“Hurricane Earl is another important reminder to all of us that every member of the community needs to be prepared for hurricanes and other disasters. Engaging with children on the topic of emergency preparedness is an effective way to bring home the preparedness message,” said Fugate.  “Local events like this one are happening all over the country throughout September to underscore the importance of getting people of all ages involved in preparing for emergencies.”

National Preparedness Month is led by FEMA’s Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and The Advertising Council, and is a nationwide effort encouraging individuals, families, businesses and communities to work together and take action to prepare for emergencies. National Preparedness Month is supported by a coalition of public, private and non-profit organizations that help spread the preparedness message.  This year’s record number of coalition members are sharing preparedness information with their members, customers, employee, and communities. Members also spearhead activities that encourage specific steps for individual, neighborhood, and community preparedness.

LDR can assist your organization in creating a Disaster Preparedness Plan.  Contact us today for more information.

This lunch and learn workshop will explore how the insurance industry can use social media to promote your agency and enhance the customer service that you already provide your customers.  Building agency Facebook pages, learning to “Tweet” and other topics will be presented by Ralph De Stefano from Direct Response Web Solutions.

Join us for lunch and learn more about Social Media at the same time!

When: Thursday, August 26th

Time: 11:30 – 1:30

Where: LDR Cleaning & Restoration

Investment: $10, includes lunch from Heavenly Ham

Please RSVP to Matt Ludens by Friday, August 20th at mludens@ldr4service.com or 815.874.7066.

In the United States, the Fourth of July is a weekend full of friends, family, cookouts, and FIREWORKS!  Fireworks can be very dangerous if they aren’t handled properly.  Thus turning a weekend of fun into a possible disaster.  If you are planning to use fireworks, keep the following safety tips in mind:

Use fireworks outdoors only.

Obey local laws - if fireworks are illegal where you live, do not use them.

Always have water close by - a garden hose, bucket of water, etc.

Use fireworks only as intended – don’t try to alter them or combine them in any way.

Never attempt to relight a “dud” firework - wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.

Use common sense – Spectators should keep a safe distance from the shooter, and safety glasses are highly recommended for anyone lighting fireworks.  Fireworks have been known to backfire or shoot off in the wrong direction.  Never throw or point fireworks and someone, even if done in jest.

Keep your pets or other animals in mind - animals have sensitive ears and the noise and lights of fireworks can often frighten or stress animals.  Keep them inside if possible.  Also pick up any remaining debris at the conclusion of your fireworks.

Alcohol and fireworks do NOT mix - have a designated “shooter.”

Only persons over the age of 12 should be allowed to handle sparklers of any type – When lit, sparklers can get six times as hot as a pan of cooking oil, or 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use in a clear, open area and make sure the area overhead is also clear of obstructions – Watch out for dry grass, brush or any other type of flammable items that could catch fire, like your home or garage.

Fireworks by the numbers:

• 30,100 - estimated number of fires caused by fireworks each year
• 7,000 - estimated number of injuries caused by fireworks each year
• $34 million – amount of direct property loss caused by fireworks each year

Sources:  National Fire Protection Association, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and National Council on Fireworks Safety.

When you choose to hire the restoration company, a team of professionals will be sent to your home to deal with the cleanup, repair and restoration process immediately.  They are also able to deal directly with your insurance company.  LDR has years of experience and employs a highly trained and certified staff.

Another benefit of hiring a professional company is the expediency with which they can get your home or business back to normal.  By acting quickly, you can prevent the growth of mold and mildew, which can cause serious health risks.  LDR employs very knowledgeable project managers that work directly with the homeowners and insurance companies to run a smooth project from start to finish.

Restoration companies also have access to specialized equipment that is either expensive to rent, expensive to own, or useless outside of a restoration atmosphere.  Industrial strength dehumidifiers, specialized air-moving machines, ozone generators, and powerful chemical cleansers are some of these items.  LDR fully uses this state of the art technology and equipment.

By working directly with your insurance company this helps to ease some of the stress that your disaster has caused.  This also includes working closely with the adjuster to determine which of your contents can be cleaned and which ones need to be replaced.

A disaster of any kind in your home or business can be a devastating and stressful experience.  We at LDR take great pride in helping to minimize the stress and getting your life back to normal as quickly and professionally as possible by taking great care in restoring your property and your most valued possessions.  This will help restore your sense of security and safety as well.

(Rockford, IL, May 6, 2010) – LDR Construction Services, Inc. & LDR Cleaning & Restoration announced today that LDR is now a Lead-Safe Certified Firm in the states of Illinois and Wisconsin.

On April 22, 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) program rule. This rule required contractors and maintenance staff performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint to become certified by April 22, 2010. The certification applies to those firms conducting renovation and maintenance activities in pre-1978 homes, child care facilities, elementary schools, and some common areas of public and commercial buildings, such as restrooms and cafeterias. The rule requires renovators to follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

The risk is greatest in buildings where lead-based paint is present, especially in those facilities that are regularly occupied by children. Contractors produce dust during renovations, repairs, and surface preparation for painting. Dust always has the potential to present problems indoors, and even outdoors. By working lead-safe, workers prevent and/or control dust.

LDR is aware of these regulations and has taken the proactive approach to ensuring these regulations are complied with.  LDR completed an EPA-approved training course, and submitted the required paperwork with the EPA to obtain its certification.  With locations in Rockford, IL and Janesville, WI, LDR has been providing restoration services since 1991.

Click here to read the full RRP rule.

Firms are required to be certified, their employees must be trained in use of lead-safe work practices, and lead-safe work practices that minimize occupants’ exposure to lead hazards must be followed.

Training, certification, and work practice requirements become effective April 22, 2010.

Ludens attended the following pre-conference workshop which began on March 24; Creating Working Relationships that Last , which was led by Peter Crosa of Peter J. Crosa & Co.

Keynote speaker Dan Coughlin opened the general session with an invigorating presentation entitled Titles Mean Nothing When Leading your Team:  Accelerate your impact. The other general sessions included: Ethical People+ Ethical Dealings = Ethical Operations, Legal Developments in Health & Safety, Residential Nightmares: Dealing with Condo Losses, and many more.

“Conferences such as this offer an excellent opportunity to stay abreast of the latest industry news and tools available to us, said Ludens.  It also offers great networking with peers from all across the country.”

Matt Ludens attended the following pre-conference trainings which began on January 17 including Marketing Strategies Workshop, which was led by Dan Cassara and Michele Donahue of Disaster Kleenup International (DKI).

Keynote speaker Simon Bailey opened the general session with an invigorating presentation entitled Igniting Brilliance in Times of Change.  He was be followed by Spiderman Mulholland who spoke on the issues surrounding Chinese Drywall.  The other general sessions included: Human Resource Legalities Today, Five Characteristics to Success, Exit Strategies for Your Business, The Business is a Result of the Owner’s Thinking, Are You Practicing On Your Customers and Are You a Whiner or a Winner.

“The Insights Conference is a great place to learn about the latest equipment, stay up to date with all the newest issues facing our industry, as well as network and form relationships with peers from all across North America,” said Ludens.