Humm this is interesting, Im curious who you would be getting over for this? I have spent the last 25 years as a Damage Manager dealing solely with fire and flood decontamination, working directly for insurers both here and 5 years internationally. I have had my own company for the last 5 years and 3 of those 25 years included working for Thames Valley Police employed to deal with their murders, suicides and toxic contaminations such as Aids (Trauma) I trained (3 years) with and worked for a world wide disaster organisation. (blimey that sounded like a CV
)
Setting aside the Trauma, the whole fire and flood industry has just been turned upside down by most of the insurance companies deciding not to use independents, instead using in the whole only 4 national contractors, i.e. Rainbow, Chem Dry, Belfore and Ark&General (ISS) 2 of which on pay back contracts.
This has affected hundreds of companies all over the country within the last 3 months, who were specifically set up for this work and pre appointed holding 100's of thousands of pounds worth of equipment and unquestionable wealth of experience and specific training.
In short the industry has near collapsed and the doors are firmly closed irrespective of contacts/relationships etc.
Now most believe that the doors will re-open in approx 2 years which is the length of the average contract, when the insurers realize that they have made a mistake and that they do need the independents with their particular skills, which has happened before.
However this is without question
not the best time to be investing in any training in this field, I would also suggest that if this guy is also the person in respect of fire and flood, there is absolutely no need, as there is a wealth of training courses to attend here in the UK, which would give you correct training on UK accepted methods not American, without the bulk attendance and a recognised UK acreditation. Should you still be interested, I can point you in the right direction.
Although it is still fair to say that when we have our next national flooding, those who still have the equipment may well be called on as there is always a shortage. It is also fair to say that my comments here are reflecting on companies who wholly depended on this type of work (including me) and there will always be those jobs which are not insured and still require the service, however in light of the current climate there will be huge number of people well placed and desperate (training courses should be cheap though
).
Sorry about this epic post and to throw a negative, If there is anything specific you need to know I will be more then happy to help.
Dave P.
