Are You Creating Business or a Job?
By Don M. McNulty

Many people dream of owning a business someday. They dream of being the boss, making the decisions, and making money. The old adage of “you can’t get rich working for the other follow” is true in most instances of life. So when many people see an opportunity they jump at it. After all being in business is all about taking risk isn’t it? Opportunity only knocks a few times in life and it’s up to me to take hold of my destiny and make a life for myself and my family. Isn’t that what we think? Statistics and the odds of “making it” are stacked against you the day you decide to open your doors and hang out the proverbial shingle. Only two in ten make it the first two years, of those who are left only 20% are still in business at the end of the fifth year. At the end of the tenth year only twenty percent of those are left. The final 80% mentioned didn’t lose their business; most of these quit the business because they were tired. Tired of fighting the cash flow, the employee crunch, the no time left to do what they started out wanting to do. Making more money and having more time. Did you know the average life of a Fortune 500 Company is only 47 years, and 68% of all businesses only make $500,000 or less per year? Over two thirds make less than a half million annual dollars. Astounding! Usually people get into the business they know best. Such as a baker who starts a bakery shop, an auto mechanic who starts an auto repair shop. The Lawyer starts representing, the Accountant opens accountancy, and like me, the Housekeeping Director starts a janitorial company. We start those businesses because we feel comfortable in doing those things. We figure if we can do them well we’re confident we can run a business doing whatever. In newer industries like bio cleaning (the art and work of trauma and crime scene cleaning) another dynamic comes into play at least at the beginning. Until the mid to late nineties the industry didn’t exist so there were no people who did the work to have those thoughts. So enters the “Opportunist.” This is an entrepreneur who sees or hears of a new market niche and decides to jump in to be on the “ground floor.” Many bio cleaning businesses started out as part time businesses, “Mom and Pops.” They had to be, no one knew businesses like this existed. But in small enterprises like this the owners are soon caught up in the dreaded whirlpool of entrepreneurship. This whirlpool is fun at the beginning as the currents gently draw you in and as you begin to feel the tug and momentum of the current your belief is the business is growing. It is! But what sinister principle lies beneath the surface. The tenant is the “principle of self-employment.” What they don’t understand is - they are self-employed. Michael Gerber in his book The E-Myth defines the entrepreneur as, “A person who quits a job working for an idiot, to go to work for a maniac!” As the business grows it demands more cash, so we work harder (because the work is all we know how to do) it demands more time, and our mistaken belief is, if I just work hard enough for a little while, enough money will be made, and it will give me time to relax and catch my breath. But since we’ve only paid attention to “how to do the work better,” the techniques of the work, we don’t know how to work smarter through the endeavor, so we try to compensate by working harder. I remember the days I would come home and tell my wife, “I have to be the best paid janitor in the city, but it’s not worth it. I feel like I’m going to die!” I had a business drawing in more than $600 thousand annual dollars with more than fifty employees, and I was the only real manager. I had a couple of supervisors but since I didn’t think there were good people left out there to hire they were just bodies to fill the space. I forgot why I started a business in the first place. I wanted more life, not more work. I wanted to run my own business and not have it run me. I would think there has to be a better way. I remembered my dad once told me, “If I ever wanted to know anything it could be found in a book.” So I started reading everything I could get my hands on. Many business books are on the shelves today. It is probably the most written about subject in the world next to love and relationships. The following is what I discovered through my reading, seminars, and classes I’ve attended over the years.
1. First you need to remember to pay more attention to working on the business not in the business. Figure out what is making you the most money and deploy there.
2. You need to understand the basic concept of business, how it works, and where it demands your time as an owner. You need to navigate the waters and avoid the whirlpool. Take classes, read books and articles and go to seminars on “how to run a business - not do the business.”
3. You need to learn being self-employed, is not the same thing as being a business owner. A self-employed person has to be there to earn the money i.e. a doctor, a dentist, most small enterprises. A business owner runs the people, who run the business and do the work.
4. You have to comprehend how much cash it takes to run your business, and not drain it off through your own wants and desires. Learn how to read financial reports.
5. You need to do ONE thing at a time and resist multiple strategies that steal your time and energy from what makes you money.
6. Have the good sense to know in order to take your business to the “next level” you have to give up two things. Do you know what they are? Control and money!
7. Learn how to hire!!!!!! Surrounding yourself with the right people is what gets you to your goals and the great feeling of business ownership. How do you learn? You read, study, and think. It will come to you. “Slow to hire, fast to fire!” Remember that.
8. Last but certainly not least, “Know as certain as the law of physics is applied to all creation, so are other natural laws in force, which only apply to human endeavor. It is only for each person to seek out these laws and use them for their benefit.” Quote by Don M. McNulty

This article was written by Don M. McNulty, Founder and President of Bio Cleaning Services of America, Inc. Mr. McNulty currently teaches and certifies technicians in Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup and is author of the textbook “The American Standard for the Bio Technician” as well as many other articles. You can contact him through his web site at www.biocleaningservices.com

Can Mr. Joe Carpet Cleaner Just Start Doing Bio Cleaning or Crime Scene Cleanup?

By Don M. McNulty

Not long ago I was asked the above stated question. I would like to share my answer with you.
In most states in the U.S. just about anyone can get into bio cleaning or crime scene clean up with little or no training should they want to. But, before your Joe Carpet Cleaner gets into this service he needs to consider a few things first. He needs to know that the federal government through OSHA regulates the bio cleaning industry by means of the Bloodborne Pathogen Rule 1910.1030. This regulation states that each company engaging in such a service as to where the employees have a “reasonable anticipation” of coming into contact with blood or other potentially infectious material (OPIM), they must have a written “exposure control plan”, that plan will set the perimeters of conduct through certain engineering controls, and training in every aspect with a thorough understanding of this plan needs to be accomplished, and documented before the technician goes into the field. Since there are things lurking in blood that can literally kill him, or his employees, and with a slow death, he and/or his employees need to receive a Hepatitis B vaccine at company expense. This vaccine is a series of three shots and each individual needs to have the first shot at least 10 days before entering a scene. If the employee refuses to have this vaccine, that employee needs to sign a declination form and have it further explained, through this form, that the offer for a vaccination is open to him at anytime in the future, should he change his mind. He really should have training in a certain amount of epidemiology, specifically disease transference. He needs to know the different kinds of pathogens and bacteria that can be lying in wait for the right opportunity to set up shop in a host, namely Joe or his employee. By the way Joe shouldn’t be trying to suck up this blood into his truck mount. Every state does have regulations as to how medical waste needs to be disposed of, and everyone should be familiar with and follow such state regulations. Also, he would contaminate his carpet cleaning equipment and the next customer wouldn’t appreciate cross contamination into their space. Liabilities loom great in the bio cleaning business, mainly because you’re ultimately dealing in someone’s health. At least Joe Carpet Cleaner has knowledge about cleaning processes. However, you’d be surprised how many people within the medical field or first responders (police, fireman, etc.) wanting to get into the bio cleaning industry and don’t have a clue as to basic cleaning techniques, which is essential. But, then again, Joe also needs to acquire basic knowledge of construction. He needs to know that if a portion of a wall or ceiling needs to be removed, what may be on the interior of that wall or what could be above that ceiling. Cutting into a live electrical wire or cutting into a water pipe can have disastrous results. Deodorization techniques should be in his knowledge base, knowing how to deodorize from decomp is paramount. There are other regulations our would-be carpet cleaner will have to know. Such as, the Hazard Communications Standard 1910.1200, and certainly the Respiratory Protection Standard 1910.134, and still others like, the Confined Space, and Fall Protection Standards. Joe shouldn’t be the type of person that says to himself, “I can see that stuff and never get sick.” Joe is only thinking about the visual. However, he needs to know that he’s going to feel it, (it feels slick and fatty), he’s going to smell it, (has an strong menstruation blood odor), and it won’t be some animal he’s killed while hunting, it’s human. Every tech I’ve had including myself has suffered from “stress dreams”. These dreams have weird story lines and usually deal with blood and gore. This comes from “Critical Incident Stress Syndrome,” (CISS), or what some call “Secondary Post Traumatic Syndrome.” These dreams and the stress that comes from doing this work can lead to grave psychological disorders for people who can’t handle these stresses. Joe will have to learn how to defuse or debrief this stress in him and in his employees. This stress doesn’t just come from seeing and handling the physical, it comes while dealing with grief stricken individuals. Joe should develop the coping, emotional, and social skills necessary to help these individuals in dealing with his work while not allowing himself to be caught up in the fray. He’ll need to learn when just to listen while various stories are recounted, and what to say and not say in response. He’ll need to be able to explain his work order and obtain the proper signatures while people are struggling with grief, and disbelief often times bursting into tears when they feel overwhelmed. “Compassion” is the watchword.
There is other work within the bio cleaning field Joe may have to respond to. One would be “unsanitary dwellings.” This is what some people call “pack rats”. The dwelling gets so stuffed of garbage and trash you usually have to walk through the house or apartment through paths. Many times buckets and jars of human waste accumulate, sometimes drug paraphernalia, and if they die in this mess, well it can lead to quite the job. Bio cleaning is more than death and trauma. I’m sure Joe would enjoy the revenue from bio cleaning. Most bio cleans bring in an 85% gross profit margin, and it is possible to earn up to $200 per man hour when you get the work.
After all this, to really answer your question, I don’t believe bio cleaning is the type of business Joe can just walk into and start one day. Like any other business it takes planning, and as you can see it will take a certain amount of training. There’s no law preventing Joe from doing this work or taking the risk involved, but as you can see that’s not the only consideration.
Don McNulty of Bio Cleaning Services of America, Inc. based in the Kansas City area wrote this article. Don is an author and speaker throughout the U.S. and wrote The American Standard for Bio Technicians and currently teaches a seminar called The Basic Bio Technician Course. You can learn more about Bio Cleaning Services and the Technician Seminar through www.biocleaningservices.com

The New Marketing Era for Crime and Trauma Cleanup Companies
By Don M. McNulty, CBT
With the bio cleaning industry growing we are seeing an emergence of a true “field of competition” between companies in a given region. As this happens, the marketing tactics of companies must change to accommodate that “field of competition”.
In the beginning years, we were the only bio cleaning company in our entire area. If you wanted a professional bio cleaning company to come in and clean up a trauma site it would have to be my company. The main way we marketed our company was through “referral agents.” A term we used for those who would be the most likely to know where these sites existed and have contact with the families; namely, all medical examiners (ME), coroners, law enforcement, funeral directors, ambulance companies, etc. As we approached law enforcement and coroners we were told in many cases they could not refer our company because that would create a “Conflict of Interest.”
According to a definition on the web site Wikipedia, “Generally, a conflict of interest can be defined as any situation in which an individual or corporation (either private or governmental) is in a position to exploit a professional or official capacity in some way for their personal or corporate benefit. Depending upon the law or rules related to a particular organization, the existence of a conflict of interest may not, in and of itself, be evidence of wrongdoing. In fact, for many professionals, it is virtually impossible to avoid having conflicts of interest from time to time. A conflict of interest can, however, become a legal matter, for example when an individual tries (and/or succeeds in) influencing the outcome of a decision, for personal benefit. Even if there is no evidence of improper actions, a conflict of interest can create an appearance of impropriety that can undermine confidence in the ability of that person to use his/her position with proper ethics. A conflict of interest can exist even if no unethical or improper act results from it.”
Even though these agencies openly refused to give referrals, on many occasions they would. The reason was explained, “that if you have a grieving family in front of you, learning yet another horror; that they may have to clean up the mess left behind, the referral agent, in all good conscience, could not walk away and leave them wondering where they could get help”, and of course we encouraged that behavior. As the years progressed entrepreneurs exploded our industry and now we have hundreds of companies across the United States and Canada performing this work. As competition heats up we are finding that companies are seeking ways to enhance their chances for a viable, stable company. In stead of learning how to market their companies in a competitive field they are thwarting the process through dubious means. Some are in or have relatives in positions of government bureaucracies that build uncommon relationships with referral agents, some owners are law enforcement or ex-law enforcement, fire fighters or county officials and have an inside track to investigators who are friends, and others have obtained county contracts to remove and transport body remains for the coroner’s office. All of these aforementioned circumstances create a “conflict of interest”, a “restraint of trade,” and may very well be committing a felony by way of the Sherman Act. The Federal Trade Commission oversees unfair trade and commerce. The act states in summary, “Every person who shall monopolize, or attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any other person or persons, to monopolize any part of the trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, shall be deemed guilty of a felony…” By restraining trade any company or agency practicing these tactics can be found liable and their owners with a felony charge. If a law suit comes about due to these practices and the offending company is found guilty; the law states, that all monetary harm will be tripled and paid to the plaintive(s). If you find your company fighting against another company who is illegally restraining trade and/or creating a monopoly due to their position or an inside relationship you can take action. By obtaining a good antitrust attorney to file a complaint with the offending county agency, the county’s District Attorney, the State’s Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission. Do not allow illegal activity to erode your market share or block the free flow of competition.

The Economy of Death Cleaning
Revised and Updated March 16th, 2008
By Don M. McNulty
The Economy of Death Cleaning
Where do cleaning and the death industry meet? Mainly in BIO CLEANING; Bio cleaning is also known as Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup. Many people now know there are companies in the Untied States and Canada performing this work. Until these companies appeared in the marketplace, the work mainly fell to the individual families. Friends, extended family, acquaintances, and an occasional church has handled the cleanup for the most part. There were those rare companies’ from time to time who would sporadically help out, but their focus was mainly on fire and water restoration or carpet cleaning, and the occasional bio clean was something they did once in a while when the opportunity presented itself. These brave souls felt they had the stomach to get in and do the work and were willing to help if they could. But, with the advent of more education towards AIDS and Hepatitis and other Bloodborne Diseases, and the OSHA regulations known as the Bloodborne Pathogen Rule in the mid 80’s, less and less of these individuals were willing to risk their lives in these scenes.
The Birth of a Whole New Industry
Thus the birth of a whole new industry known as “bio cleaning” came about. I have long told my students that we’ve been cleaning up after our dead since Cane and Able and there have always been people individually help with the clean up of these aftermaths, and some companies would do help from time to time. I officially started Bio Cleaning Services of America, Inc. in early 1993 and we were the first company dedicated to helping our communities and in just a few short years several other companies started by 1995. By 1998 various individuals have come on board and have built fairly successful companies performing bio cleaning work along with other services such as fire and water damage remediation , mold remediation, etc. Of course, many have come looking for riches and are already gone - broke and disappointed. In just the last couple of years, fire and water restoration, and carpet cleaning contractors, have now found that this can be a very lucrative niche as an add-on service to what they are already providing. Bio Cleaning Services of America, Inc. has been the catalyst in this movement by providing a seminar format that trains and certifies technicians within this industry.

Pricing has Grown
Although the invoices were much lower at the very beginning, the national average for an invoice is now $2800 to $3500 for just a few hours work with a net profit of 65%, which at first glance may seem excessive. Although these companies now understand that without the proper training and equipment they would be entering into a very dangerous field of work and exposing themselves or their employees to things that can kill them and in order to have the ability to make this offer the personal risk, liabilities, higher wages, training and disposal cost dictate the charges. A savvy provider can enter this work for less than $5000 in basic startup equipment cost less the cost of a vehicle; of course, more can be spent with added equipment and materials. However, in order to be successful, they will need to spend a minimum of $8000 a year for their marketing.
The Industry has taken off like a Rocket
In the later half of the 1990’s this industry has taken off like a rocket. I estimate that there were only 30 or so companies by the end of 1998, but now there are over 250 companies operational within the United States and Canada today. Now the U.K. and Australia have companies performing the work as well. Most of the companies offering bio-cleaning services are less than five years old. So very few areas have no real established companies and the road for competition is very broad. We see a heating up of competition mainly in the larger metropolitan areas. I estimate that currently this industry generates about one half billion dollars per year and see it growing to reach an annual amount of more than 1 billion dollars within the next three to five years. There is only one company annualizing over the million dollar mark, and that is Aftermath, Inc. based in Chicago, IL.
Information is Hard to Come By for Marketing
Currently numbers for marketing research are still hard to come by. Various entities such as Coroners, Society of Sociology, Departments of Health, and the F.B.I. are tracking numbers of suicide, and homicide, but other numbers need to be tracked as well. Such as, unattended death, these are people who die, (usually of natural causes), but are not found for three or more days. These numbers can be found from the individual county coroner’s offices, but they usually do not make a distinction as to where the decedent was found, indoors or out. Automobile incidents are another area where the numbers are totally unknown. Automobiles with blood are still being cleaned or remediated of the blood for the most part, by unqualified body or trim shop personnel, and then the disposal is illegal as well. Medical incidents or altercations where no one dies, but significant blood loss occurs are totally unknown too. So you can see, as these people become more educated as to the dangers lurking in blood and bodily fluids or OSHA becomes more alert to these areas where business and employee safety is a concern, the task of the bio technician will continue to grow.
Other Work is Available
Other areas of remediation the bio cleaning company performs are large deposits of bird, bat, or rodent droppings. Since bird droppings can cause Histoplasmosis and rodent droppings have the potential for Hanta Virus these present quit a significant health risk to those in and around the infested structure and need trained technicians to cleanup the area properly. Many bio-cleaning companies run into other areas for work, such as “Unsanitary Dwellings” otherwise known as “Hording Syndrome” and “Pack Rat Houses.” These are usually homes that are covered in trash inside and out and many times a city is condemning the property until the owners get it cleaned up. The number of these properties is significant, and can be found in almost every community.
The danger of bacteria growing from human waste, fungus from fecal material from rodents, and other animals, and dangers from the brown recluse spider are always present. It amazes me how much money people are willing to spend to have someone else clean up these messes left by a family member. One home we cleaned was an unattended death in an unsanitary dwelling. Upon inspection and subsequent clean out, I entered a room were I had to duck my head to keep from hitting the ten foot ceiling. As we emptied out the trash, we discovered we had been walking on an antique baby grand piano. On another clean out, I once found over $187,000 dollars in un-cashed dividend checks dating back some ten years, (yes it is recoverable) in one afternoon. Cleanup of clandestine drug labs are another area where the number of labs found indoors and where they are remain a mystery. Many of our companies have become certified in mold remediation as well.
Opportunities Abound
Opportunities abound in our communities to help those stricken by tragedy or to help a family with work that seems insurmountable or grotesque. If you have a servant’s heart, and are willing to help those in your area remove all sorts of debris and clean these properties - you can add quite a bit of revenue to your bottom line. The average bio cleaning company makes about $240.00 per man-hour plus ancillary cost. Some people think these amounts are a result of over charging people who are in a distressed situation. If a company worked its employees a full forty hours per week, week in, and week out, perhaps there would be room to see a reduction in the hourly charges, but the truth is, for the amount of physical and psychological risk taken and the cost of maintaining a company of this kind, at this time, these charges are truly in line with standard business practices. The average revenue for a bio cleaning company in a market supporting 500,000 to One Million in population can be as high as $200,000 to $300,000 per year. Of course, much more can be made if this becomes a main market thrust for your company, or your coverage area has a higher population. As an add-on service to Fire and Water Restoration companies and Carpet cleaners in smaller markets, less will be made, but it can help boost the bottom line of these companies considerably. The smaller markets still are in need of those people and companies to step up to the plate and help their communities with these situations. Even operating a company on a part time basis still can make good business sense for the money that can be made.
Growth and Stability
This industry is still young and growing each week that goes by. Not only from the stand point of companies who offer bio cleaning services, but from people within the general public becoming more aware that a company may exist to help in these times of need. Support industries such as the insurance industry have fully embraced the bio cleaning industry by maintaining a list of available companies to call once they’re aware of an insured with a need. Competing companies that do not offer these services are no longer saying, “No we don’t do this type of cleaning,” and hanging up…they are now referring the companies like ours that can help. This type of company or service can be recession proof to a degree. This last decline in the economy has shown itself to hold true with a rise in suicides, but the effect is somewhat delayed, maybe six to eight months behind the economic curve. Being a hybrid type of company – part cleaning company and part death industry is something that takes a new mindset. But, for most of us doing this work we can honestly say without a doubt, this work is the most rewarding work we’ve ever been connected with. Getting paid very well for the work we do and getting the kudos that go along with it. Not many jobs hold those tenets.
The author of this article is Don M. McNulty, founder and president of Bio Cleaning Services of America, Inc., based in Blue Springs, Missouri. Don offers training and speaks regularly on the bio cleaning industry. You can find out more about Don and Bio Cleaning Services through his web site www.biocleaningservices.com

Protocol

Chain of Evidence

As a company puts into action its policies and procedures - one of the key policies will need to be a “Chain of Evidence” policy. Because most of bio cleaning involves a traumatic or unknown type of death, the police and coroners are called to the scene to investigate. The authorities will methodically and thoroughly go through the scene looking for evidence to make a determination as to the type and mode of death they are dealing with. They will look for suicide notes, spent bullets, bullet fragments, shell casings, and weapons. The bio cleaning company will always need to make sure the scene has been “cleared” by the authorities before entering the scene to perform their work. As the technicians proceed they will need to be cognizant of their surroundings and what may or may not be there. From time to time the technician will come across some piece of evidence. It will be a spent bullet, a bloody razor blade, or suicide note. From time to time it could be a weapon, such as, a bloody tool, stick, knife, or loaded gun. When the technicians come across those items, which may appear to be evidence, the technicians will stop work immediately, back away from the scene, call the local authorities, and wait for their arrival. This may place the technician in what is called, “the chain of evidence.” By being in this chain it may be necessary for the technician to testify in a court proceeding, and the technician will need to tell the court of the how and where the evidence was found. The bio cleaning company will be required to pay wages to the technician for his/her time in court.
Working closely with the authorities is essential for the technician and his/her company. It will need to be stressed contact with the authorities on all levels will need to be respectful, professional, and friendly. No derogatory comment should ever be made as to the authorities missing a piece of evidence, even in a joking manner. The technicians should always show respect for all people involved in a crime, even if they are not around the scene. Remember the night has a thousand eyes and walls seem to grow ears, and a misplaced comment can find its way back to someone you don’t wish to hear it, and it could destroy a good working relationship with any of the authorities.

High Profile Crime Scenes

High profile crime scenes such as multiple or public murders will take place at some time during the technicians career. You will be mobbed, pumped, used, and lied to by the press to further their story for the evening news. Remember they’re out to scoop the other news companies and if they can find some angle to do this, through using you, they will. Under no circumstance are the technicians to allow reporters into the scene area or discuss the details of a scene. You will be filmed and photographed and the logo and lettering on your truck will make for good pictures and publicity, however, speaking to the press concerning an incident is strictly taboo. (Publicity will be discussed later in the marketing plan section).

Networking for the Bio Cleaner
By Don M. McNulty
Bio Cleaning Services of America, Inc.

Networking represents the life blood of any small business owner. For the first few years of owning Bio Cleaning Services of America, Inc I thought there was some magical way to market my services. I felt it was so unique of service that there had to be some special way to market, which would be far different from anything I had experienced in prior ventures. I read and studied marketing literature for years. I called several marketing experts in different parts of the country and told them about Bio Cleaning Services and the work we do and asked if they had any ideas as to how to market my company. Their reply was always the same, “Good Luck with that.” This only served to reinforce my initial belief. Then I finally had the quintessential epiphany, that the “bio cleaning field did not market by any different marketing principals than any other service or business.” Every industry has its own set of targets and nuances within the industry; we just have to figure out what ours was for this interesting market niche. Since we market a lot through “Referral agents” networking becomes a big part of what we do. The basic principle in networking is that people will only do business with, or refers business that they feel they know, like, and trust.

So many factors come into play while networking. The first and foremost rule in networking is to have or present a “Good first impression.” Many studies have shown that you make your first impression within eight to ten seconds after meeting someone for the first time. The reason for this falls to the way our minds work. As you approach a person for the first time to introduce yourself or when you’re being introduced, the receiving party looks at several aspects of your physical appearance. While they are summing up your look, their brain, or computer, if you will, is automatically flipping through files looking for comparisons to your physical appearance. If you say nothing, they will base their opinion of you solely on people they know that look like you, including the body language, and weather that encounter in the past was good or bad. As you begin to speak, the verbal patterns and the words and pronunciation of those words you choose go to the brain and based solely on predetermined prejudices, magically, you have formed a first impression. I remember I had a person I was counseling some years ago. Her speech was that of someone from what I would describe as a “movie accent” (my only exposure at the time) from the Appalachian region, and in my mind at that time meant, slow of wit and uneducated. During one of our encounters she looked me square in the eyes and said, “You think I’m stupid, don’t you.” I was instantly shocked that she could read my mind, and I felt embarrassed, and immediately tried to cover up my true feelings with a quick denial. She persisted and continued on with, “Just because I can’t dress in fancy clothes and my speech is slow, doesn’t mean I am either stupid or uneducated.” I defused the very tense situation by finally admitting I had a predetermined prejudice and that I was terribly sorry for my actions. I promised myself that day that I would not try to prejudge someone based on their appearance or speech from then on. However, that is not how the brain works. We can alter our first impressions rapidly by asking the right questions and being genuinely interested in people and getting to know them, but you will never get away from forming that first impression in the way I previously stated, and neither will anyone else you encounter.

Secondly, you have to develop a skill of “building rapport.” Synonyms for this word means, a connection, empathy, and relationship. It always amazes me how fast one can build a rapport with someone you have just met. The skill entails having that open mind to others, being friendly and non-confrontational, and in our circle of business having a servant’s heart. If you are genuine, most people can read this within you and in an instant trust, to certain degree, is built. Remember, networking is based on people who Know, Like and Trust you. If you are coy or more of an introverted person, people read this at first as being untrustworthy or shifty. They will continue to build on that wrong first impression and begin to back away from getting to know you. If they have no choice but to continue engaging you and you can let your guard down somewhat, they will rightly diagnose that you are a shy, demure person and that they held a misconceived first impression. From there you can build that rapport that is so necessary in relationships.

Remember, we are meeting people each and everyday that can carry the message of the work you do to many others around them. Make sure your message is clear and succinct and that you are a person they feel they Know, Like and Trust.

Four Ways to Prepare Yourself before Entering a Bio Clean
By Don M. McNulty

When you first get a call for help to clean up a death scene, it helps to get as much information as you can about the incident. Not the gory details of what caused the incident, but the physical damage that you will be walking into.
• Did the death occur in a bedroom, or some other room(s) within the house?
• Was this a suicide, homicide, or an unattended death?
• What kind of instrument committed the act?
• Was it a shotgun, rifle, pistol, stabbing, or bludgeoning?
• If this was an unattended death - How long before the body was discovered was it three days, or three weeks.
• Are closely related family members going to be present?
• You need to ascertain their mental state – are they calm, or hysterical?

Bracing and Coping Skills
All this information helps you in getting ready, not only with the supplies you will need, which is the part of the physical aspect, but also with your psychological readiness. Dealing with any sudden death incident is stressful to everyone evolved, from family members, neighbor, friends, first responders, and with the bio technicians left to clean up from the mess. Initially your mind races, and your blood pressure raises. Psychologically your brain begins to mentally brace for what it may see, feel, hear, and smell. After time you do this “bracing” automatically, but if you do not obtain the basic information before you leave the office, the job becomes more stressful no matter how long you do this work. “Coping” skills begin after you see, hear, feel, and smell. It is at this time the technician needs to realize it is “OK” to feel strange, or emotional about the scene they are working. To ignore those feelings is to deny you the coping skills necessary to do the job. To deny you have strong or not so strong feels would be like climbing into an airplane to fly it without being trained. There is really no way anyone can train you in the coping skills you will need to do this work. Someone may be able to give you points or exercises to follow which helps, but the work is really all about how your brain is wired. Have you heard someone say, the first time was terrible, but the second, and the third were much better? Each time I did (whatever) it was easier. That is because you were building bracing and coping skills. Each time you enter a scene you build on those skills in the same way you build work skills with experience. Embrace those things because they have much to teach you.

Empowerment
Many times in cleaning murder scenes, you are going into parts of town that are considered dangerous. Feelings of insecurity can overwhelm your thoughts - adding to this mental anxiety. You have to think through the processes before arriving on site, this will help in lowering your blood pressure/anxiety level. Training in very specific procedures of protocol also helps in alleviating apprehension. At Bio Cleaning Services, we train and empower each of our employees to make judgments on their personal safety. If they do not feel safe, they are to leave. If the company needs to provide guards or police protection in order to feel safe, it will be provided, or we will not do the work. The employee has the call, because our “protocol” empowers them in that way.

Ministering to Families
Prayer or meditation can give you confidence in dealing with family members and neighbors who find themselves in the whirlwind of grief and uncertainty. We are not there to moralize, or counsel our clients, but they know we have been there before with many others in the same situations. They want to know, so they can find some relief, which lets them know they are not the only one suffering in this way. Humans have a unique way of thinking, “no one else can feel the way we do” and quite the opposite is true. We believe our work is a ministry (helping others) and so many times all our clients want is an ear to listen and a comforting voice to assure them in a time of grief.

In Conclusion
Bio technicians serve the community in a very unique way. Focusing on the “service” we perform helps us keep things in perspective so we can maintain good mental health, and continue to be a service to others. This author believes that life is a continual learning process, where one experience builds on another. To ignore and not embrace these life experiences causes us to short-change our lives from the very things that add depth, strength, and vibrancy to life.

An Anatomy of a Bio Clean
By Don M. McNulty

The following is an account of an actual bio clean performed by Bio Cleaning Services of America, Inc. in the spring of 2003, in Kansas City, MO. Names and places have been changed to protect the privacy of our clients.
We arrived at the apartment complex about 2:00 p.m. on a hot Friday afternoon; temperatures were running in the high 90’s. We were informed that a long term resident in a second floor apartment had passed away of natural causes and wasn’t found for two weeks. After ascertaining that the police had released the scene our team was taken to the building and given the keys to enter the apartment. The odors outside the apartment building made it quite evident that something had gone terribly wrong. In the bio cleaning industry we call this type of incident an “unattended death”. Most are natural deaths, and many people are generally elderly, but active adults, or persons who have medical problems. It’s amazing to this writer how quickly the body decomposes. The minute the body registers it’s dead - the process starts and only takes a minimum of three days before companies like ours are usually needed. The technicians donned their gloves, booties and respirators, which had organic vapor lock filters, (these filters totally block any of the mal-odors present in the area), and we entered the apartment for our investigation. The apartment opened up into the living room area, and on the far side of the large room it was obvious the resident had past away in his recliner. The chair was setting against a far wall with a doorway to the kitchen on his immediate right and a doorway to the hall on his immediate left (See accompanying detail). The chair was fully involved as well as the floor just below it. The large spot on the carpet surrounding the chair was at least five feet in diameter. Looking for other evidence it was determined by the foot prints left by the police investigators that the fluids had spread much farther on the underneath side of the carpeting, but we had no idea how much farther until we could get in there and start our work. Our findings were explained to the property management. Bio cleaning in many cases is like an onion. We never know what we will find until we start peeling back the layers. In our discussion with the maintenance men it was revealed that one week prior to this call - one of the maintenance staff had been called to the apartment directly below our incident and the tenant complained of some strange brown spots (approximately 3 or so) had just shown up overnight on her ceiling. The maintenance man had reached up and felt this greasy substance, but could not determine its source or what it was. He never once considered that it was coming from the apartment above. He sprayed it down with a sealant paint and left. I asked, “You did wash your hands didn’t you?” He looked startled at my questions and very nervously answered, “Ah, yeah, of course.” I was really left wondering, but I know he’ll never do that again. Once we obtained permission and got a signed work order, we set up our safety zone and clean area just inside the front door. Things were tight until we could start getting the area cleared. The first task after suiting up in our PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) was to do the “load-reduction”. Load reduction is remediating the largest area of contamination first. Sometimes you have to work your way to the load area, but it’s best to get that area out of the way to give yourself room to work. The technicians went to work dismantling the recliner and placing its remains in large red biohazard disposal tubs.

Then removing the carpet and pad was next. Once these items were taken care of, the team was looking at an area of seven or eight feet in diameter. We laid down our absorbent over the remaining fluids and swept it in. We picked up the used absorbent. We could see cracks in the lightweight concrete and hoped that the fluids had not found a breach in the sub-floor nearby so only a minimal amount of concrete would have to be taken. Cleaning the walls was next, and many times when we run into a situation like this with a greasy film that lie on walls and floors next to the body area. A good degreaser works best for the initial cleaning of this material. We lay absorbent down on the floor, performed some initial deodorization work, and left the apartment for the weekend, hoping our absorbent would pull much of the contamination up from the edges of the concrete and thereby reducing the amount of concrete we would have to remove. A team of technicians arrived back at the scene on Monday and found the absorbent had become saturated, but when they started to remove the concrete, starting with the area at the cracks, the contamination had ran between the concrete and sub-floor and the effected space was approaching one hundred square feet. The next task was to pull out the sub-floor. They set up a negative air barrier and applied a light spray of disinfectant as a topical barrier to help in reducing the amount of particulate in the air from sawing. As the ¼” plywood sub-floor was removed it could be seen the fluids had totally saturated the wood. The day had gotten hot and dehydration is a constant concern during the remediation process dressed in full “Class C” suits and the technicians had to take several breaks. As we looked down on the top of the sheetrock ceiling below, we could see as many as ten areas, of different sizes had soaked through. We performed another deodorization application and left for the day. Management had to make arrangements with the tenant below to gain access to her living room in two days. The apartment management also expressed a concern over the odors contaminating the apartment, its contents, and the adjacent apartments, it was explained, that odor does not contaminate and everything that wasn’t directly touched by contamination would be salvageable.
Upon our arrival we discovered our deodorization process was working, the odors were well abated. We entered the first floor apartment and after removing and/or thoroughly covering everything in the first floor living room, we set up barriers and tarp around our work area complete with negative air, and removed a ten by ten foot area of ceiling. Once the ceiling was removed and placed within our tubs, we then planed and sanded the contamination from the floor joist. Once this was accomplished, we treated and sealed those areas for any contamination that maybe invisible but present, and performed our final clean up of the work site.
The time and expense turned out to be much larger than the technicians or property management had first imagined. Total time spent in actual work was 24 man-hours and the amount of tub waste was 23 tubs. The tub waste was high due to the concrete weight factor. The deodorization of the apartment was successful.
Don M. McNulty is founder and president of Bio Cleaning Services of America, Inc. based in Blue Springs Missouri. Mr. McNulty teaches a certifying technician course for trauma and crime cleaning and speaks publicly concerning this industry and entrepreneurism. To learn more about his company and services you may visit his web site at www.biocleaningservices.com

Traumatic Grief
By Nancy Crump

Since the late 1980’s, we have seen an increase in interest and research on the effects of trauma on the grief process. We have learned that the grief process from the sudden, unexpected, and often violent deaths of suicide, homicide, auto accidents, natural disasters, and other types of deaths, is very different from the grief process of those who have died from natural causes, old age, or long-termed illness. Many, if not all, of the deaths faced by Bio Technicians fall into the category of traumatic. Those family members who hire you have usually been touched by the trauma of the death. Understanding the traumatic grief process and its differences from other types of grief may be of some help to you as you deal with these family members.

There are several key elements that make the responses by family members to a traumatic death difficult. First is the suddenness of the death. Family members usually did not have time to prepare themselves for the death and to make the psychological adjustments to cope with the news of the death. Also, the suddenness of the death does not give the family an opportunity to say goodbye to the victim before their death. Second, the violence of the death may leave the family with horrific memories and nightmares that often interfere with the grief process. Third, many of these types of deaths require police intervention and the family is often not given the support, information, and compassion they need at the time. Another element can be the presence of the media at the time of the death, as well as weeks and months later if legal issues follow the death. Most traumatic deaths involve young people who’s parents, grandparents, and siblings may still live. Certainly, the death of a child or young person is very difficult to cope with.

Reactions to a traumatic death can be very different, more intense, and longer lasting than other types of death. The emotions following a traumatic death are often conflicting and intense. There is a tendency to relive the death event over and over in an attempt to make it real. Intrusive thoughts and nightmares are very common. Intense physical responses such as inability to eat or sleep, stomach aches and headaches, muscle tension, high blood pressure and a decrease in the autoimmune system are also common. Many times, the survivors must deal with intense feelings of guilt or remorse, feeling that they were somehow responsible or could have prevented the death “if only”. Family members have the need to tell the story of the death over and over again in an attempt to gain a sense of the reality of the death. They often have an overwhelming need to learn all they can about the circumstances of the death - how the person died, whether they were in pain, did they know they were dying, what were their last words, who saw what happened, and in cases of homicide, who committed the murder. All of these reactions are ways the survivors use to grasp the reality of the death and to begin the grief process.

As Bio Technicians, you are often called by family members or meet them upon arrival to the scene. Understanding some of the dynamics of trauma on the grief process may help as you help the family. Understanding the “normalcy” of the reactions you may see can help you feel more competent and assured to speak with family members without wondering whether or not you are saying the “right” thing. Some suggestions are listed below, but the most important thing is to convey sincerity and compassion to the family. They are very vulnerable and sensitive to words, expressions, and body language. Just make sure that what you say and do is congruent with how you feel or you will come across as insincere and uncaring.

Soon after a traumatic death, most survivors simply need to tell the story to anyone who will listen. It is important for their recovery to be able to do this. If you have time to listen, do so. They are not necessarily looking for any input from you; they just need someone to listen.

Remember that there are two basic rules for grieving people – you don’t hurt yourself or someone else. If, during the conversation, you hear comments that indicate the person is thinking of either, you might suggest they go talk to someone else before making a decision to do something like this. Create a list of counselors, therapists, or mental health centers to hand out at times like these. Take comments about thoughts of suicide seriously and offer to call a friend or family member to be with the person and get them help. Suicide rates often increase after a sudden, traumatic death of a loved one. These are very difficult situations for you as a caregiver, but you need to set limits as to what you can and cannot do. Listening and having resources available are all you need. The survivor needs to take some responsibility for them, and others who are better trained to handle these situations need to be contacted.

Although many reactions may look and feel “crazy”, most are normal reactions to the situation. Again, as long as they don’t hurt themselves or someone else, they are probably reacting normally to an abnormal situation. Helping normalize these reactions is very helpful to the survivor. Encouraging the survivor to talk and to express what they are experiencing is also helpful. Making a simple statement such as, “I think I’d feel the same way if this happened to me”, helps the survivor feel less out of control.

There are many support groups available to survivors that would make a good resource for them. Creating a list of those in your community or in nearby communities is a great gift for survivors. They may not want to attend a support group, but usually someone from the group is always willing to talk to them by telephone or offer assistance.

In the work you do, you may find yourself in situations of dealing with survivors who have needs you do not feel comfortable or competent in dealing with. That’s okay as it is not your responsibility to be all things to all people. However, there are these simple steps you can take to help your families in a meaningful way. You can listen. You can refer. You can offer resources. Having some general knowledge of the traumatic grief process may make you feel more competent in dealing with your families and knowing that you are being supportive and helpful in a meaningful way.

Below are some national organizations that offer support groups in almost every locality. They are specific to either the type of death or the relationship to the person who died and are more appropriate to traumatic deaths. They all have web sites or central telephone numbers that can be contacted for local information.

The Compassionate Friends – for parents’ whose child has died of any cause.
MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Drivers offer support for parents who a drunk driver killed child
Widowed Persons Service – sponsored by AARP for spousal death
SOS – Survivors of Suicide support groups
POMC – Parents of Murdered Children and other victims of homicide.

These and many other groups may be listed at your county’s Victim Assistance Office usually located in the office of the District Attorney. Also, check with your local hospices or hospitals. They offer support groups that are open to the public. Some local churches may also host support groups. As you create your list, don’t try to keep up with the dates and times of group meetings as they change frequently. All you need is the name of the group, a telephone number, and possibly a contact person. Leave it to the survivors to take the responsibility to make the calls on their own behalf.