News Releases

Columbia, Maryland – The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) suggests that individuals evacuating due to the pending hurricane gather these items to take with them:

• Health & homeowners insurance policies, wills, passports, other critical papers
• Family photos, jewelry & irreplaceable mementos
• Disposable camera, digital camera, video camera
• Digital inventory CD of house and printout of contents
• Paper & pen, address book, emergency phone numbers (family, hospital, physicians)
• Wallet, checkbook, credit cards and cash
• Canned goods, can opener, peanut butter, protein bars, bouillon cubes, M.R.E.s, baby food
• Bottled water (1/2 gallon per person), water purification tablets
• Sharp knife, duct tape, electrical tape, small shovel, rope, work gloves, fix-a-flat for tires, tarps, dust masks, small toolbox, all-purpose tool
• Water proof matches, butane lighter, small fire extinguisher
• Transistor radio, batteries
• Candles, flashlights  
• Pet food and supplies
• Toiletries – toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, feminine products, diapers, baby wipes, paper towels, trash bags
• First aid kit, hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment, vitamins, general remedies (cold, flu, allergies, chap stick, antacids), glasses
• Clothing – long pants/shirts/gym clothes for sleeping/rain poncho, walking/working shoes, extra underwear and socks, jackets/sweaters
• Sleeping bags, cots, air mattresses, folding chairs
• Laptop computer, cell phone, chargers & car chargers
• Medication & prescriptions
• Extra batteries
• Maps
• Children’s games, deck of cards

“While this list of is not all-inclusive, it provides a good starting point under very difficult circumstances,” said RIA President, Frank Headen, CR, WLS, CMH. “RIA members know from experience how important it is to be prepared for the unexpected.”

More disaster tips and what to do after a flooding emergency can be found on the RIA website at www.restorationindustry.org under the “consumers” link.

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The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) has member firms worldwide. RIA provides leadership and promotes best practices through advocacy, standards and professional qualifications for the restoration industry. More information is available on the RIA website: www.restorationindustry.org.

Clear, concise communication relies on a common understanding of terms. Disagreement over word definitions in contracts, scopes of work, estimates, reports, and invoices leads to conflict that too often has to be resolved by legal proceedings.   Suppliers, insurance adjusters, consultants, clients, and contractors have, at times, spoken different languages. Similarly, regions of the country have adopted certain terms and definitions unfamiliar to industry participants in other areas. Today, our society is more litigious than ever and many restoration industry participants work coast-to-coast. Contractors, regardless of market, are learning new terms and different definitions for known terms. The importance of an accepted glossary of industry terminology has never been more important; because whenever two parties dispute the meaning of term, the one that has relied on an accepted standard definition has a far greater chance of prevailing.

RIA has developed a dictionary of industry terms for purposes of establishing a common understanding of language to be used in contracts, scopes of work, estimates, reports, and invoices. We encourage review and comment from industry participants and the public at large. Please share with other interested parties and invite their feedback. As the dictionary of Restoration Industry Terminology expands and becomes more refined, disputes over the meaning of terms used in the project documents will be more easily settled. Before logging in, please review the list of terms included in the dictionary by clicking here. Once you have had a chance to familiarize yourself with the terms defined, click here to login into our online discussion forum.

Once you have logged into the site, you can then search through the words and add any comments or concerns you may have by clicking “Add New Comment” on the desired term. Each comment will be reviewed and taken into consideration by the task force and replies to comments will be posted.

For a pdf version of the list of terms, click here.

Columbia, MD – The RIA Fall Conference will be held on October 5-8 in Albuquerque, N.M., during the International Balloon Fiesta. This year’s program will focus on building science and its relationship to restoration and reconstruction.

Noted building science professional Joseph Lstiburek, Ph.D., P.Eng., will speak at a  preconference session and explain how building science applies to water damage restoration and drying. The full conference opens with presentations on evaluating building materials for restorability and the value of builder/damage repair contractor collaborations. 

Day two examines damage evaluation and restoration of non-conditioned spaces, includes a mini-keynote on home performance contracting, a look at university studies related to industry issues, an update from Purdue University on it restoration program within the construction management department, and an opportunity to hear and learn from leading authorities in the realm of building and construction science.

Presenters include: Lew Harriman, III, Mason Grant; Mike Humphrey, David Weekly Homes; Pat Huelman, University of Minnesota; Darren Hudema, WLS, Dri-Eaz Products; Mac Pearce, MPH, Mold Sampling & Diagnostic Service; Bill Rose, Building Research Council, University of Illinois; Randy Rapp, D. Mgt, PE, Purdue University, Bldg. Const. Mgt. Tech.; Teri Weston, Ph.D., DuPont; and Pete Consigli, CR, WLS, G. Pete Consigli Group.

The conference is $675 for RIA members and $875 for non-members, and includes the two-day conference, meals and a trip to the Balloon Fiesta. Attendees who register by September 14 can save $150 on the conference.

Full details and registration forms for the RIA Fall Conference & Exhibition are available on RIA’s website, www.restorationindustry.org or by phoning 443-878-1000. 

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The Restoration Industry Association (formerly the Association of Specialists in Cleaning & Restoration) has member firms worldwide. RIA provides leadership and promotes best practices through advocacy, standards and professional qualifications for the restoration industry. More information is available on the RIA website: www.restorationindustry.org.

Columbia, MD – The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has released for public comment the industry’s first standard regarding the identification of soot and char in HVAC systems. Developed by a Restoration Industry Association sub-committee of the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization (IESO) the standard, Evaluation of HVAC interior surfaces to determine the impact from fire-related particulate, took approximately 16 months to develop and recently underwent a peer review by the IESO Consensus Body. IESO filed the Project Initiation Notification System notice with the American National Standards Institute for the standard in early 2008.

The purpose of the standard is to evaluate whether or not fire-related residue has been deposited on HVAC interior surfaces. Char is used as the primary indicator and soot is used as the secondary indicator of fire-related particulate. Char and soot were selected as indicators because char is a byproduct of almost all fires and is easily identifiable under most circumstances. Soot is also a byproduct of almost all fires and is easily identifiable if the sample is appropriately collected and properly analyzed.

The Draft Standard and Comment Form may be downloaded on the IESO Website at:  http://www.ieso.org/standards/index.asp?committee=1 or by contacting the IESO Secretariat, Kristy M. Lee at:  klee@iestandards.org. Deadline for comments is Monday, August 30, 2010.

“This standard will provide restoration professionals with an important tool when evaluating whether or not the interior surfaces of a mechanical system have been impacted by fire-related residues. It provides very specific inspection and sampling protocols and uses science to confirm their presence,” explained Tom Yacobellis, chairman of the standard sub-committee.

This is the first ANSI standard created by an RIA sub-committee. The organization is now beginning work on a second ANSI standard related to fire damage restoration.

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The Indoor Environmental Standards Organization (IESO) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the creation of consensus-based standards that provide solutions for healthy indoor environments. IESO is an accredited standards development organization by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). IESO was founded in 2002 and maintains a headquarters in Rockville, MD. For more information, visit www.ieso.org.

The Restoration Industry Association (formerly the Association of Specialists in Cleaning & Restoration) has member firms worldwide. RIA provides industry leadership, supports science, and promotes best practices for cleaning and restoration. More information is available on the RIA website: www.restorationindustry.org.

Columbia, MD – Cleaning & Restoration (C&R) magazine, the monthly technical journal for the Restoration Industry Association (RIA), recently received an Apex award for editorial excellence in a competition sponsored by Communications Concepts.  

The September 2009 issue of C&R focused on Social Media Marketing and received an Apex Award for editorial excellence for magazines and journals that print over 32 pages. The Apex Awards competition encompassed more than 3,700 entries from organizations across the country.

“The way companies market has changed drastically over the last few years and this issue highlighted some of those newer options for our readers,” said Editor-in-Chief Patricia Harman. “We believe it’s critical to keep our readers on the cutting edge of issues that directly impact their companies’ success.” 

Cleaning & Restoration magazine has won a total of 18 design and editorial awards over the past six years.

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The Restoration Industry Association (formerly the Association of Specialists in Cleaning & Restoration) has member firms worldwide. RIA provides leadership and promotes best practices through advocacy, standards and professional qualifications for the restoration industry. More information is available on the RIA website: www.restorationindustry.org.

The clean up from the floods in Nashville continues weeks after the event, and RIA members are playing a major role in helping the city get back to some semblance of normalcy.

Cleaning & Restoration’s editor was on the ground visiting a number of projects in the area and will be running updates on them in upcoming issues of the magazine. In the meantime, here are some of the photos from that trip.

Special thanks to Belfor, Sharp & Robbins Construction, Asset Recovery Technologies, and Royal Plus Disaster Kleenup for their behind-the-scenes tours. Also working in the area are Mitigation Services, Inc.; First Restoration Services, Inc.; American Technologies, Inc.; 1 Priority Environmental Services; Compleat Restorations; Regency DKI, Rolyn Companies, Inc.; Epic Response, LLC, and Paul Davis.

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RIA Recognizes Six Professionals with the Certified Water Loss Specialist^SM Credential

Columbia, MD – The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) recently recognized six professionals with the Water Loss Specialist (WLS) certification during its induction and awards ceremony at its recent convention in Atlanta, Ga.

This is the highest recognition awarded in the cleaning and restoration industry to professionals engaged in water loss restoration. The WLS certification emphasizes high levels of professionalism and training in water damage, drying and restoration, microbial remediation, and health and safety. 

“These individuals worked very hard and have shown their commitment to being the best in the industry. They each completed a rigorous course of study, passed an exam with a score of 80% or higher, and submitted a formal report and a research paper – so this is no small accomplishment,” said Pete Consigli, CR, WLS, the WLS certification advisor.

The new WLS certificants include: Luc Caron, CR, (WLS #120), Winmar; William Shawn Silliman, CR, (WLS #121), First Restoration Services; Jeffrey D. Owens, (WLS #122), Woodard Cleaning & Restoration Services; Scott Black, CR, (WLS #123), Statewide Disaster Restoration; Brian T. Johns, CR, (WLS #124), InStar Services – Safety Harbor; and Johnathan B. Launder, CR, CMP, (WLS #125), Cousino Harris Disaster Kleenup-Sandusky.

A full listing of all individuals holding the Water Loss Specialist certification is available on RIA’s website, www.restorationindustry.org. 

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The Restoration Industry Association (formerly the Association of Specialists in Cleaning & Restoration) has member firms worldwide. RIA provides industry leadership, supports science, and promotes best practices for cleaning and restoration. More information is available on the RIA website: www.restorationindustry.org.

RIA Recognizes Fourteen Professionals with its Certified Restorer^SM Credential

Columbia, MD – The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) has recognized 14 professionals with the Certified Restorer (CR) certification. The certificants received their certifications during the induction and awards ceremony at RIA’s convention in Atlanta, Ga.

This is the highest recognition awarded in the cleaning and restoration industry to professionals engaged in property damage restoration as a result of fire, smoke, water, vandalism and other perils. Since its inception in 1976, only 560 individuals have earned the CR certification. Those who achieve CR status must complete intensive educational requirements demanding a broad range of expertise in the restoration arts. They also must author a formal paper or report on an approved professional subject, and demonstrate their knowledge and commitment to the RIA Code of Ethics.

“In pursuing their Certified Restorer advanced certification, these individuals declared that they want to be among the best of their profession,” said Bill Lakin, CR, during the ceremony.

The new CR certificants include: Steven Dean Hass, (CR #561), Advanced Restoration Specialists, Inc.; James A. Kiel, (CR #562), Square One Restoration, Inc.; William Shawn Silliman, WLS, (CR #563), First Restoration Services; Joseph E. Hilson, (CR #564), Church Restoration Group; Robert Aitken, (CR #565), Restoration Management Co.; Marisa Wilson, (CR #566), Total Restoration Services, Inc.; Joshua S. Ray, (CR #567), Coastal States Restoration, Inc.; Richard R. Goulet, (CR #568), Archer Cleaning & Restoration Services; Tom Barr, (CR #569), Platinum Restoration; Jonah Ray, (CR #570), Coastal States Restoration, Inc.; Brian Mullins, (CR #571), Atlas Restoration Specialists, Inc.; William A. Joyner, (CR #572), CareMaster; Ron Marullo, CMP, (CR #573), American Fire Restoration, LLC; and Andrew D. Bachly, (CR #574), Bachly Affiliated Companies.

A full listing of all individuals holding the Certified Restorer certification is available on RIA’s website, www.restorationindustry.org.

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The Restoration Industry Association (formerly the Association of Specialists in Cleaning & Restoration) has member firms worldwide. RIA provides industry leadership, supports science, and promotes best practices for cleaning and restoration. More information is available on the RIA website: www.restorationindustry.org.

RIA Announces 2010 Golden Quill Award Winner

Columbia, Maryland – The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) awarded its prestigious 2010 Golden Quill award to Patrick Moffett, REA, CHMM, of Environmental Management and Engineering in Huntington Beach, Calif., for his two-part series on removing wildfire-caused soot from buildings and contents.

Presented annually at the RIA Convention and Exhibition, the articles are reviewed by a panel of judges who present the award based on the degree of usefulness of the information to readers; the composition and clarity of the article; and the style or personality conveyed by the author. Only articles written by RIA members and submitted to Cleaning & Restoration (C&R) magazine during the previous year are eligible for award consideration.

“RIA is fortunate to have many extremely knowledgeable members who are willing to share their expertise with our readers,” said Editor-in-Chief Patricia Harman. “Eleven articles were eligible for consideration this year and the competition was extremely close, but that just serves to illustrate the quality of the articles submitted.”

Cleaning & Restoration magazine has won 17 awards for editorial and design excellence over the last six years.

For more information on the Restoration Industry Association, visit www.restorationindustry.org.

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The Restoration Industry Association has member firms worldwide. RIA provides industry leadership, supports science, and promotes best practices for cleaning and restoration. More information is available on the RIA website: www.restorationindustry.org.

Disaster Kleenup International Partners With the Restoration Industry Association

Columbia, MD – Disaster Kleenup International (DKI), North America’s largest disaster restoration contracting organization, is partnering with the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) to enroll 100% of the DKI Membership into the industry trade association.

“DKI has long recognized the value of belonging to and becoming involved in the industry,” said DKI President Dale Sailer. “We believe that participation in RIA is critically important. A strong, active trade association makes it much easier for all of us to do business across the country and raises the level of service and knowledge for everyone.” All DKI Members are expected to become RIA members within the next three years.

RIA sponsors an annual convention and fall conference; trade shows with the latest industry products and services; a myriad of in-person and online education offerings; six different industry certifications; a monthly, award-winning publication; a monthly e-newsletter; the prestigious Phoenix Awards for excellence in restoration and reconstruction; a variety of special discount programs for members; access to advisors with expertise in fire damage and textiles; a technical library with more than 1700 articles; and consumer marketing and education materials. The association is currently involved in a number of projects such as the development of a soot/char standard, a major fire damage standard, a specialty rug standard, and industry contracts and accounting guidelines that will impact every cleaning and restoration company in the industry.

“Having DKI Members become active members of RIA is a natural extension of DKI’s role within the industry,” explained RIA Executive Director Don Manger. “Individual DKI Members have played significant roles in many RIA initiatives over the years, and the collective energy and resources that DKI brings will help to further strengthen RIA’s service to the restoration industry. There are only a few large industry organizations that have the integrity and quality reputation at the level where RIA would embrace a universal partnership.”

Disaster Kleenup International, Inc., headquartered in suburban Chicago, is the largest disaster restoration contracting organization in North America.  DKI member companies provide full service restoration to their customers: emergency response, water damage mitigation, fire and contents cleaning, mold remediation, complete reconstruction and much more, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  DKI returns damaged property to its pre-loss condition quickly and efficiently, delivering complete satisfaction to our consumer, insurance, and corporate customers.  For more information about Disaster Kleenup International, Inc., visit their website at www.disasterkleenup.com or contact Michele Donahue at (630) 741-7262.

Additional information on the Restoration Industry Association can be found at www.restorationindustry.org.

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The Restoration Industry Association has member firms worldwide. RIA provides industry leadership, supports science, and promotes best practices for cleaning and restoration. More information is available on the RIA website: www.restorationindustry.org.