When we get that nice summer weather (especially in Massachusetts), we just want to soak up the sun and bask in the warmth before we get the cold weather again. But just like anything else, too much of a good thing can be bad.
According to the American Red Cross, "A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessive heat, generally 10 degrees or more above average, often combined with excessive humidity."
If you're working outside or on any job sites, please be sure to stay as hydrated as possible, and take breaks in the shade or anywhere with cool air.
What to do during heat waves
NEVER leave children or pets alone in a vehicle. Even with the windows down, temps can rise within a matter of minutes.
Avoid any exhausting activity, especially outdoors.
Wear light colored, loose fitting clothing. Wearing darker colors will "attract" the sunlight and you will feel way hotter. Lighter colors reflect light and will help you stay cooler.
Drink, drink drink!! Keep drinking that water! Yes, we know, it can be so plain and blahhhh. But to stay hydrated and healthy during extreme temps, it's a must!
Stay inside as much as possible, and don't allow pets and children play outside for long periods of time.
If you would like to be outside, try to avoid going out during the afternoon. It's much cooler during the morning and evening outs, and it's more bearable.
Check up on family, friends, and neighbors, especially your elders.
Heat cramps, exhaustion, and stroke
During heat waves like the one we have been experiencing here in Massachusetts, it's important to know the symptoms of heat related illnesses so you know how to properly respond.
Heat stroke
This is the most serious kind of illness you can suffer from heat. Heat stroke can be life threatening. Heat stroke happens when the body begins to shut down.
Symptoms of heat stroke: high body temp, red skin, weak or rapid pulse and breathing, confusion, vomiting.
Treatment: Immediately call 9-1-1 if someone is suffering from heat stroke, they need assistance as soon as possible. While you wait for the help to arrive, move them to a cool area and wrap them with cool towels or sheets if possible.
Heat Cramps
Symptoms of heat cramps: Heat cramps are pains and spasms due to excessive sweating. The cramps usually are in the stomach/abdomen area or the legs.
Treatment: Bring the person to a cooler or shaded area, give them water, or even better a sports drink with a lot of electrolytes.
Heat exhaustion
Symptoms of heat exhaustion: pale or red skin, nausea dizziness and weakness.
Treatment: Help them to a cooler area, apply cool, wet towels. Give them water or a sports drinkevery 15 minutes. Make sure they drink slowly, and call 9-1-1 if they seem to get worse.
It's very important that whenever you are outdoors, that you are wearing sunscreen! Even on cloudy days, you can get a burn.
In Massachusetts, we might all be familiar with ticks, but are we familiar with the different kinds of ticks?
Let’s start with the basics:
Ticks are small bugs typically found in shady, damp, wooded, and grassy areas. Even in our own yards! Ticks feed off the blood of mammals, birds, and reptiles. Ticks don’t fly or jump, to attach to you or an animal, it needs to come into direct contact. The most common ticks found in Massachusetts are dog ticks and deer ticks (black legged tick)
In our area (Massachusetts) if a certain type of tick bites you, it can spread diseases such as
Ticks are around all year long, but it’s important to take extra precautions during the spring-fall months.
Before going outside during tick season:
Know where ticks will be: grassy, bushy, leafy areas.
Spray any clothing or outside gear before heading out. Treat any gear with a spray containing at least .5% permethrin. This is a pesticide that will kill flies, ticks, and mosquitoes without any harm to you.
Use EPA registered repellents containing DEET.
Coming indoors
Check and be checked for ticks on your clothing. If any are found, remove them as soon as possible. You can tumble dry your clothing on high for 10 minutes to kill any ticks.
Examine any camping or hiking gear.
Check your pets! Checking your pets is just as important as checking yourself and your friends.
According to the CDC “showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and my be effective in reducing the risk of other tick borne diseases.
Ticks can most likely be found:
Under the arms
Back of the knees
In / around the ears
Between the legs
Around the waist
Removing a tick
If you find a tick attached to you or your pet, remove it as soon as possible.
Use fine tipped tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible
Pull upward with even pressure. Don’t twist the tick, this may cause the mouth to break and remain in the skin. If you can not remove the mouth, allow the skin to heal over it.
After removing the tick, clean the bite area as well as your hands with soap and water or rubbing alcohol
NEVER crush a tick with your fingers.
To dispose of a live tick, place it in alcohol, in a sealed bag, wrap it tightly in tape, or flush down the toilet.
This past Saturday (February 22nd) Attleboro hosted their annual Winter Night Festival. We hung out with the Sun Chronicle all night and it was such a blast to see so many people having fun! Our favorite part was the ice sculptor, it's amazing how talented people are! We kind of wish we could've gotten in on the face paint action though.....
In all seriousness, it is so great to see (basically) a whole community show up to such a great event and have a great time! There were activities for kids of all ages, great food, music and we even got to see some history of the city! We hope to be back next year and for years to come!
Don't allow yourself any distractions while driving, this includes eating.
This law will be in effect starting February 23rd, 2020.
The Safe Driver law prohibits any driver under the age of 18 from operating a vehicle while using ANY electronic device. Even on "hands-free" mode.
Drivers over the age of 18:
Can use electronic devices in hands free mode ONLY (Siri...) and only allowed to touch devices to engage hands free mode.
You can NOT hold any electronic device while driving
Many states in the country and in the New England area have similar laws/ bans.
Texting or using a phone while driving encourages the driver to look away from the road, and this can cause the driver valuable time in reacting to changing road conditions such as a sudden stop, or someone running into the roadway. The implications on younger drivers allows them to focus more on the road, while they are still learning the rules and ways of it. This will prevent any unnecessary accidents such as a rear end.
- Never drive if you have consumed alcohol in the past 12 hours
- Don't operate a vehicle if you're tired
- Check your mirrors each time you plan on driving your car
- Set your radio station before you begin driving, that way you won't have to search for it while you're driving
- Turn your cellphone off or put it on "do not disturb" or "driving" mode so you won't receive any notifications that can possibly be distracting
- Do not eat while driving. Pull off the road to a rest stop to enjoy your snack or meal
- If you're driving a long distance, be sure to take frequent breaks. If you get tired switch drivers, or stop to rest if you're alone
If you have a passenger in the car, let them take phone calls and respond to messages for you, otherwise pull over to take the call or send the message.
Before leaving for your destination, set your GPS and review directions FIRST. Even your GPS is a distraction, if not mounted in the proper place. (on windshield, in center console, on dashboard)
Your GPS helps you get to your destination, but you could delay your arrival by being distracted and causing an accident.
Penalties for violating the hands-free driving law in MA:
First offense: $100 fine
Second offense: $250 fine, and completion of a distracted driving educational program
Third offense: $500 fine, completion of a distracted driving program, and insurance surcharge
The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl Kicks Off December 30
Annual college bowl game honors the everyday heroes in hometowns across the country
Attleboro, MA (Grassroots Newswire) December 10, 2019 -- SERVPRO is proud to present the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, scheduled to kick-off on December 30, 2019, at 12:30 ET at the Gerald J. Ford Stadium, located on the campus of Southern Methodist University (SMU) in University Park, Texas. This is the second annual SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, and it honors the sacrifice and service of those who stand as the first line of defense in local communities – the brave men and women who respond when the unexpected or the unthinkable happens, says Don McKendall of SERVPRO of the Attleboros. This year’s game, televised by ESPN, will feature the Western Michigan University Broncos and the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers.
This year, SERVPRO asked their franchisees nationwide to submit the name of a local first responder to be considered for special recognition at this year’s game. SERVPRO has selected one first responder from this group of nominees to be honored with an award during a presentation on the field at the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. In addition to the award presentation, SERVPRO will provide the selected first responder with complimentary airfare, accommodations, and tickets for the game.
Even if you can’t attend the game, you can still participate. Attleboro area residents who wish to honor the dedication of these hometown heroes across the country may purchase a “Sponsor a Responder” ticket for $15 at https://www.firstresponderbowl.com/first-responders-1 to help send a first responder to the game for free. According to McKendall, SERVPRO’s goal is to distribute more than 10,000 complimentary SERVPRO First Responder Bowl tickets to first responders and their families nationwide. Everyone who chooses to “Sponsor a Responder” will be recognized on the stadium’s video board during the game.
First responders - including police officers, firefighters, EMS workers, correctional officers, search and rescue teams, dispatchers, security guards, federal agents, border patrol agents, and military personnel—may register to receive complimentary tickets at https://reservations.aresttravel.com/attraction/single/7045/1425.
“Every day, across the nation, ordinary people make an extraordinary commitment to their friends and neighbors to put themselves in harm’s way when the unexpected happens,” said Rick Isaacson, CEO of SERVPRO Industries, LLC. “The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is one way we celebrate these dedicated first responders and their families as the hometown heroes they are.”
SERVPRO specializes in disaster restoration, cleanup, and repair services, helping to remediate damage, making it “Like it never even happened,” for both commercial and residential customers. For more information on SERVPRO of the Attleboros, please contact Don McKendall at (508) 223-0505 or don@SERVPROmckendall.com. For more information about SERVPRO, please visit https://www.SERVPRO.com.
About SERVPRO
Founded in 1967, the SERVPRO franchise system is a leader and provider of fire and water cleanup and restoration services and mold mitigation and remediation. SERVPRO’s professional services network of more than 1,700 individually owned and operated franchises responds to property damage emergencies ranging from small individual disasters to multi-million dollar large-loss events. Providing coverage in the United States and Canada, the SERVPRO system has established relationships with major insurance companies and commercial clients, as well as individual homeowners.
Attleboro Seekonk Swansea Norton Mansfield New Bedford we can help
Mass. governor Charlie Baker officially signed the state's ban on holding cell phones while driving.
This will take effect on February 23, 2020. Until March 31, 2020, police will be giving drivers a warning instead of a fine, but after 3/31, a first time offender will be fined $100, second offense; $200 and must attend a safe driving course. A third time offender will be fined $500.
Drivers will still be able to talk on the phone using Bluetooth.
An exception:
Following a navigation system on a mounted device on the console or dashboard.
MassDOT Secretary Stephanie Pollack urges drivers not to wait until February to put their phones down, just to do it now. "other people's lives are in your hands"
Don't be like this guy! Take some of these tips into consideration this winter when you're trying to warm the house.
With winter getting closer and closer, many people are thinking about ways to keep their houses warm, without cranking up the heat. It’s not always easy to keep a home warm if it’s older and doesn’t have very good insulation.
Here are some tips to keep you warm this winter, and save you some $$$$
Keep unused rooms closed off– When you close off rooms that are not being used, this allows the room to retain the heat that has already been generated inside of it.
If you have ceiling fans, rotate them clockwise– The fan should also be at its lowest speed. Doing this pulls the cold air up to the ceiling, letting the warm air disperse downwards towards you.
Add layers to your floor(s) – According to the National Energy Foundation, “floors account for as much as 10 percent of heat loss if they are not insulated.” Having rugs with insulation can also prevent cool air from leaking up into floor.
Turn off bathroom/kitchen fans – These types of exhaust fans pull hot air out of your home.
Move your furniture –Do not place your furniture near any large windows or block any radiators. Doing so will prevent the heat from circulating around the room.
Dress warm –Don't be afraid to wear a sweater in the house, wrap up in a blanket, make a fire, or drink a nice warm cup of coco. Sometimes these can be the best ways to stay warm and save the most amount of money. Plus... hot coco or a warm cup of coffee or tea is nice and relaxing after a long day.
Here at SERVPRO of the Attleboros, we want you and your family to stay warm during the winter season. We understand that disaster can strike at any time and we are ready 24 hours/7 days a week, to help you and your family make any disaster, “Like it never even happened.” (508) 223-0505
Who doesn't love a cocktail sometime? How about some wine? We have another exciting event for you today. Mark your calendars because October 18th there will be a grand wine tasting at the Attleboro Arts Museum from 6:30pm - 9pm. This wine tasting is sponsored by Spirit City Liquors. Tickets are available at the museum or all City Spirit Liquor locations. The tickets are on sale for $15 per person. There will be over 100 wines to sample and local craft beers to try. It is going to be a great time for Attleboro, Seekonk, and nearby residents so don't miss it! To enter, just show your valid photo I.D. and ticket.
This event will be located at the following address:
SERVPRO of The Attleboros is running a Boston Red Sox Giveaway. We are giving away TWO (2) tickets for the game Aug. 16th @7:10PM against the Baltimore Orioles. It's going to be a fun time! We're running this giveaway in conjunction with SERVPRO of Northern Rhode Island. One entry per person, and you can enter on either Facebook or Instagram (not both). Tag people in the comments for a bonus entry! Go SOX!!
SERVPRO of The Attleboros heroes Stormy and Blaze love golf!
Nick Lashley is a pro-golfer, and his journey to the PGA Tour was anything but easy. He started golfing at a young age with the support of his loving parents. During his golfing career, he received horrifying news that his parents and girlfriend died in a plane crash near Wyoming (they were on their way back from visiting Lashley at his golf match). This changed Lashley's course, and we became a real estate agent in 2012.
Not so long after making this decision, he realized his true love was for golfing, and that's what he needed to pursue. His story is inspiring for #MondayMotivation because he kept going despite the pain of losing his loved ones all at once. He persevered and because of this, he recently won his first PGA Tour title as an ALTERNATE, NO LESS. His story is so amazing!It shows how you must never give up in wake of tragedy.
Next time you want to go golfing, check these places out in Attleboro, MA:
Please remember to always use caution if you cooking, grilling, or dealing with fire/fireworks. Check out our recent post about fire safety. So many emergency room visit happens daily especially during the month of July due to firework mishaps. SERVPRO of The Attleboros reminds everyone to use caution and be smart & aware at all times. So many accidents and injuries happen during the month of July and it is mainly due to the fireworks and activities associated with Fourth of July.
Jimmie Allen Mix Lounge - Boston, MA & brought to you by Arbella Insurance.
Arbella Insurance might be a familiar name for you if you reside in New England. Arbella was established in 1988 in Quincy, Massachusetts. Our lovely office manager was invited to the Jimmie Allen Mix Lounge at Casa Caña the evening of June 24th in Boston. This event is sponsored by Arbella Insurance. SERVPRO of The Attleboros has been working with Arbella Insurance for a while because of their diligence and care for the customers. Arbella serves New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. They're truly New Englanders! They care about your questions and concerns. Arbella is full of local independent insurance agents and are personable and timely when it comes to serving the community. Fun Fact - Arbella has been sited in the Boston Business Journal for "Best Places to Work" since 2009. They're objective is to be, "Here. For Good." They also established the Arbella Insurance foundation in 2005 to support non-profit organizations serving the community and those in need.
While the Jimmie Allen event is closed to the public, our Office Manager Lorraine is sure to have a great time, listen to great country music, and meet some new people!
In the United States, electrical fires are responsible for one in seven of all home fires. On an average, there are 53,000 home electrical fires every year according to the National Fire Protection Association. Electrical fires result in approximately 500 deaths, 1,400 injuries, and $1.5 billion in property damage.
You can prevent most electrical fires by:
Making sure outlets are not overloaded
Covering unused outlets and safety plugs
Checking cords for frays and warmth
Placing light bulbs away from flammable objects such as curtains clothes, bedding, and other fabrics.
Child Safety
Small dangers can be hidden all over your home, especially for families with small children. Children are very active, making them more prone to accidents. You can take several steps to make your home a kid-safe environment:
Install child locks on cabinets so dangerous items such as medicine, cleaners, and matches are kept out of reach.
Make sure your home’s pool and hot tub is surrounded by fencing with self-locking and self-closing gates.
Install hardware-mounted safety gates at the top and bottom of every stairway in your home.
To prevent children from falling, install window guards that also have a quick release mechanism in case of fire.
Preparing for Potential Emergencies
Being prepared for a potential disaster saves time and lives. Simple steps can be taken to prepare your family for an emergency situation:
Develop and discuss an evacuation plan with your family in case of a fire or other emergency.
All phones should be accessible to every member in the household and pre-programmed with emergency contact numbers such as 9-1-1 so children and the elderly can call for help.
Create an emergency contact sheet so family members know who to contact during the event of an emergency.
In the event your home faces serious damage due to flooding, a fire, or mold, be sure to call SERVPRO ofThe Attleboros at (508) 223-0505. We will clean up the damages in your home and make them, "Like it never even happened."
(Image courtesy of http://www.cvshealthcharityclassic.com/)
Did you see us?
Representatives from SERVPRO of The Attleboros were present at the CVS Charity Classic last week, at Rhode Island Country Club in Barrington, Rhode Island. The event, hosted by local professionals, Brad Faxon and Billy Andrade, featured an array of top golfers in the world on both the women’s and men’s side. The following includes the placement of all those that participated in the tournament with their world ranking included:
SERVPRO of The Attleboros would like to thank the CVS Health family for hosting yet again another great event, and Innovex Marketing Solutions for providing our team with admission tickets.
The Fourth of July is a time where we all gather with our families, kick back and relax the beauty of our great nation. When celebrating, we would like each and every one of you to have fun, but to also be careful at the same time. When dealing with fireworks, sparklers, or anything else that has the potential to cause harm if mishandled, the American Red Cross has come up with a few safety guidelines to adhere to so that accidents are at a minimum this holiday.
Where to view fireworks from
The safest way to enjoy fireworks it to attend a public fireworks display put on by professionals. Stay at least 500 feet away. If however, you choose to put on a display of fireworks from your home, here are a few safety steps to follow:
Never give fireworks to small children, and always follow the instructions on the packaging
Keep a supply of water close by a precaution
Make sure the person lighting fireworks always wears eye protection
Light only one firework at a time and never attempt to relight “a dud”
Store fireworks in a cool, dry place away from children and pets
Never throw or point a firework toward people, animals, vehicles, structures or flammable materials
Leave any area immediately where untrained amateurs are using fireworks
Exposure to biological and chemical contaminants can pose serious health consequences. A failure to properly remove such substances can contribute to unhealthy and dangerous environments. SERVPRO Franchise Professionals are trained to safely clean and remove biohazardous substances and dispose of them properly in accordance with OSHA and health regulations.
Equipped with the necessary safety apparatus and cleaning products, SERVPRO Franchise Professionals are here to help transform any unsafe environments back into clean, safe homes and offices.
The decontamination of a home or business due to trauma, sewage backups, chemical spills, hoarding, or other biohazards can be both dangerous and emotional. Specialized training and experience are key when choosing a cleanup company to resolve these circumstances.
SERVPRO®Celebrates 6thConsecutive Year onEntrepreneur’s Top 10 Franchise List
Cleanup and restoration franchisor stands strong in the #7 position in the 2015 Franchise 500 rankings
Attleboro, MA (Grassroots Newswire) January 20, 2015- SERVPRO®, a cleanup and restoration franchise company, maintains its hold on the No. 7 spot overall – out of a group of 927 franchises that qualified for inclusion in the list—in the recently announced 2015 Franchise 500 rankings* from Entrepreneurmagazine. This recognition marks the sixth consecutive year Entrepreneur has included the company in its Top 10 list and the 12th consecutive year SERVPRO has earned the top spot on the magazine’s list in its own industry—Restoration Services.
Entrepreneurmagazine’s Franchise 500 selection process** uses “objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation” to help would-be entrepreneurs identify franchise investment opportunities. Some of the most important factors considered by Entrepreneur in developing the list each year are “financial strength and stability, growth rate and size of the system.”
“It’s very satisfying to represent the ongoing brand leadership of SERVPRO® for disaster cleanup and restoration services in the The Attleboros area,” said Donald McKendall, owner of “SERVPRO® of The Attleboros. “As a SERVPRO franchisee, we have the tools and knowledge—and the responsibility—to provide the best possible service to every customer.”
According to McKendall, SERVPRO continues to innovate with systems, processes and training designed to deliver faster, more consistent results to their customers. In the past year, SERVPRO customers benefited from the introduction of the following advanced features:
The company’s DryBook™proprietary software, which provides franchisees with tools to capture and track the steps of a restoration project according to industry best practices and standards.
The Here to Help®Connection, which provides homeowners with 24/7 access to real-time data, allowing them to track progress toward project completion.
If you suffer a frozen pipe, flooded basement or smoke or soot damage call us at (508) 223-0505!
SERVPRO® Earns Fifth Consecutive Year on Entrepreneur’s
Attleboro, Mass (Grassroots Newswire) January 23, 2014 - Entrepreneur magazine recently announced its annual Franchise 500 rankings1, naming SERVPRO®, a cleanup and restoration franchise company, to its Top 10 list for the fifth consecutive year. Of the 853 companies qualified for the rankings, SERVPRO® earned the No. 7 spot overall and the top spot in its own industry for the 11th consecutive year. According to Entrepreneur, the Franchise 500 selection process2 is driven by “objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation,” with some of the most important factors being “financial strength and stability, growth rate and size of the system.”
“It's an honor and a privilege to be a part of the SERVPRO® Brand in the Attleboro area,” said Donald McKendall, owner of “SERVPRO® of The Attleboros 508-223-0505. “As a leading cleaning and restoration Brand in America, we have a responsibility to serve each and every customer with excellence.”
SERVPRO® specializes in fire and water cleanup and restoration services, helping both commercial and residential customers recover from property damage emergencies. From small one room home disasters, to large commercial facilities, or statewide storm response situations, SERVPRO® helps make property damage ‘Like it never even happened’.
“At the end of the day, every SERVPRO® Franchisee is an individual small business owner who lives and works in the community he or she serves,” said McKendall. “When the unexpected happens, local home and business owners know that they can turn to us to help them put their lives back on track as quickly and painlessly as possible. As this year’s Entrepreneur rankings demonstrate again, this is both a responsibility and a privilege that each SERVPRO® Franchisee takes very seriously.”
For more information about SERVPRO® of Northern Rhode Island, contact Donald McKendall at (401) 949-9955 or don@SERVPROmckendall.com. For more information about SERVPRO®, please visit www.SERVPRO.com.
24/7 Emergency Service
Be sure to stay hydrated!!
