Recent General Posts

SERVPRO Palm Desert is here to help!

10/24/2023 (Permalink)

Servpro vehicles The fleet can handle it all!

At SERVPRO Palm Desert, we're not just a restoration company; we're your partners in rebuilding and revitalizing the heart of the Palm Desert community. Our Reconstruction Division is your trusted source for comprehensive recovery. From the meticulous repair of damaged drywall to the skilled application of fresh paint and the seamless replacement of affected materials, we're your one-stop solution for post-disaster reconstruction.
We understand that recovering from a disaster goes beyond just cleanup – it involves the art of restoration. Our team takes pride in making your home or business feel "Like it never even happened." Whether it's structural repairs, precise painting, or the thoughtful replacement of materials, we approach each task with expertise and care.
When you choose SERVPRO Palm Desert, you're choosing a dedicated partner, ready to restore not just your property but your peace of mind. We're here to provide comprehensive, compassionate service, ensuring your space is not only repaired but renewed.
Discover the difference SERVPRO Palm Desert can make in your journey toward restoration and recovery.

September is National Preparedness Month - week 1 topic - Make a Plan

9/1/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Palm Desert Logo National Preparedness Month - week 1 - Make a Plan

SERVPRO Industries, Inc. is once again proud to be a member of the National Preparedness Month Coalition and is committed to helping the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in their efforts to promote the importance of preparedness planning.

National Preparedness Month (NPM) is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time like Hurricane Ida that recently hit the Louisiana.

This week's theme is: "MAKE A PLAN."

If your family hasn't already make an emergency plan today. Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes in your area, so it is important to know the different types of disasters that your area can be effected by. Know how you’ll contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find.

Things to think about when making a plan: 

1. How will we find out about the disaster in our area?

2. What is our shelter plan?

3. What is our evacuation plan?

4. How will my family communicate during the disaster if we are not together?

5. Do we have an emergency kit and has it been updated?

6. Check with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and update my emergency plans due to COVID protocols.

The next thing you will want to think about is your households specific needs. What age groups will you have in your group? Is there any dietary or medical needs? Is there someone with a type of disability and do you have everything they would need? Do you have enough medication to last the duration that you will be away from your home? What about cultural or religious considerations? How about pets? Do you need food for them and how will you transport them?

You should have someone in your household fill out the Family Emergency Plan form so you have all of this information readily available. 

Then don't forget to practice this plan with all of the members of your household so everyone knows what they need to do so you all can evacuate safely and in a timely manor. 

Make sure you come back next week to learn how to make an Emergency Kit. 

If your home receives damage from a disaster, give SERVPRO of Palm Desert a call 24/7 at 760-346-7270. We will make it "Like it never even happened."

“Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.” 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

12/24/2020 (Permalink)

Santa on a SERVPRO sled. Season's Greetings!

SERVPRO of Palm Desert wants to wish your family a very happy Holiday Season and a Merry Christmas! 

Happy Thanksgiving from our SERVPRO family to yours!

11/26/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Turkey Thanksgiving Day Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

Our SERVPRO family is very thankful for all of our customers and our employees this year. We strive on making homeowners and business owners alike, happy with our work. Thank you for choosing SERVPRO of Palm Desert this year!

Create A Disaster Plan for Your Palm Desert Business

7/2/2020 (Permalink)

Keep your critical information in a safe place

Create a Disaster Plan for Your Palm Desert Business

Disasters can occur without warning to a commercial building. Flooding, fires or storm damage could potentially close a business for good. Here are some sobering statistics according to the Association of Small Business Development Centers:

  • More than one in four businesses will experience a significant crisis in a given year.
  • Of those businesses that experience a disaster and have no emergency plan, 43% NEVER reopen.
  • Of those that do reopen, only 29% are still operating two years later.

A business closing affects not just the owner and their customers, but also their employees who may not be able to afford to wait until it reopens, especially if it’s closed for days, weeks, or even months. So, it’s vital to get your business open again ASAP.

What Can Go Wrong

Some of the most common causes of commercial building damage are:

Some of these problems can be avoided by implementing a preventative maintenance plan and conducting regular employee safety training classes.

Don’t Pretend it Didn’t Happen

If you own a business in Palm Desert that must temporarily close, let your client base know what's occurred on your website, through emails and/or a customer newsletter. It may humanize the experience and encourage your customers to return once you reopen. Is there a similar company that you can refer them to? While you may lose some of your patrons, you’ll be spreading goodwill among customers and competitors. You may even be able to work out a deal with a trusted competitor that suits you both, such as a finder’s fee or commission on your customers, money that can be put aside for marketing when you’re ready to reopen.

Create a Plan

Although disasters don’t plan, you can. Create a detailed disaster plan that includes:

  • Locations appropriate for employee evacuation
  • Emergency contact information for each employee
  • Plans to protect and access vital business records
  • If there will be an off-site location that employees can work from in the interim
  • The business’ insurance company contact info
  • SERVPRO of Palm Desert’s contact info

SERVPRO of Palm Desert can help you create and set in place a preloss plan for your business before a disaster strikes, which can mean the difference between re-opening or closing the doors forever.

An important part of that plan is the SERVPRO Emergency READY Program App. Under this program, a business owner works with a SERVPRO disaster recovery specialist to create an Emergency READY Profile (ERP) for their facility, at no charge. This comprehensive document contains critical information about the business, including emergency contact information, shut-off valve locations and priority areas. Having this information in hand helps business owners and SERVPRO of Palm Desert react to an unexpected event quickly and effectively to help minimize business interruption.

Our team of trained professionals are equipped with the proper tools to handle a disaster of any size, from one floor to an entire industrial warehouse. So, don’t hesitate, don’t wait, but call SERVPRO before it’s too late.

Are You Cleaning or Disinfecting?

5/5/2020 (Permalink)

Clean but also Disinfect Surfaces

Are You Cleaning or Disinfecting?

Our homes should be a haven where we can relax and recuperate from the pressures of the world. Unfortunately, we wind up bringing home some of the world and its germs through dirty hands, shoes, clothing, and phones.

Even if your Palm Desert home looks clean, it could still be hiding contaminants that could affect your health. Dr. Michael Schmidt, professor of microbiology at the Medical University of South Carolina and chair of the American Society of Microbiology's Council on Microbial Sciences, says that the best way to protect your family is to quite simply to clean your house.

Dr. Schmidt points out that after washing our hands, the best way to protect your family is to wipe down countertops, doorknobs, light switches, and common surfaces with a microfiber cloth dampened in a solution of hot water and an all-purpose cleaner twice a day. "The slight abrasion of the microfiber cloth and the cleaning solution will lift and dilute any microbes that have settled on the surfaces," says Dr. Schmidt. "Since electronics don't hold up well to soap and water, use an alcohol wipe with at least 70% isopropyl alcohol to clean cell phones, remotes, and keyboards."

But cleaning shouldn't be confused with disinfecting. Cleaning means you're removing germs, but not killing, while disinfecting means you're actually killing them. This difference is important because you might clean surfaces well but you might not be disinfecting, leaving germs and bacteria to grow.

However, "Disinfecting cleaners can give a false sense of security if they are not used properly and are only necessary if someone in the household is ill," says Dr. Schmidt. The crucial areas to address are surfaces shared by family members and those that come in close contact with bodily fluids. If you have dirty windows, they aren't a big health concern, but a doorknob touched after a sneeze can be.

It’s important to read labels and follow the directions on products. Products labeled as disinfectants will adequately kill viruses and bacteria if used correctly. But if the label promises to just "sanitize" a surface, the fine print might say it’ll kill 99.9% of the bacteria, but not mention if it's effective against viruses or fungi. You want to look for disinfectants because they can kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi when used properly.

Before disinfecting anything in your house, decide whether you'll wear gloves and what kind. Rubber gloves are more durable and reusable, but disposable latex ones also work. Just remember to always wash your hands with soap and warm water after using any cleaning products.

If you need help with any deep cleaning and disinfecting needs, contact us at SERVPRO of Palm Desert. Not only do we use the proper disinfectants, but our professionals receive the necessary training and field experience to service your home or workplace to achieve the highest standards of cleanliness and customer satisfaction.

Emergency Ready Plan

5/25/2018 (Permalink)

No One Plans for a Disaster, but you can Prepare for it!

Disasters and emergencies often strike without warning.  Planning for disasters is critically important to your communities and companies.  By compiling a comprehensive information resource – an Emergency READY Plan – you are letting your constituents know you care enough to plan for their well-being.  In any size disaster, speed matters.  A prompt response makes the homeowners and employees feel cared for.  A fast response can also save resources and can minimize interruption and associated lost work days.  It can also save thousands of dollars in reduced secondary damage.

For these reasons, SERVPRO began a National partnership in 2013 with the American Red Cross as the largest corporate sponsor for the Ready Rating Program.  This program encourages families and businesses to prepare ahead of time for disasters.   To facilitate readiness, the American Red Cross and SERVPRO developed the Emergency READY Profile (ERP), a free APP that anyone, including community associations, can use to prepare their personalized plan.

The ERP helps you compile all the necessary information that the American Red Cross and SERVPRO have learned is vital in case of an emergency.  The ERP is completely customizable to suit a family or an entire community.   It identifies local emergency contact information such as fire, police and hospital contacts.  It has local utility contact information, with a detailed description of utility shut off locations.  Free physical shut-off tags are also available through SERVPRO to make recognition easier.  Additionally, a photo can be uploaded of each utility location, providing a visual aide for quick reference. 

The ERP also identifies the company’s name, title, phone number and email of all primary contacts needed to begin cleanup and restoration, including maintenance contacts and property manager information.  Other contacts can be added such as a preferred electrician, flooring company, HVAC contractor or plumber.  There is a section in the ERP for insurance contact information, whether it be for the structural areas or contents.  You can also list the carrier, broker and policy number for quick reference in the event of an emergency.

The ERP also provides a property overview portion that is a one-page snapshot of your business, community or home.  It provides the address, a photo and directions to your location.  It includes the total square footage, the year the property was built and if there are any hazardous materials onsite.  Building access information is also included to accelerate a smooth response to any disaster.

By developing an ERP and having an immediate plan of action, you can help minimize the amount of time your business, home or community is incapacitated.  Knowing what to do, who to call and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation.  Timely mitigation minimizes the effects of water and fire damage allowing your property and business to be restored at an advanced rate, lessening downtime. 

The ERP is a no cost assessment of your facility.  If you don’t already have an emergency plan for your home or community, the SERVPRO® Emergency READY Profile will help you gather critical information needed to begin mitigation and recovery services.  This is a great value at no cost.  It was purposely designed to contain only the critical information needed in the event of an emergency.  Having a quick reference provides solutions in advance of an emergency, so that during the emergency you are "ready for whatever happens."

Once all the information is captured, it can be printed, viewed on a smartphone and shared electronically. Your complete ERP will also include weather alert information, disaster preparedness tips and mitigation tips on what to do until help arrives. 

The free APP is available on iPhone and Android under SERVPRO Emergency READY Plan.

Ronda Henry, Business Development Specialist, SERVPRO of Palm Desert

Ronda Henry is available to help home owners and businesses prepare their ERP.  She has been with SERVPRO of Palm Desert for four years. After extensive training in the front office, Ronda is now part of the sales and marketing team.  Ronda enjoys helping her clients learn more about SERVPRO and preparing for emergencies.   Ronda can be reached at 760-851-4640 (Cell) or by email at ronda@SERVPROpalmdesert.com.

4th Generation SERVPRO Team Member

10/17/2014 (Permalink)

Meet Daniel a fourth Generation SERVPRO Team Member

Meet Daniel one of our Production Team Members here at SERVPRO of Palm Desert. Daniel is a fourth Generation SERVPRO Team Member. Daniel's Great Grandparents Bob and Jean Barber, Grandparents Neal and Cindy Tauferner and his parents David and Aubrey Garcia are all SERVPRO Team Members.

Daniel is on the Training Path to become a Production Crew Chief and eventually a Project Manager. Great Goals! 

CDAR - California Desert Association of Realtors Golf Tournament

5/13/2014 (Permalink)

CDAR Golf Tournament May 12, 2014. Fantastic Weather!

The CDAR- California Association of Realtors held their Annual Golf Tournament in beautiful Palm Desert, California. The weather was warm but fantastic. SERVPRO of Palm Desert is proud to participate in this wonderful event.

Contest Prize Awarded SERVPRO AREA Meeting

3/18/2014 (Permalink)

Bob Barber Being Congratulated by Ron & Mike Hebon.

Bob Barber of SERVPRO of Palm Desert was recently recognized and awarded a prize for the ERP Contest "Emergency Ready Program" at an area meeting held at the San Diego Zoo.

Ron & Mike Hebdon, Southern California Directors at SERVPRO Industries, congratulated Bob in his efforts in helping the business and residential community of the Coachella Valley learn where to store their emergency information in case of a disaster.

Way to Go Bob!

SERVPRO of Palm Desert "Most Informative Exhibitor"

10/4/2013 (Permalink)

Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce Business Expo Award 2013

SERVPRO of Palm Desert was awared "Most Informative Exhibitor" at the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce Business Expo 2013 on October 3, 2013 at the Fantasy Springs Casino. We were honored to be among so many fantastic exhibitors and we are just thrilled to be singled out. Thank you Palm Desert Chamber!

SERVPRO Convention

6/26/2013 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Palm Desert returned from the Annual SERVPRO Convention in Anaheim, California. We are excited to bring back all the information we learned to continue to BE THE BEST. Going to Convention to meet up with old friends and meet new friends and attend the multiple workshops provided is like a breath of fresh air..We Are Ready To Go!!!