Free information
The basis of all disaster recovery is to return to the pre event condition as quickly as possible at the lowest cost. Whether you’re a commercial company with contingency plans or a homeowner affected by disaster you may require information or support in areas to which you have no experience or knowledge. We provide free information to assist you in your decision making process and more importanly provide the information you need to assess the competence of contractors.This site was originally written from our training programs and offfered free to the public in the attempt to reduce some of their loss or suffering in the wake of disaster. (see Carlisle audits)
Why you need independent Flood Recovery advice in the UK
You could be forgiven for thinking that as the UK has suffered flooding for centuries that we have experience and knowledge in restoration.Changes in construction design and introduction of energy efficient building materials, coupled to the import of restoration practices designed for other climates has resulted in chaos.See a free video on (Drying & Restoration Problems)
Government recognise Flood Victim failures
In the wake of flood events of Lewes 2000 Carlisle 2004 Hull and Sheffield 2007 the government recognised that the UK had difficulty in recovering from disaster or flood events.With side by side homes varying in recovery times between months and years and costs between tens and hundreds of thousands of pounds, something was clearly wrong. The Cabinet office instructed Sir Micahel Pitt to investigate the floods of the NE in 2007. His report concluded that no one appeared to know what they were doing. (See section 7)
Is the web site information really free and unbiased?
As an internationally recognised disaster recovery expert with world wide experience I have as the sole author, a personal reputation to protect. This web site was first written in 2000 and is used by industry as a reference source for both assistance and expert witness resource. (CV biography)
Can Disaster Advice provide individual assistance?
We do offer free help to communities (only) and provide on site advice where organised requests are received. We will particularly help the uninsured or old age pensiones with practical advice on how to salvage their belongings and reduce damage and their expected costs.We also provide technical support and expert witness services to those that will now recognise incompetence in restoration or safety issues.(Consultancy Free Appraisal)
Why is this information necessary?
There are no national standards or protocols in flood or disaster recovery or restoration. There is no nationally recognised training, education or certification in fire or flood restoration.That includes BDMA who have no training or detailed syllabus, no chain of custody or nationally recognised examination procedure. Several hundered technicians have turned up and passed the multi choice examination that has remanied unchanged for 10 years.
How would you identify a competent contractor?
In any other industry you could rely on a contractors certification and membership and compliance to relevent trade bodies. Unfortunately in the UK this doesn't exist. In a post disaster event you will depend on the expertise of others to assist you in your recovery. Unfortunately not all assistance is competent or indeed independent.You will see that no two contractors will approach two similarly damaged properties in the same way or with similar costs or time frames.
Assurances
We are or have been members of most industry related trade associations and the principle consultant was initial chairman of the UK arm of IICRC and founder chairman and initial spfinancial sponsor of the BDMA British Damage Management Association and also chairman of the BCI London Forum in 2007. Read More