ServiceMaster Restore Encourages Americans to be #HurricaneStrong in the Wake of Devastation from Michael

ServiceMaster
Published: October 26th, 2018

As residents assess the damage, ServiceMaster Restore offers safe re-entry tips for dislocated home and business owners.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - October 26, 2018 - With Hurricane Michael making landfall in the Florida Panhandle as the strongest storm on record in that geographic area, ServiceMaster Restore, one of the largest disaster restoration companies in the world, and a ServiceMaster (NYSE: SERV) company, is reminding home and business owners how to prepare for re-entry and rebuilding.

Americans are feeling the pressure of these increasingly common and devastating weather events. According to a just-released survey from ServiceMaster Restore, 52 percent of Americans think they are more at risk now for a severe storm than they were in past years. Additionally, more than a third report they’ve considered increasing their homeowner’s insurance because of the threat of severe weather.

“As residents return home to assess the damage to their properties, there are a number of health and safety risks to be aware of,” said Mary Kay Wegner, president of ServiceMaster Franchise Services Group. “Before entering your home, be mindful of the possible risks such as mold from standing water, damage to the structure or foundation of your home, and electrical equipment or devices that may have come in contact with water. We don’t want anyone to make a bad situation worse by injuring themselves or others during the clean-up process.”

As residents begin the re-entry and rebuilding process in the wake of Hurricane Michael, ServiceMaster Restore offers the following tips to ensure the safety of your family and your property:

• Use caution when entering as electrical circuits may have been submerged and could cause electrical shock. If in doubt, have the systems checked before entering.
• If your structure or foundation appears unstable, do not attempt to go inside. Water damage after a hurricane can cause walls, ceilings and floors to swell, decay or collapse.
• If using a portable generator, keep it at least 20 feet away to reduce the risk of poisonous carbon monoxide entering your home.
• Photograph and document all damages to your building and belongings to support any future insurance claims. As soon as possible after a storm, contact your insurance company or representative to check your coverage and start the process of filing a claim.
• As eager as you may be to immediately begin the recovery process, do your due diligence and only partner with trusted and qualified professionals. Be wary of contractors who promise to rebuild after you pay an upfront cost, saying they will collect the remaining balance from your insurance company. Ensure you know what is covered before work is started and if you are to pay the deductible prior to work beginning.

In partnership with the American Red Cross, ServiceMaster Restore has set up a fundraising site, RdCrss.org/ServiceMasterRestoreCares, where employees, franchisees and the public at-large can donate to the relief efforts of the American Red Cross.

ServiceMaster is also proud to sponsor the American Red Cross and the American Red Cross Emergency App, available in the app store or by texting “GETEMERGENCY” to 90999, which provides free expert advice on what to do before, during and after a wide range of disasters.

About the 2018 Survey

The 2018 ServiceMaster What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You Survey presents the findings of an online survey conducted by Toluna from May 21-24, 2018 among a sample of 1,078 Americans 18 years of age and older. The margin of error for a sample of this size is ± 3% at a 95% level of confidence. For full survey results please contact the media relations team at (866) 397 7921.

About ServiceMaster Restore

With approximately 2,000 franchised and licensed locations around the world, ServiceMaster Restore and ServiceMaster Recovery Management (SRM) serve customers through a global network of franchises available 24/7/365 to provide residential and commercial restoration services resulting from damage caused by water, fire, smoke or mold. SRM is the large-scale commercial catastrophic disaster restoration unit of ServiceMaster Restore. ServiceMaster Restore and SRM have operations and consulting experience on countless disasters, including clean up after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, wildfires in California and Calgary, and the Pentagon after September 11, 2001. ServiceMaster Restore is a business unit of Memphis-based ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SERV), a leading provider of essential residential and commercial services. More information can be found at servicemasterrestore.com and srmcat.com. ServiceMaster Restore is the Official Disaster Restoration Specialist of Minor League Baseball™.

About ServiceMaster

ServiceMaster (NYSE: SERV) is a leading provider of essential residential and commercial services, operating through an extensive service network of more than 8,000 company-owned locations and franchise and license agreements. Our well-recognized brands include AmeriSpec (home inspections), Furniture Medic (furniture and cabinet repair), Merry Maids (residential cleaning), ServiceMaster Clean (janitorial and residential floor cleaning), ServiceMaster Restore (disaster restoration), Terminix (termite and pest control), and Terminix Commercial (commercial termite and pest control). Like, follow or visit us at facebook.com/ServiceMaster, linkedin.com/ServiceMaster, twitter.com/ServiceMaster, or servicemaster.com. ServiceMaster is the Official Home Services Provider of Minor League Baseball™.

Contacts:

James Robinson
ServiceMaster
901-597-7521
James.robinson@servicemaster.com

Bristol Whitcher
ServiceMaster
617-939-8363
bwhitcher@conecomm.com

SOURCE ServiceMaster