Case Studies

Situation/Background

We all shudder to think about that 2:20am phone call; the one that literally says your building is on fire.  The headmaster at Wilson School received that call in late March.  By the time the fire was extinguished, the building was soaked, access holes were cut in the roof, windows were broken, and smoke and soot had traveled throughout the historically significant (96 year-old) building.

Response

After the fire was extinguished, calls were made, and Woodard was on site by 4:30am to tarp the roof and board up the windows and roof.  Fourteen restoration techs were sent to immediately begin the water extraction and fire restoration work.  It was obvious that restoration efforts would need to be accelerated so the children could get back in class quickly.

Solution

Working with the school headmaster, insurance adjuster, and several school officials, Woodard utilized our proprietary FASTRAX job management system and divided the work area into specific pods of activity – each with its own supervisor, technician crew, and daily goals.  This organization slashed the estimated packout time in half, completing the entire school in just 1 1/2 weeks.  One of these groups focused on the “rush” items:  personal items of the students, and other specific identified needs.  Two other groups focused on room-by-room packouts, taking the contents to Woodard’s ContentCare Center^sm for a careful deodorization and cleaning.  

School officials decided to temporarily move to a rented campus, allowing their architect and builder additional time to work on the (already planned) expansion, together with repairs.  Woodard’s “rush” technicians cleaned and delivered 200 chairs and many student desks from the existing school to the new facility, together with the necessary teaching supplies.  Additionally, a group of items that were donated for a school auction were quickly deodorized, cleaned and returned.  Throughout this entire process, students only missed two days of school.

The school’s headmaster and insurance adjuster were thrilled with Woodard’s response, the dedication of the crews, and the overall communication through the process.  As stated by the headmaster, “We were very impressed with the level of Woodard’s work.  Their crews were amazing and very well versed with workflow processes, from deodorizing, to cleaning, and content restoration.  They were always responsive, ready to answer questions, and provided us with the right level of service.  They gave us the confidence and ability to make informed decisions.”

Woodard uses FASTRAX job management system to help close claims fast, to ensure cost savings, and to deliver quality restoration work!