There are over 75 million homes in the U.S. that are over 30 years old, indicating an increase in vulnerability to property damage and the consistent need for emergency restoration services. If you own a residential or commercial property in the U.S., you must be concerned about how fast emergency restoration specialists can respond to a disaster. In this blog, we’ll break down what you can realistically expect when the catastrophe strikes.

How Quickly Do Emergency Restoration Specialists Arrive After a Disaster?

Most emergency restoration companies offer 24/7 disaster restoration services, providing an immediate response to your calls and an expected crew arrival at the site within 1-2 hours. However, sometimes delays can occur depending on various factors, including the unavailability of an emergency disaster response crew or the distance of the site is long.

Plus, it depends on you as well, whether or not you’re giving the right, accurate address. It won’t work this way: “Hi, this is (ABC)…there’s a fire in my house…blue house near the gas station.” NENA, the leading authority on 911 communication, also emphasizes the importance of location accuracy for timely emergency response.

We know it’s difficult to process a formal address in a stressful situation, but that’s exactly what fire and smoke restoration experts require at that moment.

Other factors on which the response time of your local 24/7 disaster restoration services in Ohio depends include:

Restricted Access

When your property isn’t that far from a disaster restoration company’s office, other reasons for a delay are blocked roads or restricted access. This usually happens during a natural disaster or in a crime situation where law enforcement authorities have blocked roads or the team has to take shelter during a hurricane.

In such a situation, you can expect a possible delay in the arrival of your certified emergency cleanup professionals.

Multiple Simultaneous Emergencies

During large-scale disasters, such as storms or wildfires, an emergency restoration team might be handling more than one site, which can result in a delayed response time.

Confusion Due to Similar-Sounding Addresses

Another reason for a possible delay is similar-sounding addresses. For instance, let’s say you said “Oak Street,” and the city has another similar-sounding address, “Oak Avenue.” This might also lead to a delay in the dispatch of the team or their arrival at the right location.

Response Time for Different Types of Disasters

Even though certified emergency cleanup professionals make sure to respond and reach the disaster site as quickly as possible, it depends on the type of disaster as well. For instance, biohazard and mold remediation are not always an emergency as compared to fire outbreaks or pipe bursts.

Emergency restoration teams are deployed based on disaster type. Let’s see different disaster types and their response time.

Water Damage

In case of water damage, the response time depends on the severity of the situation. For instance, rapid response water damage repair teams are dispatched within 1-2 hours for a pipe burst, flooding, or water leakage. It’s an emergency situation that needs an immediate response. And you should also reach out to the 24/7 disaster restoration services as quickly as possible.

Fire and Smoke Damage

Emergency restoration companies usually dispatch fire and smoke restoration experts within hours of a disaster. That’s because a fire outbreak causes severe compromise to your property and air quality. And the damage doesn’t just rectify after the flames are extinguished.

According to this 2018 study, fire residues persist indoors long after the event, continuing to damage furniture, surfaces, and personal belongings and affecting the air quality. In such cases, you need emergency fire and smoke restoration services as soon as possible.

Natural Disasters

Most emergency restoration services respond and dispatch their teams as quickly as possible in case of natural disasters, like hurricanes, tornadoes, or windstorms. They’re required for property clearance and restoration services to make it as safe as possible for you.

However, if you still face a delay, it might be due to blocked roads or downed power lines. In such a case, you’re advised to prioritize your safety and stay away from the damage. When faced with heavy rainfall followed by flooding, reach out to your rapid response water damage repair team to extract water and dehumidify the space.

Mold Growth

Mold growth starts after 48 hours of water intrusion and is usually not a primary concern for homeowners and businesses. At first, they might reach out to rapid response water damage repair services for water clearance. However, to prevent mold growth or the damage caused by it, one must later reach out to certified emergency cleanup professionals. A disaster restoration service will treat your concern as an urgency, and they’ll dispatch a team within hours.

4 Reasons Why a Quick Response is Crucial in Disaster Restoration Services

Disasters usually don’t wait for office hours; you need immediate help when the emergency strikes. Here are 4 valid reasons why you need fast emergency restoration services:

1.   Minimizes Structural Damage

The sooner an emergency restoration service can reach you and reinstate your property, the better. It minimizes the risk of structural damage and rapidly restores your quality of life.

2.   Reduces Cost

A quick response time saves your property from further damage, and ultimately, it reduces the restoration cost. A delay will not only escalate repair costs but it can severely impact your property’s resale value as well.

3.   Minimize Business Interruption

A rapid response emergency restoration team speeds up the restoration process and reduces the risk of your business downtime. So, beyond property damage and health risk, a quick damage response is crucial to prevent operational disruptions and money loss in the meantime for your business.

4.   Streamlines Insurance Claiming Process

Most insurance companies demand quick insurance claims, and a delay in the emergency restoration service could result in delayed or denied insurance coverage. That’s why it’s very important to receive quick remediation services after a disaster in order to streamline the insurance process.

What You Can Do to Speed Up the Emergency Response Process?

Apart from giving a proper, accurate address to your restoration company, here are a few more things you can do to speed up the emergency response time:

• Check if Your Device’s GPS is Working: When you contact fire and smoke restoration experts and you can’t really recall your address properly, maybe because you’re new or due to shock from the disaster, check if your phone’s GPS is working. This can help your restoration experts locate you quickly.
• Save Contact Information for Your Preferred Restoration Company: This way, instead of searching for a trusted, local restoration company in an emergency situation and wasting your precious time, you can simply rely on your researched cleanup professionals.
• Take Photos of Your Utility Shutoff Points and Property Layout: In a stressful situation, it’s easier to forget where the water valve or breaker box is. So, it’s best if you have pictures of these utility shutoff points. Plus, it’s helpful for the cleanup professionals as well when they assess the scene after arrival.
• Provide Key Safety Information: Mention any immediate dangers: “The ceiling is sagging,” “I smell gas strongly,” “There’s active electrical arcing,” “Someone is trapped/injured.” Ensures first responders (fire, police) are alerted appropriately alongside restoration and prioritizes life safety.
• Clear & Safe Access: Ensure driveways, walkways, and the path to the damage source are clear of vehicles, debris, and obstacles. Unlock gates, disable alarms (if safe), and secure pets away from the work area. Large restoration equipment (vans, extractors, air movers) needs easy entry. Delays happen if crews can’t get close or navigate hazards.

Americon Restoration specializes in emergency disaster restoration in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and we have teams on round-the-clock rotation to ensure you’re taken care of at any time of the day. Call 1-833-4373487 to have our crew arrive at your location quickly!