Handling a crime scene is not as easy as it seems. Let’s not get carried away by what we see in the movies and TV shows. If a crime is committed, law enforcement and medical personnel must be first on the scene to get as much evidence as possible before the place becomes contaminated by outsiders. But after they are done and have left, the next step is to clean up the place and make it usable for the owners, if any.
While gathering evidence and preserving the scene are important, they might not be as important as the team to clean up the scene. So how do you find the most fitting service for a homicide cleanup after the authorities are done? Here are a few pointers to guide you in the right direction:
- Look for a Discreet Team
Taking care of a homicide scene can be challenging, especially if the victim is a loved one. It might be easier to handle if the incident happens in a commercial building, where the victim worked. That means it’s removed from the place where people are truly familiar with them, like in their neighborhood.
But if the homicide happens in a neighborhood where everyone knows everyone, there is a need to be discreet with the cleaning process. As a loved one or friend of the victim, you’ll need to hire a team that will ensure discretion and clean the scene without revealing too much information to prying eyes and listening ears. They must know how to keep your private life private and confidential.
One of the best ways to do this is to ask law enforcement officers and medical examiners for recommendations or referrals. You can also ask for help from those who have been in similar situations, although finding them may be a little difficult because of the sensitivity of the situation. The right team should move in and out of the property without drawing attention and they should be able to do a thorough job.
- Certification and Insurance
While getting a discreet team is crucial to the success of a homicide scene cleanup, finding one with the right certification and permits to operate is also important. You don’t want to hire a fraudulent company to work on your property, regardless of how professional they might appear. You will need to carefully verify the company and ensure they are the real deal.
Gone are the days when services that cleared up crime scenes were not regulated because there were no industry standards to guide them. Now, there are regulatory bodies to ensure every team follows specific rules for health and safety.
Therefore, ask every company on your list for their certifications; the faster they are to respond with authentic documents, the more credible they are. Also, such a company must have insurance to protect your property in the event of damage. General insurance is great but specific policies that cover crime scene cleanup and property damage are more beneficial. Follow this resource here to understand why insurance is important.
You can rely on your own insurance for any damage but you’ll also want to save as much money as possible; after all, the cleanup service will cost you good money, sometimes as high as $5,000, depending on the extent of the job. In addition to having the right certification and proper insurance coverage, the company must have the permits to work locally so they don’t clash with the local authorities.
In such a situation, hiring a local service is your best bet because they already know the rules governing homicide cleanup and proper disposal of biohazard materials and waste in that locality. Moreover, they should already have permits to operate in that area.
- Speed of Delivery
It is one thing to get the right company with proper certification, insurance and permits. They can also be discreet and instill confidence that they can get the job done. But it’s a totally different issue to find one that can arrive on time and deliver on schedule. Blood and other bodily fluids require immediate attention at a crime scene because of a few reasons.
The first one is that they easily release diseases through blood-borne pathogens. In other words, it’s extremely dangerous to leave a significant amount of blood and bodily fluids in the open for an extended period. To learn more about blood-borne diseases, check out this resource: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/.
Another reason is that these fluids dry quickly and cause deep stains that get increasingly difficult to remove the longer they stay unattended. That’s why finding one within a short distance of the scene is important. They can arrive quickly and respond at any time of the day in case of an emergency.
It helps to find a company with a wide reach if a local one is not up to standard or doesn’t meet your requirements. Some homicide cleanup agencies have many branches in different locations, making it easy to use a credible one if referred from another city or state.
Conclusion
Homicide cleanup is a difficult process and requires careful attention. As much as you’re tempted to clean up after the death of a loved one, it’s best to leave the job to professionals. However, ensure you hire the right team; follow the tips in this guide to make the right choice. Most importantly, they must meet your specific requirements; it helps if they can provide restoration services in the event of damage at the scene.
