Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Help Us Change the Conversation – #BeThe1To

As a hazardous waste and trauma cleanup company, one of the most challenging aspects of our work is helping people deal with and recover from the aftermath of a suicide. Frankly, we wish our services and our crisis counselors weren’t required under these circumstances. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and the goal is to change the conversation from focusing on suicide to focusing on prevention instead.

It seems that recently there have been quite a few cases of celebrities taking their own lives, and the news has been full of reports, both of the incidents as well as the effects on the families and friends. With this post it’s our goal to start shifting the conversation to how do we prevent these tragedies?

Talking about it openly is one of the best ways to start.  And we’re partnering with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline organization to get the word out.   The first step is to get the word out – that each one of us can help in preventing another self-inflicted death.  The hashtag, #BeThe1To, can get that conversation moving.  Be the one to what?  There are a number of things that go along with this hashtag, but these are the first two:

  • #BeThe1toAsk:  Don’t be afraid to ask someone close to you if they’re struggling, because simply asking in a way that’s caring can prevent someone from taking that fatal step.  Studies show that when a person who is considering suicide talks about it with someone who is genuinely interested in them, it can actually avert it.
  • #BeThe1toKeepThemSafe: The next step is to check your home for things that might be lethal. Often removing the means or making it inaccessible is sufficient prevention.

To find out more about what you can do, visit the website for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.  They also have resources available.  And please share this phone number – it just might save a person’s life.  We’ve got plenty of other cleanup work to do – we wouldn’t mind a lot less of this kind. 

 

 

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Why Professional Cleanup Help Is Needed with Hantavirus Contamination

You’re probably familiar with the hazards of having your property contaminated by the HIV virus via blood, needles, or other possible sources, but there’s another very deadly virus currently making the news that isn’t so familiar: the hantavirus. Just yesterday several news outlets reported on the death of a North Dakota woman from hantavirus.

What is the hantavirus?  Actually it is an umbrella term for a number of similar viruses that can be deadly. Acute respiratory failure can result.  First detected in 1993 in the southwest U.S., it has claimed the life of over 700 individuals. Almost all of the cases have been in areas west of the Mississippi River. Over one-fourth of those have been in the Pacific Northwest states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

Generally the virus is carried by an otherwise healthy rodent such as a rat.  The virus can be transmitted by contact with bodily fluids from rodents (feces, urine, or saliva).  What is especially concerning is that the virus can become airborne when these fluids are disturbed by cleanup actions like vacuuming or sweeping. Simply inhaling dust could lead to a severe respiratory infection called Pulmonary Hantavirus Syndrome. This afflicts anyone – even otherwise healthy individuals.

That’s why it is critical to have a professional biohazard cleanup company like ours come in and deal with property that has been infested by rodents. For your own safety, you MUST assume those rodents were carrying the hantavirus.

What can you do?  If there were or are rodents around your home or other property, we highly advise you seek medical testing to determine whether you’ve contracted the hantavirus. Next, contact a biohazard cleanup professional to have your property decontaminated properly.

Rodents in your Pacific Northwest property?  Contact our team of trained biohazard cleanup professionals today through our online form.  Call us at (877) 684-9753.  Our phones are manned 24/7.

 

 

 

 

 

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We Offer More Than Just Cleanup After a Suicide or Other Tragedy

As a professional cleaning company, one of our major services is biohazard cleanup, and often that involves blood and other issues surrounding a suicide or unattended death.  And we’ve learned that it’s important for the property owners to be provided with a number of supportive services.  Yes, cleanup is necessary, but the immediate need is sometimes less tangible – emotional support and help.

We believe that no one should have to go through the aftermath of a suicide alone. So we are here to help.

Whether you’ve suffered unexpected the loss of a close family member or simply a tenant you didn’t know well, there is an emotional impact. There are so many details to be handled and things to be taken care of that it can all be overwhelming, especially at a time that you may be going through a variety of grieving issues.

MedTech Cleaners is a family-owned company, and one aspect of our business is paramount to us – compassion.  We have come to understand the importance of simply being there and offering whatever support is necessary at a time that someone may be struggling to process what has happened.  It’s hard to see your way clearly when you’ve been dealt an emotional blow, no matter how slight.

One thing we offer – in addition to our professional cleanup and restoration services is crisis counseling.  Our certified counselors are available 24/7. We can get you on the road to recovering from this trauma. Yes, we can get your property cleaned up safely and restored, but more importantly, we can support you as YOU recover.

For unattended death or other trauma scene cleanup in the Pacific Northwest (Washington State – especially the greater Spokane and Seattle areas – as well as northern Oregon and parts of Idaho and Montana), call us at (877) 684-9753. Our staff is available to help you 24/7, every day of the year.

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What Hazards Do Squatters Pose to Property Owners?

Although it doesn’t get as much attention as the problem of homeless encampments, there is a related issue – how to deal with and clean up after squatters.

A squatter is basically someone who occupies a property illegally. It’s related to the homeless problem because squatters are homeless individuals who have chosen to live in buildings or on private property rather than homeless encampments.

Those buildings may be vacant – anything from warehouses to homes. Perhaps the property is in foreclosure or it is a rental property without a current legal tenant.  Some property owners with their homes up for sale (who are not currently living in the home) have found to their dismay that the house has been taken over by squatters. At times people have gone away on extended vacations and come home to strangers living in their house.

Regardless of the legal issues of removing a squatter, there is the challenge of cleanup once they are gone.  Cleanup from squatters is very similar to that of a homeless encampment cleanup.  Rarely is there power or water to the property, which means that human waste and garbage have probably accumulated. Usually that leads to rodent and/or insect infestation.

The photo at right is from an actual squatter situation. Although an accumulation of trash of this magnitude isn’t always the case, unfortunately this sight is not uncommon.  And the longer the squatter has been present, the worse things are.

Problems run the gamut – from clogged toilets and sinks to broken windows and other property damage. Often there’s grafitti. But it’s safe to assume that whatever else may be present, there are biohazards and health threats that must be professionally cleaned up.

It’s not uncommon for there to be an accumulation of drug paraphernalia like used needles and syringes. And there are other things to be dealt with as well.  For example, is there carpeting in the property? If so, a simple cleaning is rarely adequate.  Since you have no idea what types of pathogens or other biohazards that carpeting may contain, it should be removed and disposed of safely.  The underlying floor must be decontaminated since liquids leach through carpeting and soak into the floor beneath.

Some hazards and cleanup problems are very obvious. In the photo above, it’s clear that the first thing that needs to happen is to haul out all the trash and dispose of it properly.  But that trash could contain a whole host of invisible biohazards. Or once you remove the pile you may likely find rodent feces, maggots, and other health threats. Since you don’t know exactly what has gone on in this property, assume the worst and let a biohazard cleanup company take it from there.

Just as is the case with cleanup of a homeless area, squatter cleanup is best handled by trained professionals like our biohazard cleanup company.  We work together with Pacific Northwest Hoarding to offer professional, effective, and discreet cleanup from squatters in the Seattle area. We also handle damage restoration. If you’re faced with cleanup of your property after a squatter, please call us today at (877) 684-9753.  We’re available 24/7, 365 days of the year. We’ll help you get your property restored as safely and quickly as possible.

 

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Biohazard News: New HIV Strain Identified in Vancouver BC

As if the threats posed by IV drug use in homeless encampments in the Seattle area aren’t bad enough, recent news from Vancouver, British Columbia, should be of concern to those in Washington State.  Vancouver is just a short drive north of our border, and we expect it’s only a matter of time before this new health threat makes its way south.

All the more reason that cleanup of any homeless encampment (or even cleanup from just one squatter) should be left to biohazard cleanup professionals who are trained and have the equipment to deal properly with blood-borne pathogens like HIV.

DO NOT handle discarded needles and syringes without proper protective equipment.  Even better, contact a professional biohazard cleanup company to take care of it safely.

The challenge with cleanup of homeless encampments and squatters in the Seattle area is a major issue facing local governments, but it also can affect property owners living nearby those sites.  Discarded needles and other drug paraphernalia are routinely found in parks, near schools, behind retail establishments, and even on private property. It’s not enough to pick up the trash and dispose of it. In fact, unless you’ve been trained in biohazard abatement and have the proper protective equipment and disposal methods, you could actually be exposing yourself and others to health risks.

Our biohazard cleanup crews have been trained in the safe handling of used needles and syringes as well as the identification and removal of other health threats associated with homeless dwellings.  We currently offer these services in the Seattle area. If you require homeless encampment cleanup in another area in the Pacific Northwest, please call us at (877) 684-9753 to see what is available.

 

 

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The Cleanup of Biohazards & Other Health Threats Posed by Homeless Encampments

Cleanup due to homelessness is a hot topic right now.  Cities cross the country are struggling with the issue of homelessness, and here in the Washington state area it’s no different.  In fact, our largest city, Seattle, has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the country.  (Seattle, with almost 12,000 counted as homeless in 2017) is third, after New York and Los Angeles.

Many of those who are classified as homeless live in encampments scattered about in highly populated areas.  ‘Tent cities’ often spring up under freeway overpasses and other public spaces like parks. Though there are sanctioned areas, most of these dwellings are illegal, and periodically the city is forced to close it down, clear it up, and clean it up.

The Major Biohazards Associated with Homeless Encampments

Cleanup of a homeless encampment poses substantial risk of exposure to and spreading of biohazards as well as other health dangers. A report issued by the City of Tacoma (part of the Seattle metro area) identified these major threats:

  • Blood-borne pathogens – most commonly hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, but also MRSA (antibiotic-resistant staph infection)
  • Biohazards due to bodily waste (feces, vomit, etc.)
  • Discarded drug paraphernalia (needles and syringes)
  • Rodents (rats can carry the hanta virus, which can result in kidney failure due to febrile hemorrhagic disease)
  • Drug production (meth labs, etc.)

The proliferation of trash that accumulates includes hazards associated with such things as rotting food, dirty diapers, venomous spiders like the black widow and yellow sac, and more.

But it’s not just these large urban homeless camps that require cleanup. Property owners and businesses often must deal with health threats due to small numbers of homeless individuals routinely ‘crashing’ on their property.

The most important thing we want to stress is that cleanup from a homeless dwelling should NOT be undertaken by untrained individuals. Special protective clothing and equipment is required. Whether a homeless dwelling area is a large under-freeway encampment or a couple of tents behind a store, cleanup should be done by professionals who are trained in and have the equipment to deal with the toxic matters that may be present.  It is critical to be aware of potential hazards, because untrained individuals may not even recognize threats posed.

  • Debris needs to be removed safely
  • Debris needs to be disposed of safely
  • The area needs to be decontaminated and restored

Our crews are trained in the abatement of biohazards and safe cleanup of homeless encampments.  For assistance in the Seattle area, call us at (877) 684-9753.  We are available 24/7.  (For other areas, call this number and ask about our availability.)

 

 

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Biohazard News: E.Coli Can Be More Than Just a Stomach Ache

As a biohazard cleanup company, we endeavor to keep ourselves educated on the threats posed by biohazards, especially bacteria.  A large portion of our jobs involve clean-up from bacteria such as hepatitis.  And we endeavor to keep our clients and followers up to date on the news relative to our industry in this area.  That’s why when we recently came across this article regarding a woman infected with e. coli, we wanted to share it with you.

The CDC classifies the bacteria e.coli as a Level I substance.  Biohazards in this category are not considered as posing a severe danger to human life, and it’s generally accepted that most who come in contact with e. coli will suffer a nasty bout with diarrhea and vomiting.  But the reality is that people die from e.coli infections.  Most of the victims are those whose health is otherwise fragile, such as the elderly, infants, and those with substantially compromised immune systems.  The diarrhea becomes bloody and anemia sets in.  But that’s not the worst of it.

photo credit: The New York Times

One side effect of e.coli is known as hemolytic uremic syndrome, which causes the kidneys to fail, resulting in dangerously high blood pressure and excessive fluid build-up in the body.  There is no known cure, only supportive treatment that can include dialysis and transfusions.

Currently there is major concern with e.coli outbreaks in various parts of the country.  These seem to be associated with precut romaine lettuce.  These occur periodically, and precut or prewashed leafy greens tainted with e.coli are often the source.

What can result?  Please read this article detailing the journey of an otherwise healthy young woman in her 20s who it is suspected contracted e.coli from arugula purchased from a local farmers’ market.  (Her father also consumed the argula and tested positive for an e.coli infection, but he did not become ill.  It is unknown at this point why some people develop severe illnesses and others do not.)

Biohazards are just that – hazards, even the ones classified as low-level risks.  There is some evidence that pre-cut and pre-washed produce is especially susceptible to contamination with the e. coli bacteria, and it is our recommendation that you avoid purchasing it.  Be aware that in order to develop an e. coli infection you must ingest the bacteria, so contact is required.  It is NOT an airborne threat.  Can you eliminate the threat by washing your produce?  Consumer Reports says it is inadequate.

Don’t take chances when faced with biohazard exposure.  Keep yourself educated as to the dangers and how to avoid them – and leave cleanup to the professionals like our company. 

 

 

 

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Hot Air Hand Dryers: Convenience or Health Threat?

You’ve probably used a hot air hand dryer recently, because they are becoming the norm in public restrooms.  They’ve been around for decades – in bathrooms everywhere from schools to restaurants to gas stations to shopping malls.

The reason?  They’re convenient, and in the long run they are less expensive. There are no paper towels to continually restock, there is no trash to dispose of, and restroom cleanup is simplified – no loose paper towels everywhere to be picked up.

But they also pose a severe health risk, in at least two categories:

  • The blowing air distributes any bacteria on your hands into the air, to be breathed by others or deposited on their skin
  • But what’s worse, that dryer is sucking the bacteria in the air released when toilets are flushed, and then spreading it on your hands
  • If a parent has recently used the diaper changing table that’s present in most public restrooms, those germs are being spewed about as well

Harvard Medical School recently published the results of a joint study by researchers at the University of Connecticut and Quinnipiac University.  Here’s an excerpt:

Petri dishes exposed to bathroom air for two minutes with the hand dryers off only grew one colony of bacteria, or none at all. However, petri dishes exposed to hot air from a bathroom hand dryer for 30 seconds grew up to 254 colonies of bacteria (though most had from 18 to 60 colonies of bacteria). The Bacterial Horror of Hot Air Hand Dryers(Source: Harvard Health Publishing, “.”)

To protect yourself it’s best to avoid those air hand dryers. But it’s important to dry your hands as well. You may want to start carrying paper towels when you use a public facility and skip that germ-blowing hot air.  As a company that specializes in biohazard cleanup, we know how dangerous airborne germs can be.

 

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What Is Involved In a Typical Hoarder House Cleanup?

Are you facing cleanup from a hoarder? Most of us have areas of our homes that despite our best efforts to keep things neat and tidy just aren’t.  There is a reason that the ‘junk drawer’ is a long-standing joke. But there are those whose difficulty keeping a clean home are far greater, and those people are referred to as hoarders.  These situations are sad, because the individuals involved are suffering from debilitating mental illnesses such as anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

One of the services our company provides is cleanup of a place where a hoarder has lived (and maybe still lives). Perhaps you own rental property that has been occupied by one of these individuals, or maybe someone in your family is affected by this and the cleanup is more than you can (or should) handle.

Cleanup in a hoarding situation is best left to professional biohazard cleaning firms like ours, for a variety of reasons.

  • If the hoarder is a relative or friend, the emotional stress of dealing with the cleanup can take its toll on you
  • The work involved can be physically demanding
  • There are most likely biohazards involved that you don’t know how to properly deal with and that could have health and safety consequences.

What is a typical hoarder cleanup like?  First, there is no ‘typical,’ although most situations have common issues.  The basic issue is an accumulation of items, usually worthless, although at times there may be valuable gems in those piles of what most would refer to as trash.

We’ve come into houses where the resident kept every magazine and newspaper they ever received.  Others might be cluttered with worthless decorative items.  But some are far worse. One apartment we saw recently contained thousands of pizza boxes and piles of empty beer cans that obscured the floors and covered the furniture.  Of course, maggots and cockroaches were everywhere. And many hoarders also have an unusual number of cats or dogs, which present their own biohazard problems.

Some houses may be contaminated with biohazards such as parasites or mold (or worse), and others may actually have structural damage.

The first step in cleanup of any hoarding situation is to assess what’s involved, to take stock of what needs to be dealt with.  The next is to secure the property to provide for the safety of the individuals involved in cleanup. Those piles of old magazines on the floor in the hallway may actually conceal rotted floor boards. Or perhaps there are toxic chemicals present.  We take precautions with our hoarder cleanup crews to make sure they are safe on the job, and that involves the use of particle masks, respirators, and at times hazmat suits.

The next step is to formulate a plan. Restoration of the property will usually involve:

  • Removal and disposal of trash and damaged items (carpet tear-out is often involved)
  • Salvaging of items that may have value or can be sold
  • Actual cleaning of the property
  • Damage repair

If you are facing the daunting task of cleaning up after a hoarder, please don’t try to take on this job alone.  We’re here to help – and it’s one of our specialties.  We offer efficient, discreet and professional hoarding cleanup. Give us a call today to talk about your needs. We’re here to help, 24/7, every day of the year.  Talk to a real live person and not a recording – (877) 691-6706.

 

 

 

 

 

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Why Use a Professional for Blood Cleanup?

Blood stains are inevitable – they’re a part of life.  They begin in the delivery room the moment we’re born, and they often accompany our deaths. Moms deal with skinned knees and cut fingers on a continual basis, and those childhood boo-boos keep bandage makers in business.

But what about cleaning up when blood is present?

Blood can be one of the most difficult stains to get out.  But what we’re addressing in this article isn’t the routine blood stains you get at home; those you usually can safely deal with yourself.  But there are times that blood should NOT be handled by anyone other than a trained professional, because your own health could be at stake.  Situations include suicide, unattended death, or violent crime.  Yes, there is often a substantial amount of blood in these cases, but there are other reasons you should leave this type of cleanup to a company who specializes in dealing with biohazards and other types of specialized cleaning.

Why Leave Blood Cleanup to a Professional

  • Blood can carry disease or toxins you could not be aware of, even if it was from a close family member.  There are many blood-borne pathogens you could be exposing yourself to without knowing it.  The victim may have had a condition that even he or she didn’t know about.
  • Once blood has dried, disturbing it will cause it to flake off, and it can become airborne.  Inhaling those particles can be a health hazard as well. 
  • Most states and many local jurisdictions have protocols and regulations in place for dealing with blood clean-up from crime scenes, accidents, and trauma.  Unless you are a trained and certified cleanup company, you most likely are not aware of what is required.  When not done properly, a fine or other penalty could be the result.
  • This is a bit more practical. If you’re not used to cleaning up large amounts of blood – especially in carpeting or other fabrics – you could inadvertently make the stain worse. 
  • Bloodstains on carpet – other than small surface stains – often require removal and disposal of the carpet and possibly the underlying pad, because the carpet functions as a wick, drawing the blood below the surface of the carpet into the pad, and possibly into the floor itself. Any contaminants in the blood could be released in the future if the carpet becomes wet, such as in a future cleaning. 

So if you have property in the Pacific Northwest (or western Montana or Idaho) that has experienced a blood spill (other than a normal household accident), don’t expose yourself to hazards.  Please call us.  We have emergency response available, and each of our crews include a hazmat certified supervisor.  We’ll get that blood cleaned up safely and properly.

MedTech Cleaners has been providing haz-mat, biohazard, crime scene, and other trauma cleanup services in northern Oregon, Washington, western Montana and Idaho for nearly three decades. 

 

 

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Any more questions? Feel free to contact us.

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