, they do call us and we respect and commend them for wanting to better their lives.  We have the fortunate opportunity to help others on a day to day basis, how many people can honestly say that?  

 

  

Thank you!  

 

Tom Gervasio l Owner l Bio-One Chester County 

484-995-3949

64 E Uwchlan Ave #208

Exton Pa 19341


www.BioOneChesterCounty.com

www.ChesterCountyHoarding.com 

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Your Health is Our Concern

April 26, 2019 by Tom Gervasio

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Over the past couple weeks, Bio-One Chester County has been busy with a variety of jobs, and health has been the concern on some of our client's minds.  Bio-One uses proprietary chemicals designed to kill bacteria and blood borne pathogens.  These chemicals are so versatile and have so many purposes.  Crime scene remediation is not the only service we provide, we too are versatile and can serve so many purposes.  

 

Cat urine remediation sounds almost impossible to anyone who knows the damage cat urine can bring.  Using our chemicals, not only can we get rid of the smell of cat urine, but remediate the affected area(s) and bring the home to a safe condition all while smelling fresh.  We had a cat urine remediation job just recently and it took our crew two days, and our clients are beyond happy.  The home had a very strong cat urine odor, as soon as we walked into the front door, it was like a wind of cat urine hit us in the face.  A child with asthma had just moved into this house and her asthma began to act up on a daily basis from the smell.  Thankfully we were able to give our client's daughter a safer place to live.  

 

Have you ever heard of C. Diff,  also known as Clostridium Difficile, and did you know Bio-One can remediate a home affected by it?  Usually the elderly are diagnosed with this infection, or a person who has been on antibiotics for a long period of time.  This infection causes the person to have diarrhea, often times uncontrollably.  Many elderly are hospitalized with this infection multiple times.  Do you know why?  Because the bacteria in the feces is alive, and if feces or particles of it end up on any surfaces of the home, the patient can potentially come home from the hospital, touch those surfaces containing the live infectious bacteria, and contract the infection all over again.  Elderly have died from this infection- it is not something to be taken lightly- and Bio-One can help!  We fog the entire home carefully, then using our amazing chemicals, we literally disinfect every surface of the home the person has touched or could touch- making sure the patient comes home to a safe environment.  

 

We pride ourselves in our work because our we can literally save lives.  We understand how our chemicals work and we know how to use them appropriately.  Without our chemicals, we could not properly remediate scenes of/with blood, feces, and contagious bacteria.  If you want something done the right way, call Bio-One Chester County!      

 

Tom Gervasio l Owner l Bio-One Chester County 

484-995-3949

64 E Uwchlan Ave #208

Exton PA, 19341

 


www.BioOneChesterCounty.com

 

The Business of Helping People
Behind the Scenes

April 23, 2019 by Tom Gervasio

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After the police are gone and the yellow tape has been cut, who is responsible for the remediation of crime scenes? The job is much more than cleaning up blood, tissue, human waste, or toxic drug residue. Bio-One's technicians are the unseen force that restore normalcy and stability to the families affected. 

 

Historically, crime scene cleanup has usually been done by the victim's family. For many, facing the ghastly scene of such personal trauma was too much to bear and had lasting effects. In addition, scientific advancements in the 20th century have raised concerns over exposure to blood borne pathogens and chemical residue. The need for trained technicians has given way to Bio-One being one of the nation’s leading crime scene clean up companies.

 

One of our Crime Scene Cleanup technicians says, “We never know what we’re going to walk in to, so we go in with the mindset that we're there to help and we’ll do whatever it takes to get that family and their home back in order.  It’s really the only way you can handle the things we see and touch”.

 

Our work is done in honorable silence and we keep it as discreet as we can. If there were a suicide, homicide, or undiscovered death in your neighborhood, it’s true that you would want to know.  But, the details are not for everyone and we certainly want to respect the privacy of such delicate matters for the family members.  

 

This job is not for everyone because the work can be both physically and emotionally taxing.  On the other hand, it is one of the most rewarding professions one can do.

There truly are jobs that make us lose our faith in humanity but then when the work is complete and the family members cannot thank us enough for helping them….I realize why I personally am in this business and why our employees are so dedicated.

 

If you ever know anyone who may need our services OR you are interested in helping others please don’t hesitate to contact me.

 

Help First, Business Second

 

Tom Gervasio

Bio-One

Owner/Lead Technician

484-995-3949  

www.BioOneChesterCounty.com

Bio-One Chester County Blog