Education Center
Resources That Keep You Resilient
With decades of leading North American restoration service experience, we’ve learned how to be at our best when facing the worst. Discover what our restoration industry experience has taught us about preparing for disaster, expediting recovery, and everything in between.
Articles
Articles
COVID-19: Proactive and Reactive Services Available
7/22/2020
Proactive Measures Protecting your teams in advance is as important as a quick response when a positive case of COVID-19 is determined. Contact us to employ proactive cleaning measures as a first line of defense against the arrival of COVID-19 to your business. Reactive Measures When ...
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Proven Expertise in COVID-19 Disinfection For Critical Community Businesses
7/22/2020
We know you are working around the clock to serve our community. Thank you for all you are doing. The Department of Homeland Security has deemed our services as essential. This means we can reach you in even the most difficult of situations. We follow CDC recommendations for cleaning and ...
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Interstate Restoration COVID-19 Letter to U.S. Customers
7/22/2020
On behalf of everyone at Interstate Restoration, we are sending heartfelt wishes to you and your families during this trying time. We sincerely hope you and your loved ones are healthy, and we hope you are successfully managing the stressful personal challenges caused by the many impacts of the COVID-19 ...
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Getting Back On Your Feet After a Fire
7/13/2020
A fire in your home can start in a variety of ways. Many of them are simply accidents, or “flukes,” for which nobody can really prepare. No matter how the fire starts, it is a truly heartbreaking situation to lose your home. When a home is damaged in a fire, ...
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2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season
5/25/2020
The 2020 hurricane season officially starts on June 1. The Tropical Meteorology Project (TMP) at Colorado State University will not release its first full forecast until April 2, but they released an initial discussion on December 12. This initial outlook examines the possibility of several hurricane season scenarios. The TMP is currently giving an ...
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Water Damage Tips
5/23/2020
After your business experiences water damage from a leaky pipe, rainstorm, or flood, you naturally want to get things back to normal as soon as possible. If you’re dealing with anything other than a large incursion, you understandably may be considering handling the cleanup and drying yourself to save ...
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Hurricane Preparedness 7 Day Plan
5/07/2020
Getting to “Prepared” in 7 Days If you don’t already have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and/or Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) in place, the first thing you want to do is grab a template to document the various preparation steps. This way you will have the key ...
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Document Drying & Recovery
5/06/2020
If you’ve never experienced a paper-related disaster, you’d be surprised how fast things can go off the rails in document storage areas. And schools, government offices, law firms, medical offices, and other businesses and facilities that deal with a lot of paper are all at risk. It only ...
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Document Restoration Tips
4/27/2020
You just discovered that important business or historical documents or books are moist or wet. Now what? Hopefully, you will never be in this situation. But if you ever are—or are now—it’s important to know what to do. First, don’t panic. Freeze drying and restoration processes ...
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How Far Will Mold In Your AC Closet Spread
4/27/2020
Moisture is typically the culprit when you find mold growth in the AC closet. In damp, moist conditions, mold can spread quite rapidly from one location to another. Checking the unit and drying out the room regularly are the best ways to prevent mold from spreading to the rest of ...
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Water Damage and Repairing Flooring
4/25/2020
Water damage can cause a number of flooring problems for property owners. Some of the top concerns to consider include, how to get rid of subsequent carpet odor, mold growth in the carpet, how to repair laminate flooring water damage, and how to fix water damaged hardwood floors. These are ...
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Why Crime Scene and Biohazard Cleanup is More Intense
4/03/2020
Crime scene and biohazard cleanup are intense tasks that require the care and expertise of a certified restoration specialist. This is demanding and challenging work that is not suited for just anyone to take on. Cleanup for these types of scenes often results in working long and unpredictable hours. The ...
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Humidity and Temp Control When Air Handling Units Are Down
3/02/2020
Business leaders can benefit from understanding the importance of humidity and temp control when shutting down, upgrading, or replacing commercial air handling units. Making changes to the air handling unit is often an attempt at improving the economics and operational efficiency of the enterprise. Depending on the nature of the ...
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Understanding a Water Damage Loss
2/22/2020
Water losses from weather and non-weather related events account for approximately 30% of all homeowner claims, representing the highest percentage of any claim category. When a water loss occurs, the first step is to identify the source of the water and eliminate it. The next step is to have a qualified ...
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Document Freeze Drying Technology
2/19/2020
Flooding, fire, pipe breaks, or even adverse conditions like humidity, can quickly destroy paper documents, records, and books. But content recovery and restoration methods, such as freeze-drying, can save critical paper assets. Planning ahead for rapid response is key. Our Document Restoration Services now use the fastest freeze-drying technology ...
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How to Choose a Restoration Contractor
2/13/2020
Massive rains can put a severe strain on municipal infrastructure – drainage pushed beyond its limits, homes and businesses flooded, and power outages affecting thousands. When catastrophic rains occur, extreme increases in the need for restoration services result in contractors knocking on the doors of homes and businesses, looking to fill ...
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How Fast Can Mold Grow And Become A Problem
1/07/2020
Unfortunately, mold can be found almost anywhere. However, when mold is present in the indoor environment there is usually moisture present. Mold especially likes to grow where temperatures are 68°F, dim lighting, and very little air circulation. Mold spores are known to travel throughout the air, attach themselves to any ...
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10 Ways To Reduce Slips, Trips, And Falls In Your Business
10/13/2019
Slips, trips, and falls are the leading cause of general workplace accidents and injuries ranging from minor bruises to severe traumas such as head injuries, broken bones, sprains, and lacerations. In fact, slips, trips, and falls are often reported as the most common causes of workers’ compensation claims. To reduce ...
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Mold in Mechanical Chases
10/13/2019
It’s often beneficial for property owners and managers to be knowledgeable about the causes, concerns, and remediation associated with mold growth developing in mechanical chases. Mechanical chases are the large openings in the attic plane that allow ducts, pipes, or wire bunches to pass from the living space into ...
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Three Steps To Minimize Damage For Frozen Pipes
8/12/2019
If your business is in an area, like Dallas for example, where you get occasional freezes during otherwise mild winters, here’s an important fact: Upwards of 90% of the calls we receive are related to frozen and broken pipes. Surprising isn’t it? But, the culprits for frozen pipes can ...
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Business Continuity Disaster Contingency Plan Checklist
7/13/2019
When a natural disaster strikes, a business contingency plan, and continuity management program can make all the difference in whether your company thrives or struggles post-event. Through team-building and proper analysis, business continuity management systems, and contingency plans for emergency response, restoration can be created and maintained so that your ...
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Vetting A Restoration Company
6/28/2019
Coupled with the housing crisis, economic conditions have caused a perfect storm of interest in restoration contracting. The influx of choices and competition for your business stemming from the amount of new-to-the-industry contractors can make choosing the right reconstruction contractor a challenge. Inexperienced contractors may underbid projects without being aware ...
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Recovering Wet Documents Or Books
5/23/2019
Want to watch some paper dry? Of course not. Unless maybe you’re dealing with something particularly unpleasant at work today. But in all seriousness, when your business or organization is dealing with important wet documents or books—and the potential related process of legal costs, or historical losses—paper ...
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Handling Smoke Damage after a Fire
5/21/2019
Where there’s fire, there’s smoke… and smoke damage. You may think you can wait to clean the soot while you address other, more pressing issues. The truth is though that leaving the soot only causes more damage. Soot damage begins almost immediately and continues to worsen over time.
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11 Characteristics Of Great Crisis Leaders
5/13/2019
Any time your business confronts a rapidly unfolding crisis, whether it’s related to a natural disaster, the weather, a pipe breaking, or a human-caused event, the stakes are high. In the vast majority of circumstances, businesses with up-to-date disaster recovery plans (DRPs) and access to effective crisis managers have ...
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Post-Disaster Response What Not To Do Podcast
4/14/2019
Click on the podcast "Audio" button below and learn about the five important things you should avoid doing after a disaster. Hilton Brown has more than 25 years' experience in the insurance and risk management industry. Hilton has extensive experience in claims handling, risk consulting, business continuity planning, and Emergency Response ...
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Pipe Leak Emergency
2/18/2019
There are times when water damage seems to sneak up out of nowhere. A few weeks ago, a man frantically contacts our emergency line. It seemed as though a pipe started leaking under his kitchen sink a couple hours before he got home, so he walked right ...
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Rethinking The Disaster Recovery Status Quo
2/13/2019
Most of us never consider the big picture of how the disaster restoration industry business models work. And for good reason… you already have plenty on your plate and no urgent need to evaluate models. But if you are managing a portfolio of properties with many locations, it is worth ...
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Climate Control Using Desiccant Dehumidification
11/13/2018
Desiccant dehumidifiers are one of the most effective ways of removing moisture from the air within industrial environments and commercial buildings. This climate control technology is implemented through a variety of applications in nearly two dozen major industries. The desiccant material or chemical used in these dehumidifiers easily attracts and ...
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Faster Disaster Recovery Begins With Preplanning And Trust
10/18/2018
We’ve seen all kinds of mind-blowing disaster situations, and we’re still learning along with our clients. Although we haven’t lost the capacity for surprise, it takes pretty unusual circumstances. For most businesses, however, new or unusual disaster circumstances that lead to unwelcome surprises are commonplace. And the ...
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Disaster Recovery And Ending The Cycle Of Mistrust
10/14/2018
Hot off the press, we have a second video for you which highlights the value of establishing a close partnership with a restoration provider to accelerate property recovery overall. If you missed our first blog installment which discusses how our unique approach to recovery is different from all the rest, ...
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Workplace Hurricane Kit
9/25/2018
With ample warning and tracking, hurricanes (and tropical storms) should not catch any business owner or manager by surprise. Despite the warning, many businesses choose to stay open as a hurricane or tropical storm moves into the area. For these businesses, a hurricane supply kit can prove to be essential ...
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How Restoration Companies Respond To Disaster Recovery
9/23/2018
Fire. Flooding. Storms. Natural Disasters. These events can bring business operations to a screaming halt. Getting a business up and running as quickly as possible is always our goal. How do we do it? Careful preparation and building relationships long before the storm hits. Being prepared means taking a proactive ...
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To Renovate or Restore? That is the Question!
9/17/2018
Wednesday, July 22, 2015•Scott Windell A restoration project is when you return a property back to its original condition, accurately portraying the historic context and integrity. Restorations are common in historic buildings, but they can also be applied in any major improvement project. Repairing holes in the walls, fixing and replacing ...
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Small-Business Disaster Recovery Checklist
9/14/2018
When readying your business for disaster recovery, consider these steps recommended by the American Red Cross and other assistance groups: Provide your business with efficient, reliable document backup and storage Store copies of important documents such as insurance policies, business licenses, and property deeds in an off-site location ...
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Water Damage and Filing Claims with Insurance
8/26/2018
Property owners can benefit from understanding how to use homeowner’s insurance to cover residential water damage. Along with understanding how to get the insurer to pay for the damages, property owners should also know how to actually file the homeowner’s claim for the damages. For those who don’...
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Planting One Tree for Every Project We Complete
7/22/2018
As a restoration company, we are intimately aware of the toll a disaster can take on a community. Disasters are devastating all around. What isn’t often talked about is the toll a disaster can take on the environment. Helping restore the environment after a disaster At Interstate, ...
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Earthquake Planning For Small Businesses
5/13/2018
Earthquakes are not common in the United States, but earthquake events in other parts of the world often demonstrate their brutal destructive power. The Federal Emergency Management Agency reports that no less than 45 states are at moderate to high risk of earthquakes. In April 2011 for example, an earthquake in Virginia (...
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Tips to Help With Smoke Damage
4/25/2018
A small chimney or kitchen fire can be frightening. The sight of flames can invoke panic, and if you don’t act quickly, flames may engulf your entire house. Having a fire extinguisher on hand can keep the fire at bay and smother flames. But even if you’re able ...
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15 Critical Actions To Take Before The Storm
4/13/2018
1. Don't panic and remain calm This will help you think clearly and critically. According to Dr. Robert Chandler’s 3-Dimensional Model © of Effective Leaders, three core traits can be found in the most effective crisis leaders: Strong communication skills - leaders should provide and solicit key information, engage ...
Read moreClient Stories
Client Stories
Brazil Mudslide
7/16/2020
Heavy summer rains caused a mudslide behind a major hotel in Rio de Janeiro, sending a mixture of water, mud, and debris through the entire ground level of the structure. Interstate Restoration mobilized immediately upon receiving the call for help from the client. By using our extensive resource network, including ...
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Hurricane Dorian
7/16/2020
THE SITUATION When Hurricane Dorian formed in late August, initial projections had it on a collision course with Florida. As the days progressed, however, the storm path shifted northward, leaving municipalities and businesses up the east coast and into Canada scrambling to plan for Dorian’s potential impact ...
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Mendocino California Forest Fire Restoration Client Story
8/09/2017
The Mendocino project focused on reforestation in the wake of the 2017 Redwood Valley Fire which ravaged more than 36,000 acres of forest. Mendocino County was already facing severe drought and a bark beetle infestation that killed a significant number of trees before the fires started. Our partners worked with community associations ...
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Interstate Restoration has helped our clients recover from a full range of unique challenges, from fires and floods to winter storms and hurricanes. Reach out today to find out how we can meet your specific needs.
Educational Videos
Educational Videos
Why Partner With Us For Hail Claims Help
1/22/2019
Although hail can strike at any time, the summer and fall months typically see more activity than spring and winter. Watch our hail demo to see how we go the extra mile to make the recovery process as smooth as possible from pulling permits, to providing a site supervisor, giving ...
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How To Guides
A Quick Guide to Fire Damage How To Guide
2/25/2020
A Quick Guide to Fire Damage How To Guide Fire Damage Guide: Download this complimentary “how-to” guide that will help you understand some of the types of issues you may have to deal with after a fire—and what to do to be prepared for the difficult circumstances.
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The Biggest Fails in Fire Disaster Recovery
9/15/2019
Unless you’ve been through a fire loss, it’s hard to appreciate how quickly different types of seemingly random issues can complicate the recovery and rebuilding process. To help you understand the value of preplanning for losses, we’ve put together a few quick examples of the kinds of ...
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Hospitality Disaster Recovery Plan
9/14/2019
Introduction In the hospitality industry, a disaster recovery plan (DRP) is a key part of smart business. A DRP can help you protect guests and employees during business disrupting events and speed business recovery and ongoing operations after them. After all, any business can only handle a limited amount of ...
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Hurricane Losses
6/25/2019
Once a tropical storm or hurricane pops up in the forecast and is tracking toward your location(s) there are a lot of uncertainties and a lot is at stake. After all, it’s impossible to know how intense the storm will ultimately be and what kind of damage you ...
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How To Create A Disaster Recovery Plan
9/14/2018
Disaster recovery planning is important not only to protect employees and building guests during an event, but for ensuring a rapid recovery once the worst is over. Our disaster recovery experts have developed a Jump Start Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) to help get you on the right path to disaster ...
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Setting New Standards in the Restoration Industry
5/07/2018
FirstOnSite is committed to providing superior Customer Experience. Our most powerful Customer Experience initiative to date is the introduction of mobileCT: proprietary new software that empowers our teams to gather information, develop site reports and drive the job cycle directly from the field. Our insurance customers can now experience an ...
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Hurricane Losses and Fails
3/15/2017
The fact is that in an area-wide disaster like a hurricane, there are all kinds of logistical and communication-related considerations that can have a dramatic impact on recovery time and costs. This short booklet includes some quick examples of how poor planning for hurricanes can make already tense situations even ...
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News
Interstate Lands Environmental Construction Award
8/21/2020
HONOLULU – August 20, 2020 – Interstate Restoration Hawaii has won the General Contractors Association of Hawaii’s prestigious “Build Hawaii” award for Environmental Construction. Interstate received recognition for its remediation, restoration and abatement efforts at the 568-unit Marco Polo condominium building following a significant fire. The fire, and the resulting water damage from ...
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Interstate Restoration Expands to Puerto Rico
8/12/2020
FT. WORTH, Texas (August 12, 2020) Interstate Restoration, one of North America’s largest and fastest-growing emergency response planning, property mitigation and reconstruction service providers, has opened an office in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The office will allow Interstate Restoration to better respond to damage caused ...
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Interstate Restoration Acquires Rolyn Companies
7/02/2020
FORT WORTH, Texas – July 2, 2020 – Interstate Restoration, one of the largest independent emergency response, decontamination, restoration and reconstruction services providers for commercial enterprises in North America, has acquired Rolyn, one of the largest privately-owned, full-service restoration companies in the United States. This acquisition expands Interstate’s geographic reach and enhances its ...
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Super Restoration Integrates into Interstate Restoration
2/06/2020
FORT WORTH, Texas (February 6, 2020) – Super Restoration, owned by publicly traded FirstService Corporation (NASDAQ: FSV, TSX: FSV), announced today they will fully integrate under Interstate Restoration. The integration is expected to be completed later this summer. Interstate is a subsidiary of FirstService and the second-largest independent North American restoration and reconstruction ...
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Interstate Restoration Acquires Perfection Property Restoration
12/02/2019
FORT WORTH, Texas (Dec. 2, 2019) – Continuing its aggressive growth strategy, Interstate Restoration has acquired Perfection Property Restoration based in East Dundee, Ill. With 86 employees and offices in three Midwestern states, Perfection prides itself on its rapid response to clients in distress, with an emphasis on getting commercial clients back to business ...
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Interstate Restoration Acquires CATCO
11/19/2019
FORT WORTH, Texas (Nov. 19, 2019) – Interstate Restoration has acquired one of the most esteemed commercial restoration companies in Missouri, expanding Interstate’s capabilities to help clients in key markets. Interstate announced that the newest addition to the Interstate family is Catastrophe Cleaning & Restoration Co, Inc., also known as CATCO. This 50...
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Interstate Restoration Supports First Responders
8/28/2019
DENVER (Aug. 28, 2019) – A pair of fundraising events sponsored by Interstate Restoration will infuse some first-responder organizations in the Denver metro area with at least $7,500. Interstate was a primary sponsor of the First Responders Appreciation Event for the City of Aurora last weekend, which was worth $2,500 to the organization. Interstate will ...
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Interstate Restoration Acquires ASR
7/16/2019
FORT WORTH, Texas (July 16, 2019) – Interstate Restoration continued its steady growth in the North American market with the acquisition of ASR Property Restoration, the largest restoration company in California’s Ventura County. Interstate has completed the transaction to add all of ASR’s assets and its three divisions (restoration, special services ...
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Document Recovery Expert Gains Rare Triple Certification
5/14/2019
FORT WORTH, Texas (May 14, 2019) – Our business of document recovery is a serious one. David Patrician, vice president of our Document Recovery Division, recently became one of the world’s few technicians certified as a “Triple Master” by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Of the 63,000 active technicians ...
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Interstate Restoration Joins Tree Planting Event
4/22/2019
FORT WORTH, Texas (April 22, 2019) – In advance of Monday’s Earth Day celebrations, Interstate Restoration helped hundreds of volunteers plant small evergreen trees in the fire-ravaged Sunshine Canyon outside of Boulder, Colo., on Saturday, April 20. The team was led by Interstate Chief Executive Stacy Mazur, who said it’s important to ...
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Detroit Area Expecting More Frozen Pipe Damage During Warm-Up
2/01/2019
FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 1, 2019 – Interstate Restoration, one of North America’s leading disaster-recovery companies, is responding to a large influx of calls for burst pipes across the greater Detroit area as a result of recent extreme Arctic air. The company has also been mobilizing staff, contractors, temporary labor, and equipment ...
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Acquisition Creates Industry Giant
5/31/2016
May 31, 2016 (Press Release) - FT. WORTH, TX - Interstate Restoration LLC, already a U.S. leader in disaster recovery efforts on a commercial scale, has climbed the ranks in continental stature by completing the acquisition of FirstOnSite Restoration G.P. Inc. in Canada. As a result of the transaction, Interstate ...
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Podcast
Natural Disaster Impacts On Construction Projects – Part1
9/22/2019
Natural Disaster Impacts On Construction Projects - Part1 In Part 1 of 2, expert panelists including Interstate Restoration’s Joe Poliafico, Global Director Insurance & Risk Management, share insights on natural disasters and their impacts on construction and business in ConstructorCast AGC of America. Listen to Part 1 here. Key Takeaways:
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Marks Of A Crisis Leader Podcast
5/23/2019
Listen to the compelling podcast recordings below to hear from Dr. Robert Chandler (otherwise known as Dr. Bob) what it takes for leaders to be most effective during a crisis. Part 1: Strong Communication Listen in as Dr. Bob explains what it takes to communicate effectively and become a ...
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Training
Continuing Education Classes for Agents
8/13/2020
Here at Interstate Restoration, we proudly offer a variety of training and continuing education classes to ensure our partners are setup for success. If you are an insurance agent with an existing login or need to register for the first time, please use the link below for your personal CE ...
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Webinars
Natural Disaster Impacts On Construction Projects – Part 2
10/17/2019
We wrap up this two-part series with expert panelists including Interstate Restoration’s Joe Poliafico, Global Director Insurance & Risk Management, sharing how they have worked through these tough issues and some tips you don’t want to miss. Key Takeaways: How to navigate through a ...
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Recovery Starts Here
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