When disaster strikes, it doesn’t know what time it is. At The Forshaw Group, we have to be ready to attend emergencies at all times of the day or night, be they the aftermath of fires, or properties in the throes of rising floodwater. Working at different times of day, in very different working conditions, can cause problems in itself. Our 24 hour response and specialist recovery teams have to be prepared for every eventuality, from the moment they arrive at the scene.
The state of play
Although much of our work takes place during normal business hours, we can receive calls at two o’clock in the morning. These out-of-hours emergencies are often related to flooding, due to water mains bursting. Heavy rainfall can trigger an overload, causing pipes to burst, which once it happens has to be acted on quickly. Working at night can sometimes cause problems, as power to the properties is often knocked out by the flooding. Access to property can also be an issue and we have to ascertain what the state of play is, in terms of safety – both for our technicians and anyone who may be in the residence or business premises. We have to shed some light on the situation and assess the damage. All this needs to be done in a timely and efficient manner.
In a typical scenario, we’ll receive a call from the loss adjusters, with the customer’s details and what has happened at the property. We can then dispatch a team to assess the site for repairs and co-ordinate the clean-up operation. We’ll also take photos of the scene and arrange to go back and deal with the aftermath – for example, to install pumping equipment to extract any water. We create a programme of works, for any restoration and reinstatement that needs to be carried out at the property.
Time critical
We have a response time of up to two hours, depending on the incident’s location. From our HQ in Liverpool, we can cover the entire North West – including large residential areas such as Oldham, Rochdale, Warrington and Stockport. From the time we’re called out, it usually takes two-to-three months, from start to finish, to carry out the overall project.
However, older properties might take longer, due to the need to conform to a building’s design and retain some original features. Restoration is always more complex and challenging with older properties, due to the construction methods used. These projects often involve sourcing and using materials in keeping with the original design – this takes time. One project we were involved with, a community church hall, took almost three months, which is a ‘worst case scenario’ in terms of timescales.
Seeing the whole picture
Through our 24 hour response, when we are called out to a new flooding or spillage event, we have several key aspects to bear in mind. The insurance company speaks to the customer first, than calls The Forshaw Group. Our paramount concern is health and safety, and if we need to, we carry out further checks, for example, for presence of asbestos. We also have to assess the condition of the customer – are they traumatised, are they frail? If they are elderly and suffer from dementia, we have specialist Dementia Friends training, to help them understand what the situation is and how we can help.
If those affected need to be transferred to temporary accommodation, The Forshaw Group can take care of this for smaller groups, but if there are many people affected, Davies Group will make the arrangements. We may need to take the flooring up and will have to quickly install drying equipment, to begin the reinstatement process. And the clean-up won’t simply focus on inside the building. There will be external aspects too, such as walls, trees, fencing and driveways that may need lifting, rebuilding or replacing.
Covid-safe
All our 24 hour response call-outs take place using all proper Covid-safe precautions and protocols. We will call the customer from the van and tell them what we are going to do. They are requested by us to open any windows in the room if possible. We will use approved PPE, masks and sanitiser, and will clean up by sanitising door handles and other fittings when we have finished. We can then call the customer again from our vehicle, to limit contact with them and let them know our findings. In the course of the visit, all social distancing rules are adhered to as well, making our presence completely Covid-safe.
