In 2019, there were 16,425 reported cases of murder or non-negligent manslaughter in the United States. We all know that murder can happen in seemingly safe environments and communities, which is why homicides can occur in homes by criminal home invaders. The overwhelming experience for family members is enormous, but the crime scene cleanup must be done in every home where the homicide murder happened.
What to Do When Your Home Is a Crime Scene
When the murder happens in your home, your home becomes a crime scene. For this reason, it is essential to know what to do to get your home cleaned up after the crime.
The first thing to do is to call law enforcement and emergency services. Also, the local county coroner will come to your home to investigate the crime scene thoroughly. It is essential to stay away from the crime scene between the time you call 911 and when the officials arrive. The only exception is when the victim is alive, and you want to provide life-saving assistance.
You also need to ensure that no other person enters the home before the authorities arrive. There are three main reasons why you need to stay away from the crime scene. These are:
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There is a possibility that the perpetrator is still around the area
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The crime scene must remain undisturbed for evidence that the perpetrator left behind
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Sometimes, the crime scene is a biologically hazardous place, and you need to protect yourself from the dangerous pathogens in the area
How Does a Professional Crime Scene Cleanup Look Like
It is essential to know that the professional murder scene cleanup is a responsibility of you as a family member or property owner. It is not the responsibility of governmental agencies or other officials like police, coroner, or other officials to conduct the cleanup. For these reasons, you must be introduced to the cleaning procedures that are part of the process.
Because you are responsible for the murder scene cleanup, you must have the necessary equipment and materials to make the cleanup according to the requirements. These materials and equipment include:
Materials, supplies, and equipment to remove biological parts and clean up or dispose of contaminated items are necessary
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Complete and specific personal protective equipment
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Full medical-grade agents for proper sanitization and disinfection
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Access to licensed transportation and disposal professionals who will remove the hazards
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Access to state-approved containers for removal of biohazards from the crime scene
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Equipment for deodorization of the place
In real-time situations, you probably don’t have access to all these materials and equipment, which is why you must consider other options. Simultaneously, the grief and overwhelming feelings are too intense for you to conduct the place’s cleanup. The loss of a family member in such a way is considerable, and most people cannot perform the cleanup of the crime scene decently. This is entirely understandable, and it is evident that you need help in such situations. 360’s mission statement is “No Family Left Behind”, this embodiment is how the family at 360 operates every day. Ensuring they are there for you for any situation at any time, putting the needs of the family first.
How Can Crime Scene Cleanup Companies Help
The help from reputable crime scene companies can be significant. You don’t have to deal with all the hazardous materials, and you can turn to these companies in case your home becomes a crime scene. A qualified, experienced, and compassionate murder scene cleanup professional will be there to undertake the necessary course of action to make your home a livable place again.
It is important to know that the crime scene cleanup companies will only take action after the investigation. This means the house has to be released by the officials and crime investigators to call the cleanup service. The officials can spend hours and sometimes even more days at your home, and this is necessary for the crime to be investigated in detail.
All the remains of the victim must be transported for the autopsy to the coroner’s office. Afterward, the body is transported to the funeral home of your choice. At the coroner’s office, the body is usually 24 to 48 hours before transportation to the funeral home. In some cases, the body can be longer at the coroner’s office for a detailed examination of the case.
Once the scene is released by the authorities, reaching out to a professional crime scene cleanup service is the next step in the remediation process. These professionals will be available all day long, and you will have the professional cleanup service of your home.
Once the team arrives at your property, they will review some specifics with your pertaining to the situation and your relation to the victim or deceased. After all, the initial introductions are made and basic information is gathered. A professional cleanup service will conduct an assessment of the property. Allowing the service provider to review the damages, constructing the proper recommendations and options for your particular situation. Should you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, and the service provider is throwing out options and costs without going through these basic steps, red flags should be going off. No professional service provider, no matter how much experience they may have, should ever be presenting recommendations, options, or pricing without assessing the situation first.
You may be asking yourself how do we pay for these services? In most cases homeowners insurance or property insurance for a business are available. Most companies accept debit and credit cards, as well as PayPal options. You can make the payment after the cleanup is complete.
At 360 Hazardous, we work with all major insurance companies and will aid in setting the claim, communicating with your assigned adjuster, and manage the invoicing process with your insurance provider to alleviate added stress to you as the client. In the event, insurance doesn’t cover our services which is possible but not very common, other forms of payment for these services can be completed with a credit or debit card, cashiers check, or possibly a payment plan based on the scope of the situation. We will give you the estimated cost prediction of the services, and options for payment.
It is good to know that two major resources can help you pay the costs of cleanup. These resources are:
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Home owner’s insurance typically provides coverage for expenses related to these unfortunate situations
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The Illinois Victim Compensation board can give you up to $1,000 as coverage of your cleanup expenses
All the mentioned resources can be used adequately to cover the costs. If you have other resources, you can use them as well. Some additional insurance coverage can be used as well as other payment options. Some companies offer coverage of the costs to some point. It is good to know all the payment options before calling the cleanup company to come to your place.
A cleanup service is what is necessary for situations like the murder or the crime in your house. It is a service to call for many reasons. One of the crucial reasons is because these professionals have the equipment and knowledge to clean all the residues and remains after the crime.
Professional murder scene cleanup staff will prepare everything for cleanup. This preparation includes:
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Physical removal of biological items and contaminated items
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Homicide scene sanitization and disinfection
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Homicide scene deodorization
Using these techniques, the homeowner can be sure that his or her home is clean again. 360 Hazardous will be there to provide the necessary cleanup of the crime scene so that the house can be again a livable place, and help the family move past the emotional tragedy.