How Suicide Cleanup is Taken Up

Suicide cleanup is a part of the broad based service of Crime Scene Cleanup which involves crime and trauma decontamination and restoring it to its previous state. It is a a niche market in the cleaning industry and involves cleaning the biologically contaminated scene of ones death like suicide, homicide or accidental death. or a scene of a methamphetamine lab.

Broadly speaking, crime scene cleanup and suicide cleanup is almost same but there are few exeptions to this rule. Suicide cleanup requires some extra physical effort and psychological sensitivity that the technicians should be able to handle.

Following are some examples illustrating this. A suicide generally involves close range of weapon to body and so in-depth decontamination and thorough cleaning is required. The cleaners also have to handle family members who might be present at the scene searching for answers that why their beloved person decided to end his/her life. The technicians need to remove all traces of any evidence of a suicide so that no remains are present for family members and friends that might remind them of the tragedy.

Restoring of a suicide scene also means clean and restore sentimental items that mean the lot to the family of the deceased and requires additional time and effort.

On a visual inspection of any suicide scene you will generally find a lot of blood and bodily fluids, but invisible to the eye, a great amount of biohazard contamination is also bound to be there. The suicide cleanup technicians have to search thoroughly in all areas, even those that can not be seen or accessed easily and remove all traces of them from the scene. Most suicide cleanup services have their staff trained in not only dealing up with decontaminating and cleaning up issues but also about dealing with family and friends with sensitivity and compassion. Since most of such companies work in association with leading insurance companies so they can even help you to bill the insurance company directly thus saving you all the hassles.

A suicide cleanup consists of the following steps.
Firstly the scene should be evaluated. Next all contaminates should be located and decontaminated. A thorough search should me made again to decontaminate any traces of contaminates that might have been left out. All types of bio hazardous agents should be properly disposed of. Any microscopic remains should be treated with chemicals and the environment should be treated for odors. Last but not the least all tools and equipments should be disinfected. But before you attempt to clean a suicide scene on your own it is always better to consult a trained professional first.

Cleaning Up Gory Scenes

Urbanite
Cleaning up gory scenes
15 m ago By V.L. Hendrickson


Ron Gospodarski and his team handle real-life CSI-like crime scenes. (Michael Kirby)

A mail-room worker jumped from the top of a staircase, dying instantly in the lobby. Another man was discovered six weeks after his natural death – on the toilet. A third man was decapitated by a flying blade in a downtown factory.

After these tragedies, someone has to clean up the harrowing aftermath.

Companies that specialize in this kind of clean-up save inexperienced workers — not to mention friends and families of the deceased— from having to do this difficult work themselves, said Dale Cillian, president of the American Bio-Recovery Association, or ABRA.

“If someone has to clean up after a homicide or suicide, they can be traumatized a second time, and it may be worse than the initial shock,” he said. Unsafe toxins also require removal by an experienced professional.

Clean-up guy
Ron Gospodarski has been cleaning up these scenes in New York for more than a decade. During his 23 years as a paramedic, he saw every imaginable kind of gruesome accident and death. When he realized New York lacked a company that specialized in such clean-ups, he founded Bio-Recovery Corp. in 1998, after earning certifications from ABRA and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Bio-Recovery, based in Long Island City, employs about 12 people on an on-call basis (Gospodarski runs day-to-day operations with another full-time employee). All of his workers have experience in law enforcement or emergency services. “They’ve seen it all, and that’s half the battle,” Gospodarski said.

The work
Gospodarski and his team get calls for “decomps – naturally occurring deaths, suicides and crime scenes, though those are the least of jobs,” he said.

“Sometimes we go out there, mop up a puddle of blood and go. Other jobs involve taking out walls and floors.”

Calls come in at any time and from as far away as Albany. When he is called to a scene, Gospodarski surveys it and decides how to approach the job. He doesn’t wear his respirator when evaluating — the smell helps him access the severity of the job.

After accessing the situation, the team pulls on disposable suits that protect them from possible pathogens. They start with the “gross decomposition,” said Gospodarski. In some cases, blood will have seeped into the floors or other surfaces.

The team makes every effort to remove all traces of the incident. They use some industrial-strength products, but mostly rely on household cleaners, such as Mr. Clean and Formula 49.

The pay
A typical job costs the client between $2,500-$3,000. A member of the Bio-Recovery team earns $25 per hour to start.

Business is not always steady, Gospodarski said, but there are patterns. The holiday season is particularly busy. Suicides increase, but a lot of elderly people also die during this season. “They get depressed and lonely and they just sort of die,” Gospodarski said.

Gospodarski is quick to point out that New York is the safest large city in the world, with the homicide rate down drastically in recent years. Most of the jobs he is called in on are accidents and natural deaths

Often Bio-Recovery will go days and weeks without stopping, followed by no work at all. “When you watch the news and it’s busy, we’re going to be busy. If it’s quiet, we are quiet.”

Companies tackle mess a corpse can leave behind

Published on October 1, 2009
Angie's List
by Staci Giordullo

What happens to those who die alone — and no one notices? Welcome to the business of biohazard remediation. Originally limited to crime and trauma scene cleaning, the industry's scope has grown to include decontamination of homes soiled by human waste, tissue and body fluids, and other toxins associated with a decomposing body.


Ronald Gospodarski, owner of Bio-Recovery Corp. in New York City, started his business in 1988 after spending years as a paramedic and realizing no company was offering these types of services.

"No one is prepared for this type of thing," he says. "I come in and solve the problem."

According to Gospodarski, approximately 75 percent of his business is cleaning up after decompositions.

"I get calls from family, police, landlords — a lot of times it's the property manager," he says.

Stacie Salerno of Bradford, Pa., recently hired Gospodarski to clean her brother's apartment after he was stabbed to death, reportedly by a stranger police believe he likely met online. "I never knew this kind of company even existed," Salerno says. "But they took care of everything. You never would know there was a murder in that apartment."

Like many other industries, the prerequisites to be a bio-recovery technician vary greatly by state. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires proper training in order to handle blood-borne pathogens. In addition, companies should hold the proper permits for biohazard waste disposal as well as general liability and pollution liability insurance.

What happens to those who die alone? Welcome to the business of biohazard remediation. See examples of biohazard remediation >>Dale Cillian, president of the American Bio-Recovery Association, says the lack of a nationwide standard is unnerving because there are companies that grossly overcharge customers and don't thoroughly clean or properly dispose of the waste.

"Some of these companies will rob people blind," Cillian says. "They're hurting families at the worst time of their lives." Gospodarski, who's certified with the ABRA, agrees and says his average job costs between $1,500 and $3,500. "Customers need to do their due diligence before hiring a company like mine," he says.

Industry experts recommend verifying companies with ABRA — which has 80 members — Angie's List and the BBB.

While a coroner typically removes the body before the biohazard remediation team arrives, there are a number of threats left behind — many of which go unnoticed by the untrained eye.

"We see marks of contamination affected during the removal of the body such as fluid from the body bag touching walls and furniture," says John DiGulio, co-founder of USA Decon in Houston. "Light switches and door handles are usually left unclean."

Hiring a professional to clean up such a mess can lift an emotional burden from grieving family members. "There aren't many jobs in which you can provide unimaginable relief for someone," DiGulio says.

Originally limited to crime and trauma scene cleaning, the scope of biohazard remediation has grown to include the cleanup and decontamination associated with mold, human waste, tissue and body fluids, animal waste and other toxins.

If a body is left undiscovered in a home for any period of time, a bio-recovery technician is needed to remove the unpleasant consequences of that decomposition.

Bedbugs Close Building at John Jay College

By Joel Stonington AND Jennifer 8. Lee
Updated, 4:05 p.m. | John Jay College of Criminal Justice is shutting down one of its buildings because of bedbugs. The college hopes to reopen the building, at 445 West 59th Street, by Monday morning after it is treated by an extermination service. Meanwhile, all the classes in the building, North Hall, are being postponed and rescheduled. On Thursday afternoon, a worker used a bullhorn to inform groups of students approaching the building that classes were canceled. Other classes will continue as scheduled.

“The college is taking it seriously and moving as quickly as possible to treat the building,” said Jim Grossman, a spokesman for John Jay. John Jay is calling it a bedbug “condition.” Mr. Grossman said, “Infestation is when you can see them swarming.”

At an information session Thursday afternoon, college officials said that rashes among staff members were first reported in mid-August and grew in numbers as time went on. Most of the staff members affected with skin rashes were from the financial aid and registrar’s office. A deep cleaning was ordered on Sept. 14, and one bedbug was found. Soon after, a second bedbug was caught. The college brought in an inspection team with bug-sniffing dogs on Tuesday that confirmed the bedbug problem on the first floor of North Hall.


The crowd of about 200 faculty and staff members and students let out a gasp when school officials showed a map of affected areas. Evidence of bedbugs was found in roughly half of the rooms on the second floor, and the inspection had not been completed on the third or fourth floors of North Hall, though evidence was found on the third floor. Officials said that other buildings would also be inspected.

The president of the college, Jeremy Travis, said no bites had been reported, only skin rashes. A forensic psychology student said she and a co-worker both were bitten during the last two weeks. The student, Deirdra Assey, 24, of Brooklyn, said both she and the co-worker checked their homes and spoke with landlords about bedbugs, but she said they eventually concluded that the bites were happening during the day.

“As soon as I figured out that campus had been infected it all made sense,” Ms. Assey, a second year master’s degree student, said. “I had no idea they could be infecting offices.”

Indeed, despite the “bed” descriptor, bedbugs can in fact survive in many locations, such as buses, trains and movie theaters. Last year, they were reported at Fox offices.

Bedbugs, once nearly eradicated, have spread all across New York City, in part because of the decline in use of DDT. In March, the city set up a bedbug advisory board.

Meanwhile, students expressed glee at the interruption in classes, giving them a break. Rudy Pamphile, 18, a freshman, walked past the yellow tape blocking the entrance to the building laughing and joking with a friend, saying, “No test today!”

Though Mr. Pamphile said he had stayed up until midnight the night before studying, he was not unhappy to be relieved of the burden, adding he would probably just hang out with friends until his next class.

When Bodies Go Unnoticed

Tuesday, July 28, 2009
By Sewell Chan

The discovery of the body of James Gales — a Vietnam War veteran whose remains were found on Saturday in a housing project in Canarsie, Brooklyn, evidently months after he had died — was reminiscent of past episodes in which the bodily remnants of humans were uncovered long after they had died. It is an occasional event in the life of the city that prompts wonder: how, in a place so crowded, with so many daily human interactions in the hallway, on the sidewalk, on the subway, in the store and elsewhere, can someone die without notice? (This is not counting the remains of victims of mob hits and other crimes.)

Last October, the police discovered the decomposing bodies of Albertina Rambla, 91, and her son, Hector, 61, in their home in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, after a neighbor called 911 three times in nine days. It was not immediately clear which of the two died first or when each died, but neighbors had reported a foul odor coming from the apartment.

In December 2007, the authorities found the skeletal remains of Christina Copeman, a Trinidadian immigrant, in her East Flatbush house, more than a year after she had died of heart disease. Con Edison had canceled Ms. Copeman’s account but left her power on. A pile of unclaimed mail had accumulated. The roof of her house had started leaking, causing a neighbor to call 911. A City Buildings Department inspector came and issued a violation.

In March 2007, the authorities found the bones of a frail, elderly woman in her two-story house on Perry Avenue in the Norwood section of the Bronx. She had lived alone, though her neighbors said they had started calling the police two years earlier when they realized that they had not seen her in a while.

In the spring of 2005, City Housing Authority officials found the body of an 86-year-old retired transit worker in the Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City, months after he had died of natural causes. The cleanup of the body was left to Ronald Gospodarski, a paramedic and a bio-recovery technician who specializes in cleaning up after suicides, murders and other crime scenes, along with natural deaths.

Occasionally, human remains are found outdoors. In December 2004, a worker cleaning a remote corner of the Highland Boulevard overpass crossing the Jackie Robinson Parkway in Brooklyn came across the skeletal remains of a person in a seated position, leaning against a wall, in a wooded area where homeless people sometimes slept. There was no evidence of foul play.

Mary Roach, the author of “Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers” (Norton, 2003), noted in a telephone interview that the smell of a body, however unforgettable, eventually does go away.

Exposed to the elements, bodies first pass the “fresh stage,” when the body is still fairly intact. As bacteria consume flesh, the body essentially passes from a solid to a liquid. Eventually all that is left is connective tissues and bones, “and then it stops smelling.”

Dying indoors prolongs the process, Ms. Roach said. “You die on a bed or carpet, it lingers,” she said. “It’s not like the great outdoors where you get broken quickly and return to soil. You become a cleaning issue. In nature, you don’t, because there are creatures — everybody from bacteria to insect life to the wolf – who are happy. It’s a big feast, and there’s not much left. If you die in New York City, you’re left to the guys in the haz-mat suits.”

Ms. Roach, who lives in Oakland, Calif., recalled a recent smell in her own house.

“We had a possum that died in the far reaches of our basement,” she said. “We didn’t realize what was going on. It’s difficult to get back there. For about two weeks there was a hideous smell and then it went away; basically there was nothing left for the bacteria to eat.”

Crime Scene Leftovers Pose Problem For Sanitation

Call it the Case of the Bloody Mattress.

City sanitation workers were recently left with the problem of how to dispose of a bloody mattress put out with the trash.

The mattress came from a home where police say a 37-year-old man appears to have died from self-inflicted stab wounds. The problem came when trash collectors realized they couldn't pick up a potential biohazard, but didn't want to leave it by the side of the road in a residential neighborhood.

"This was an area of concern for us because blood is considered a biohazard and not only can our trash trucks not pick it up, but it could be dangerous for people in the community," said George Hampton, a route supervisor for Hopkinsville Solid Waste Authority.

The mattress disappeared by midweek, but sanitation officials didn't take it and were still trying to make sure it was properly disposed of. The location of the mattress remained a mystery at week's end.

Sanitation workers received an anonymous call reporting a mattress, possibly covered in blood, that had been set on a curb outside of a home. That was the concern of the anonymous caller, Hampton said, who said children in the neighborhood could start to play on the mattress and come into contact with the dried blood that might have diseases.

Because there was blood on the mattress, sanitation workers couldn't haul it off with the rest of the trash.

"It raises a question for us about where we take it from here," Hampton said. "Someone has to clean up messes like these and we can't do it."

Solid Waste Superintendent Bill Bailey said sanitation workers aren't allowed to pick up possible biohazards, including blood, from the side of the road. Instead, Bailey said, the department needs to call other landfills to see who will pick up and take the items.

"Sometimes we can process and wrap it in plastic and dispose of it that way. But other times we have to contact a company that deals with disposing of medical waste."

Charlotte Write, a spokeswoman for Stericycle, a national company that specializes in medical waste disposal, said medical waste is generally burned to kill pathogens that can live in dried blood.

"It is important to dispose of all medical waste, especially waste that comes from the body, so as not to spread diseases," Write said.

Police said the families must clean up the scene of a murder or suicide or pay to have it done by private biorecovery companies.

"It doesn't sound very friendly, I know, but that's just how it has to be handled," Howie said. "Someone has to clean it up and someone has to dispose of all of this, it's just a matter of figuring out who. It's amazing that just one mattress on a curb can raise so many questions."

Someone solved sanitation's problem by taking the mattress from in front of the home. Bailey said sanitation workers didn't remove it, but finding out what became of the mattress is important. It had to be properly sterilized and disposed of.

"We can't just stick it in our landfill and be done with it," Bailey said. "Whether it's on that curb or not, it's still hazardous material."

Behind Yellow Tape: New York City Crime Scene Cleaners

By Peter O'Dowd.


RON Gos-po-dar-ski works in a Queens industrial neighborhood. Across the street from the front door of the Bio Recovery Corporation, graying tombstones rise up behind the gates of an old cemetery. It's only a coincidence, of course, but the connection is almost impossible to ignore…because inside the office, Gospodarski waits patiently for New Yorkers to die.

AX (Gospodarski 0:07)
We're sitting here hoping that something happens to somebody and we're hoping is something we can clean up. In reality it's a little weird. It's strange.

AMBI OF PRINTER PEELING OFF

NARR
His aging dot matrix printer spits out a feed from the police department. It reveals the stabbings and homicides in progress throughout the city. Today, there isn't much…just a Bank Robbery on Hill Street.

POST PRINTER AMBI

NARR
Nine years ago, Gospodarski saw an opportunity to make money from tragedy. When the police leave the scene of a murder or suicide, the body is gone, but the evidence of violence often remains.

AX (Gospodarski 0:21)
We had on in a few years back, it was in Lower Manhattan in China town where a noodle-making machine have these big blades on it, went flying. Cut the arm off another, decapitated another, cut another one to pieces. It just went flying this blade. And you know the amount of blood that's there, you walk in to these places and its like now what do we do, you know?

NARR
Families and business owners are often left to clean up. It's a trauma that no one wants to relive. And they don't have to if they hire someone else to do it.

GARAGE DOOR AMBI and RAIN

Today, Gospodarski and his partner Manny Sosa have a job lined up for 10 am.

The door to his garage creaks open. Light floods in and the cemetery slowly unveils itself behind a sheet of rain.

ENGINE STARTS CAR AMBI ROLLS UNDERNEATH THROUGHOUT

Today's job is a suicide attempt. A man in his 60s depressed over losing his job as a lawyer stabbed himself repeatedly. The result, of course, was blood. Lots of it.

AX (Gospodarski 0:09)
Blood everywhere to somebody could mean a few drops of blood to us versus you walk in and the whole place is covered and we're not prepared for it. So it goes from one extreme to the other.

NARR
The victim didn't die, but that's about all the men know of his condition. It's been almost two weeks since the accident.

LET CAR AMBI POST FOR 4 SECONDS

27-year-old Many Sosa tries not to let the gore that permeates his workdays bother him. But he says it's difficult because he sees parts of living and dying that almost no one else does. He knows, for instance, that many people spend their final moments clutching to life in the privacy of their bathrooms.

AX (Sosa 0:20)
The messiest thing I ever saw was a 300-pound guy who died in his toilet. His body fluids went through the wall and ended up on someone else's bathroom. The floor from his body fat was so greasy that I almost fell that day.

NARR
As unsettling as it may be, both men say the work also fascinates them. When Gospodarski started his business in 1998, he says he was the only company of its kind in New York City. For referrals he relies on the Medical Examiner and victim advocacy groups. It's not exactly the type of business that can depend on repeat customers. And Gospodarski says marketing is a nightmare.

AX (Gospodarski 0:12)
You can't take a billboard and put it up on he side of he road and say hey, call me when my son dies. We're the type of business where people only want to know about us when something happens. But the problem is, how do you market for that?

NARR
Still, the industry has exploded in recent years. Gospodarski credits misinformed media reports claiming unrealistic $400 dollar an hour paydays.

Dale Cillian, heads a national organization called the American Bio Recovery Association. He says making money isn't as easy as it sounds.

AX (Cillian 0:09)
You may have a few jobs that pay pretty well, but you got to remember you're not doing these jobs everyday. We're talking about something that may come once every couple of months or every couple of weeks as far as large jobs go.

NARR
Cillian says carpet cleaners or maid services go into crime scene clean up without proper training, equipment, or insurance. All these Johnny-Come-Latelys have Cillian worried. Many states don't require mandatory blood-born pathogen or hazardous material training. Dead bodies are havens for bacteria. Cillian sees start-ups dumping bloodied mattresses in city landfills. And that puts everyone at risk.

AX (Cillian 0:25)
If you want to go to extremes, there are people who use like a minivan that they put their kids in and they will transport their kids in. And they will go ahead and transport these bags of medical waste. And sometimes, they leak. So now you have these infectious bodily fluids or leaking in the back of your pickup truck that you use around your house. There is a lot of problems.

NARR
Cillian actually wants the government to impose federal regulations on the industry.

AMBI STAIR CLIMBING

On West 87th Street in Manhattan, Manny Sosa climbs the steps to a tiny forth-floor apartment.

AX (Sosa 0:03)
It's in here.

He enters a cluttered bedroom and finds a blood-stained mattress beneath a dusty canopy. At his feet, he sees more blood, spread out like an inkblot on the carpet. He starts to work. He sprays down a rocking chair with disinfectant and wipes away the blood. The soiled carpet must go, so he rips it up from the floor.

AMBI OF SPRAYING, SCRUBBING, BANGING THROUGHOUT

More than the blood, today it's the atmosphere that bothers Sosa. Inside the shadows of the canopy, a portrait of John F. Kennedy hangs above the bed. Elsewhere, every inch of wall space in the apartment is covered by photographs of old movie stars and fading prints of Van Goh. Paint hangs from the ceiling in long, thin sheets. There's a pornographic CD atop the television.

In the kitchen the man's nephew makes tea and smokes a cigarette.

His name is Cory Brackett, and he remembers the night he found his uncle nearly two weeks before.

AX (Brackett 0:42)
-He stabbed himself 30 times

-With what?

-A kitchen knife. 20 in the base of the neck, 5-7 in the stomach.

NARR
Brackett says his uncle is in psychiatric hospital. Considering his family history, none of this surprises him.

AX (Brackett)
His brother the painter starved himself. His sister was caught in a love triangle and drove her car into a wall. To quote Carey Grant, insanity doesn't run in my family, it practically gallops.

NARR
Sosa is folding up the carpet and stuffing it into a red biohazard bag. Gospodarski comes in to help fold up and duct tape the mattress.

In the next room, Brackett sits on the couch and turns on a French film.

AMBI FRENCH FLIM

He starts playing a guitar.

AMBI GUITAR MUSIC

Brackett says music helps him deal with the chaos.

AX (Brackett TK)
-Music is life….

-OK, Corey?

-Yes, sir.

-Can you come here and see?

NARR
Sosa shoulders the uncle's mattress down the stairs himself while Brackett writes a check. If his family had been victims of a crime, the state would have paid up to $2,500 for the clean up. In some cases, homeowners insurance might also foot the bill. Today, Brackett pays Gospodarski $850.

As he leaves the apartment, Gosparski explains that not every job is gruesome. Sometimes, the men are voyeurs, drawn into lives that few people were ever meant to see.

AX (Gospodarski 0:20)
OK. Professional face. See this is how it happens. At lot of times we'll get jobs where it's different and strange, spooky and freaky, whatever. Weird and when you're in there you have to maintain a professional face. But when you come out, you have to talk about it. Joke around about it.

NARR
Sosa says he lives differently as a result of his work. He has become, he says, an amateur philosopher.

AX (Sosa :16)
I don't really listen to people who complain, my life is messed up because of this. Well, go speak to that guy who is dead right now. I'm mean, that's how I see it. I mean, why complain so much about your life? Do something. I'm not saying go kill yourself, but make it better.

NARR
Of If everyone heeded Sosas advice, he'd be out of a job. So far this year, more than 100 people have been murdered in New York City. Many more killed themselves. Or tried to at least. Each of these sad realities provides Sosa and his parntner with one more chance to make a living.

Trash bin mess was man's remains

Clean-up crew accused of tossing blood-soak truck interiors in trash
Staff writer Tim O'Brien

CLIFTON PARK - Two men hired to strip the interior of a pickup truck where a man killed himself are accused of illegally dumping the bloodied seat cushions behind a CVS Pharmacy.

Police called to the scene Tuesday first thought they had a fresh crime to investigate.

"It certainly looked like someone was covering up a homicide scene and disposing of it," said State Trooper Maureen Tuffey.

But an investigation revealed that the blood and gore they found came from the suicide of Evan Schwarz, 20. Schwarz killed Anthony Marko, 21, on April 16 and then turned a shotgun on himself in front of police while cruising in his pickup truck through the parking lot of the Niskayuna housing complex where he lived.

Tuffey said Schwarz's vehicle reverted to the ownership of the State and Federal Employees Credit Union because he had had an outstanding loan on it. The bank hired TCar Recovery of Burnt Hills to retrieve the car, and that firm in turn hired Action Bio-Care Inc. of Aurora, Ill. to clean it before it could be refurbished and resold.

"They hired two people from this area to clean the car and properly dispose of the waste," Tuffey said.

The men ripped out the seat cushions and other material from the car. Rather than properly disposing of the biohazard, she said, the men threw several plastic bags' worth of material into the dumpster behind the CVS on Route 146.

The two men face citations from the state Department of Environmental Conservation for illegal dumping, she said, but they do not face criminal charges.

Maureen Wren, a spokeswoman for DEC, said she could not yet identify the men. Tuffey also did not have their names.

"Our investigation is still ongoing," Wren said. "There will likely be charges filed upon completion of the investigation. It might not be individuals. It might be a company."

The material was found by a construction crew, Tuffey said.

"There were doing construction work right there, and they were dismayed to learn the dumpster they were going to use was already full of big bags," she said. After they checked the bag's contents to try to find out where the debris came from, they called police.

Tuffey said the two firms hired for the work will not face charges because they appeared to have no knowledge of what the men had done. Tuffey could not provide the names of the two men.

Calls to the two companies Friday were not returned.

Rod Gospodarski, owner of Bio-Recovery Corp. in New York City, said he was called to properly dispose of the material.

"We were called in by the DEC police and State Police to clean up the biohazard scene," he said. He didn't know the circumstances of the death but remembers thinking, "This was someone's Mom, Dad, brother and sister who ended up in a dumpster at the side of the road."

Why you need crime scene cleanup services

By Alex Thomson

Crime scene cleanup or trauma scene cleanup after the death of someone either violently or naturally is by and large the responsibility of the victim’s family. Even till few years ago, there were a handful of cleaning companies that specialized in trauma cleaning service. But today this niche service has emerged as a lucrative business and there are many companies who provide this service.

Trauma cleaning service requires special experience, skills, equipment and expertise to deal with different types of bio-hazardous waste and dispose them efficiently with the minimum possible emotional stress to the victim’s family.

The most traumatic form of death is violent death and leaves the victim’s family feeling both victimized and traumatized. Coming to terms with the unnatural death of a loved one is in itself an uphill task for the bereaved family, and to top it they have to deal with other practical matters like making funeral arrangements, dealing with insurance issues, contacting surviving family and friends and locating wills. Furthermore, in case of violent crimes the police and the media are also involved. This can really overwhelm any family. Here is where trauma cleaning service comes to your rescue. They lighten one of the heaviest burdens, that is of dealing with the horrid murder cleanup. They will take care of the crime scene cleanup, ensuring that the scene is restored to its pre-incidental state as far as possible and in the most quick and efficient manner thus allowing you to deal with other important matters. Most service providers work discreetly and protect the confidentiality of the sufferer and family.

Most of the times, the crime scenes are so ghastly that they can induce additional emotional trauma in victim’s friends and family. By hiring professionals for cleanup, you can reduce this emotional stress. Immediately after death the nature begins its process of breaking down the body. Unattended death scene and dead bodies can be dangerous as it gives rise to blood borne pathogens, mold spores and bacteria. You may try to clean the area by yourself but the exposure may result in flu-like diseases or direct attack on the respiratory system. So it is advisable to leave this job to professionals who specialize in bio fluid and blood remediation.

The total cost involving a trauma scene cleanup will depend on a number of factors. One of the most major factors is that how many technicians will be needed for the job, how long will the job take and the quantity of hazardous material that needs to be treated and disposed of. It can range anywhere in the range of $100 to $1000 per hour. Some people might call this business as capitalizing on death but it is still essential and indispensable in case of a death.

Crime Scene Cleanup: What It Involves

A crime scene cleanup service is not without its complications. Crime scene cleaning encompasses restoring the crime scene to its original state. When a crime is usually discovered, crime scene cleaners are not called until after officers of the law, like the crime scene investigators, have done their jobs first and have given the go ahead for the cleaners to come in. If you intend to hire a crime scene cleanup company, you must make sure that they are well equipped and fit right to get the job done. A crime scene presents challenging conditions.

The Use Of Protective Gears:
Crime scenes can very well involve the use of hazardous or deadly substances. For safety reasons then, it has become imperative that crime scene cleaners use protective clothing, in addition to protective tools and gadgets. You must see to it that they have all the necessary protective gears and gadgets. The protective clothing can consist of disposable gloves and suits. A disposable gear is preferred nowadays since it offers the best protection against contamination. You use it one time and get rid of it. That way, the dangers of contamination is virtually brought down to zero percent. Protective clothing extends to respirators and the use of heavy-duty industrial or chemical-spill protective boots.

Among the gadgets that a crime scene cleaning company must have are special brushes, special sprayers, and wet vacuum. These special tools ensure added protection against getting into contact with the hazard could very well be present in the crime scene. There is large, special equipment such as a mounted steam injection tool that is designed to sanitize dried up biohazard materials such as scattered flesh and brain. You would also need to check if they have the specialized tank for chemical treatments and industrial strength waste containers to collect biohazard waste.

Of course, any crime scene clean up must have the usual cleaning supplies common to all cleaning service companies. There are the buckets, mops, brushes and spray bottles. For cleaning products, you should check if they use industrial cleaning products. A crime scene cleaning company must have these on their lists:

1 - Disinfectants including hydrogen peroxide and bleaches - The kinds that the hospitals used are commonly acceptable.

2 - Enzyme solvers for cleaning blood stains. It also kills viruses and bacteria.

3 - Odor removers such as foggers, ozone machines, and deodorizers

4 - Handy tools for breaking and extending such as saws, sledgehammers, and ladders

Established crime scene operators also equip themselves with cameras and take pictures of the crime scene before commencing work which. The pictures taken may prove useful for legal matters and insurance purposes. You never know which.

Needless to say, a specially fitted form of transportation and proper waste disposal is also needed. These requirements are specific. As you can imagine, crime scene cleaning is in a different category on its own. A home cleaning or janitorial service company may not be able to cope up with the demands of a crime scene. A crime scene cleanup service requires many special gears and tools that a home cleaning or a janitorial service company does not usually have or does not require. Crime scene cleaning if not done correctly can expose the public to untold hazards.

What Else To Look For In A Crime Scene Cleanup Company
You may also want to hire a company that has established itself. An experienced company with a strong reputation is always a plus but it could be expensive too. You will do well to balance your needs with what is your budget. There are several companies that offer specific prices such as for death scene clean up categories and suicide clean up categories. Most companies own a website and have round the clock customer service as receptionists.

When looking for a suitable crime scene cleaning service, among the first things you need to do is to scout for price quotes. Crime scene cleanup services usually provide quote after they have examined the crime scene and then they give you a definite quote. Factors that are usually considered include the number of personnel that will be needed to get the job done. It also includes the amount of time that might be needed. The nature and amount of the waste materials that need to be disposed will also be factored in. You can be sure that the more sophisticated equipments needed the more expensive it will get.

Crime Scene Cleanup And Your Insurance
For homeowners, the best approach is always to make sure that crime scene cleanup services clauses and provisions are written down on the contracts or policies. The inclusion of crime cleanup services clauses is very common and has become standard clause in most homeowner’s policy. Make sure that you are covered for this unforeseen event. Make sure that your policy directs the crime scene cleaning company to transact directly with the homeowner insurance company. A crime scene cleaning service is usually a standard clause in many homeowners’ insurance clause. These companies often do the paperwork in behalf of clients.

If for some reason you do not have such coverage by any policies relating to crime scene cleanup on your home, there are ways to keep your expenses controlled.

Finding the right company can be very taxing, especially that you have to deal with the emotional stress stemming from the crime itself, especially with a crime scene involving death.

There are many crime scene cleanup companies in operation nowadays. There are reliable professionals that you can hire and prices are relatively competitive. As of recently, crime-scene cleanup services can cost up to $600 for an hour of their service. A homicide case alone involving a single room and a huge amount of blood can cost about $1,000 to $3,000.

In recent years, crime scene cleaning has come to be known as, "Crime and Trauma Scene Decontamination or CTS. Basically, CTS is a special form of crime scene cleaning focusing on decontamination of the crime scene from hazardous substances such as those resulting from violent crimes or those involving chemical contaminations such as methamphetamine labs or anthrax production. This type of service is particularly common when violent crimes are committed in a home. It is rare that the residents move out of the home after it has become a scene of a crime. Most often, the residents just opt to have it cleaned up. That is why, it is very important to hire the best crime scene cleaning company out there. The place needs to be totally free from contamination of any kind. You have to make sure that the company is able to remove all traces of the violent crime that took place. This includes cleaning biohazards that are sometimes invisible to the untrained eye.

Legally speaking, federal laws state that all bodily fluids are deemed biohazards and you should make sure that the cleanup service company you hire understands this and includes it in the cleanup. These things appear as blood or tissue splattered on a crime scene. You must be able to hire a company that is equipped with special knowledge to safely handle biohazard materials. The company must have the knowledge what to search for in any give biohazard crime scene. For instance, the company should be able to tell clues such that if there is a bloodstain the size of a thumbnail on a carpet, you can bet that there is about a huge bloodstain underneath. Federal and State laws have their own laws in terms of transport and disposal of biohazard waste. Make sure that the company you hire has all the permits necessary.

It will also be a huge plus if you could hire people who not only has the special trainings but also who have the nature to be sympathetic. If you are close to the victim and have the cleaning done at the behest of the victim’s relatives, it would matter that the cleaners tread the site with some level of respect. It is a common site that family members and loved ones are often there at scene. In general, when looking for a suitable crime scene cleaners, you would take into considerations the kind of situation that the crimes scene presents and the demands that it require. Crime scene cleaning companies handle a wide variety of crime scenes and prices may vary from one to the other crime scene and one to the other company.

Each type of scene requires its own particular demands not only to make the crime scene look clean and neat on the surface but to make it germ free, and clean inside and to make it free from all deadly and infectious substances. The cleanup cost for biohazards may vary depending on degree of the bio hazard(s) on the scene. There may even be a category that changes the cleanup pricing which usually involves decomposing bodies and carcasses. Likewise, a cleanup of chemical hazards vary, depending on the amount of chemical hazards as well as the grades i.e. how hazardous the substance is in terms of human contact. Prices are also determined by the number of hours and personnel that it would to get the crime scene cleaned. In addition, the "gross factor" from crime scene involving death and gore needs to be taken under consideration regarding the chemicals that will be used as opposed to those crimes' that do not have gore involved.

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.

Medical waste found dumped in Colonie NY

April 30, 2009
Town officials eye illegal dumping

By ROBERT GAVIN, Staff writer

ALBANY - Piles of dumped garbage — including apparent medical waste — is taking up a large swath of land in the Town of Colonie near Watervliet.
The Times Union has discovered mountains of trash, including what appear to be medical tubing and possible needle containers, in a barren area off Watervliet Shaker Road around the Adirondack Industrial Park.

The area is accessible from the end of 14th Street in Watervliet. Signs on the outskirts of the area state "No Dumping."

Despite the warning, several large piles of garbage were on the property when the Times Union, acting on a tip, visited the property on Wednesday. Among the discarded items were tires, bottles, clothes, computers, vacuum cleaners and cans. The refuse included what appeared to be many recyclables, including a large number of laundry detergent bottles.

Pete Gannon, director of operations for the Town of Colonie, when contacted today, said the dumping in the vicinity did not appear to be legal.

"I can't imagine," he said. "It's not a landfill."

He said town police were headed to the area.

The area, surrounded by some woods, is near railroad tracks on the border of Colonie and Watervliet. Private homes are not far from the refuse, which is not visible from the street.

The industrial park was most recently in the news in December when two teenagers were charged with starting a fire at an abandoned building.

Robert Gavin can be reached at 434-2403 or rgavin@timesunion.com

PRESS RELEASE: Statement from Town and Gown Players

ATHENS (MyFOX ATLANTA) - The three people we lost yesterday were a part of the rich 50-year history of this theater and, more than that, were vital members of the Town and Gown family.

Ben Teague, loving husband of UGA's Dr. Fran Teague for more than 40 years, was not only a friend but also a father figure to all at the theater. One would be hard pressed to find a Town and Gowner who had not learned at least one life lesson from this wise and kind hearted man. His wife wishes to say, "Yesterday Ben was murdered, which is hard to comprehend and impossible to accept. It was a beautiful day, however, and he was in his favorite place with the people he loved." Ben was a translator of German, Russian and English.

Marie Bruce was the binding force that held the Town and Gown community together. Having worked with Town and Gown for over 20 years, at one time or another she served in every capacity at the theater, artistically and administratively, from leading lady to president of the board to chief cook and bottle washer. A local attorney, Marie was the mother of two young children.

A gentle presence, Tom Tanner breathed life into every corner of Town and Gown through his quiet diligence and astounding creativity - most would call him genius. Father of an equally amazing daughter, Tom would tell you that while he enjoyed his work as director of the Regional Dynamics Economic Modeling Laboratory at Clemson University, his heart lived and thrived in the theater.

Ben, Marie and Tom were a part of our family, and as painful as their loss is for us, we know it is even more painful for their families. We want to extend our deepest sympathy to their immediate family and close friends outside the theater community. There are no words we can use to adequately express our grief.

We would like to thank the Athens Police department and the media for their respectful treatment of this tragedy. We want to thank the American Bio Recovery Association and A1 BIO-Clean Service for the generous donation of their services in our time of need. We also want to thank the Athens Community for their support. This tragedy effects everyone in the community in some way, and we know you share in our loss. We ask that the media continue to be respectful of our privacy during this difficult time.

CDC confirms Queens high school students have swine flu

BY Erin Einhorn and Tina Mooore
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

It's confirmed: it's swine flu.

Mayor Bloomberg said Sunday federal health officials have found that eight prep school students in Queens have the dreaded illness.

He urged New Yorkers to stay home from work if they have any symptoms of the flu - but also urged people not to panic or flood hospital emergency rooms.

"If you have a cough or a sore throat stay home," Bloomberg said at a morning news conference. "Do not go to work or school and if you're not very sick don't go to the hospital."

The warning came afte U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tests confirmed that human swine flu has infected eight students at St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens.

About 100 students - many of whom recently took a trip to Mexico - have flu symptoms.

The students have mild symptoms and many are improving, Bloomberg said.

But it has been linked to 81 deaths more than 1,000 illnesses in Mexico - and CDC officvials expect more illnesses around the nation. So far there six cases in California, two more in Texas and two in Kansas.

The World Health Organization has warned the virus threatens to become a global pandemic.

Eight of the students tested positive for Influenza A but did match any of the known human variants of that virus - the H1 and H3 human subtypes - by available testing methods.

That led health officials to fear a new strain of the quickly evolving virus.

"We are concerned that we may have a new strain," Health Commissioner Tom Freiden said at a morning news conference. "But we have not identified an increase of influenza."

The Queens investigation began last week, when students at the prep school developed flu-like symptoms, including fever and sore throat. The Health Department's Public Health Laboratory tested nine nose and throat swabs.

The CDC also reported today that an investigation of sickness at a Bronx daycare facility has so far not identified any confirmed or probable cases.

Sen. Chuck Schumer said he spoke with the CDC and was informed that New York City was "better prepared than just abut anyone else."

Swine flu is a respiratory infection caused by influenza type A viruses that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can occur.

Human cases typically involve people who have had direct contact with pigs, but the CDC said likely person-to-person transmission has now been reported in California, Texas, Mexico and New York City.

While the cases in Mexico have had a high fatality rate, but the confirmed cases in the U.S. have been mild and all patients have recovered without treatment.

The symptoms of swine flu in people appear to be similar to the symptoms of regular seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting as well.

hkennedy@nydailynews.com

Possible Swine Flu Outbreak At NYC Prep School

Department Of Health Officials Testing 75 Students At St. Francis Preparatory School In Queens

NEW YORK (CBS) ―
New York City health officials say that about 75 students at a Queens high school have fallen ill with flu-like symptoms and testing is under way to rule out the strain of swine flu that has killed dozens in Mexico.

The Health Department's Dr. Don Weiss said Friday that a team of agency doctors and investigators were dispatched to the private St. Francis Preparatory School the previous day after students reported fever, sore throat, cough, aches and pains. No one has been hospitalized.

The handful of sick students who remained at the school were tested for a variety of flu strains. If they're found to have a known human strain that would rule out swine flu.

Results could take several days. In the meantime, the school says it's postponing an evening event and sanitizing the building over the weekend.

Mexican authorities said 60 people may have died from a swine flu virus in Mexico, and world health officials worry it could unleash a global flu epidemic.

Mexico City closed schools, museums, libraries and state-run theaters across the metropolis Friday in hopes of containing the outbreak that has sickened more than 900.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said tests show some of the Mexico victims died from the same new strain of swine flu that sickened eight people in Texas and California. It's a frightening new strain that combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans.

The World Health Organization was looking closely at the 60 deaths - most of them in or near Mexico's capital. It wasn't yet clear what flu they died from, but spokesman Thomas Abraham said "We are very, very concerned."

"We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human," he said. "It's all hands on deck at the moment."

WHO raised its internal alert system Friday, preparing to divert more money and personnel to dealing with the outbreak.

President Felipe Calderon cancelled a trip and met with his Cabinet to coordinate Mexico's response. The government has 500,000 flu vaccines and planned to administer them to health workers, the highest risk group.

There are no vaccines available for the general public in Mexico, and authorities urged people to avoid hospitals unless they had a medical emergency, since hospitals are centers of infection.

Some Mexican residents have started wearing blue surgical masks for extra protection, reports CBS News correspondent Adrienne Bard. The federal health minister has warned people not to go near anyone with a respiratory infection and to avoid kissing - traditional Mexican greeting.

Slaying Victim in Brooklyn Is Said to Have Been Part of Genovese Mob

By CHRISTINE HAUSER
A 70-year-old Brooklyn man who was found dead in his duplex apartment on Thursday was a longtime mob figure, the authorities said Friday.

The man, William Romano, was found submerged in a bathtub upstairs, and his companion, Elviza Aronova, 36, was found partially clad in a bedroom on the lower floor, the police said. She had apparently been beaten and stabbed to death, and Mr. Romano apparently died of head injuries, the medical examiner’s office said.

The bodies were found in the apartment Mr. Romano shared with Ms. Aronova at 8020 Bay Parkway in Bensonhurst, the police commissioner, Raymond W. Kelly, said at a news conference.

Both suffered head injuries, Mr. Kelly said. Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the city medical examiner’s office, said Ms. Aronova also had stab wounds to the torso. The authorities were investigating whether Ms. Aronova had been sexually assaulted.

Mr. Romano had owned the 54-unit apartment building where he lived until he sold it in 2006, retaining two apartments there, Mr. Kelly said. A man who lived in Mr. Romano’s second apartment often visited him and Ms. Aronova and had a key to their apartment, the police said. The tenant discovered Ms. Aronova’s body and called the police, who found Mr. Romano’s body when they arrived shortly after 5 p.m.

Mr. Romano kept an office in the second apartment, and the police found two shotguns, a .45-caliber handgun and a live hand grenade there, Mr. Kelly said. The police questioned the tenant but did not detain him, a law enforcement official said.

The official said the first apartment was in disarray, the electricity had been turned off and it appeared that someone had tried to clean up the crime scene with bleach.

Ms. Aronova’s mother had gone to the apartment, No. 7, on Thursday after her daughter said she needed food, but there was no reply, Mr. Kelly said. The door was ajar, and a neighbor called the police for the mother, the police said.

It was not clear how long the bodies had been there. Mr. Kelly said. Mr. Romano was last seen at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

State and federal law enforcement officials said Mr. Romano had long been associated with the Genovese crime family, in particular with the capo Salvatore Lombardi, known as Sally Dogs, who was heavily involved in narcotics trafficking.

Nearly two decades ago, Mr. Romano was arrested at Kennedy International Airport after customs inspectors found about two pounds of heroin taped to his shins and midsection, the officials said. He denied the charges, saying the drugs had been planted on him by the authorities. He was tried twice in Federal District Court in Brooklyn; the first case ended in a hung jury and the second in his acquittal.

His lawyer at both trials, Gerald L. Shargel, said Friday, “He was a longtime client, and I was saddened to hear of his death.”

William K. Rashbaum contributed reporting.

Custodian’s stress-disorder suit restored

Meghann M. Cuniff / Staff writer

A custodian who sued her school district after being forced to clean up the bloody scene of a student’s suicide had her lawsuit reinstated Tuesday by the Washington Court of Appeals.

Debbie Rothwell, who still works at Lakeside High School in Nine Mile Falls, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a lawsuit filed in May 2007 by her lawyer, William Powell, of Spokane. The 16-year-old student shot himself in the head inside the school’s main entrance in 2004. The lawsuit was dismissed in January 2008 by Spokane County Superior Court Judge Greg Sypolt, who ruled the incident was covered by the Industrial Insurance Act.

But the Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 ruling, disagreed and reinstated the suit.

“There are people who do clean up the mess after one of these horrible murders or suicides happen,” Powell said Tuesday, referring to private professionals. “But the superintendent in this case chose not to do that. He should have known better.”

Along with former Superintendent Michael Green, now superintendent of the Woodland School District in Western Washington, the lawsuit names the Nine Miles Falls School District, Stevens County Sheriff Craig Thayer, two sheriff’s detectives and an unidentified man as defendants.

None was available for comment. Like most civil suits in Washington, the complaint seeks unspecified damages.

Rothwell’s complaints center around her task of cleaning up the suicide scene, then being asked to move a backpack she later learned belonged to the victim and contained a suspicious device that authorities detonated using a robot.

She stayed at work until after 4 a.m., cleaning the mess of blood, brain and bone alone, becoming “emotionally distraught and physically ill” before returning to the school less than four hours later at Green’s orders to serve cookies and coffee to grieving students and keep the media from the school, according to the suit.

At issue in the court decisions was whether Rothwell’s claim of post-traumatic stress disorder fell under the industrial injury act, which prohibits lawsuits based on industry injury or occupational disease.

Judges John A. Schultheis and Dennis J. Sweeney ruled it didn’t because it wasn’t the result of one work order. Her trauma grew over several days, according to their written opinion. Judge Teresa C. Kulik dissented.

Cleanup part of healing process at ACA

By: Neil St. Clair

ENDWELL, N.Y. -- It's the kind of job nobody wants to get called to do, but it must be done so life can move on.

"We've been involved in triple homicides, but never the amount of people involved in this. All these cases are tough, but this may have been the worst one," said Jim Coyle, owner of Disaster Clean-Up service in Endwell.

Coyle is a lifelong Broome County resident and a veteran of crime scene biohazard removal. He was charged with the cleanup last Sunday after the 13 senseless murders at the American Civic Association.

It's a scene that affected him as it affected many people in the area.

"I wouldn't wish this on anybody to walk in and see this, even the first responders."

The grisly job took Coyle and his crew around six hours, but helped the ACA reopen its doors and get back to its business of helping immigrants become Americans.

Cleanup part of healing process at ACA
After all the pain surrounding the shootings at the American Civic Association, the community has begun to heal. As our Neil St. Clair explains, several local businesses have donated their time and services to help everyone in that process.

What would normally have cost thousands of dollars, Coyle did for free, a service to help his community heal.

"We wanted to do something. There was enough suffering involved here. It just didn't seem right to profit from something like this."

Coyle was one of the first non-emergency personnel to enter the building.

His job is normally thankless, evaporating the tangible memories of some horrible moment. But this one was different, and several people have offered praise for the work he's done.

"You don't really take pride in something like this, but after you see the look on people's faces after you do this, that's what keeps you going back, somebody has to do this."

And though it's tough to wipe away the horror he's witnessed, he, like this community, is trying to push ahead. "Just go on with my life...nothing out of the ordinary...just another day."

Coyle teamed up with BioRecovery Corporation based in New York City as part of a collaboration with the nonprofit American Bio-Recovery Association.

ACA cleaned, but no decision yet on when center will reopen

By My-Ly Nguyen
mnguyen@gannett.com

BINGHAMTON - Four days after the massacre at the American Civic Association, the center is ready to open its doors. But it's unclear whether the staff, students and community are ready to have classes and other activities resume inside.

Mayor Matthew T. Ryan said the association wants to reopen as soon as possible.

Cleanup crews in the building over the weekend have made that possible.

State funding, allocated by Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, also will help: $100,000 to help the civic association get back on its feet and another $100,000 to provide counseling services and implement protective measures at the center, said Tina Ruocco, a spokeswoman for Sen. Thomas W. Libous, R-Binghamton.

It will take at least a few days for the related paperwork and other administrative procedures to be completed, she said.

Priscilla Pease, a teacher who was in the civic association basement during the shootings Friday, said staff would meet with students "at a neutral site" today "to talk about what we're going to do next."

Through the front windows of the American Civic Association, a man could be seen mopping the lobby floor late Monday morning.

A co-owner of Disaster Clean Up and two of the Endwell business' technicians spent about six hours Sunday conducting more extensive cleanup at the facility. They donned Tyvek white suits and other protective gear, and disinfected the space inside.

"You'd never know it happened other than some telltale signs of some bullet holes," said Jim Coyle, who owns Disaster Clean Up with his wife, Debby.

It takes a certain kind of person to do this job, he said.

"You kind of have to put it out of your mind," he said. "You have to understand that you're doing a valuable service. That's the attitude we have."

Bio-Recovery Corp. of New York City sent two workers to the site to help with the cleanup, Coyle said.

Both companies are members of the nonprofit American Bio-Recovery Association of crime and trauma scene workers. The businesses donated their labor and supplies to the City of Binghamton and the civic association. Coyle said he'd normally charge about $12,000 for a similar job. Insurance almost always covers the cost.

Outside the civic association, flower bouquets, balloons and even a line of 14 pennies - presumably to mark the 14 who died Friday during the shootings in the association's building on Front Street - were placed on the front steps. A light rain fell from the dark gray sky late Monday morning.

Casey Chandler, 26, of Endicott, stopped to drop off a bouquet of flowers and pay her respects to those killed and their families. She said she feels for the gunman's family, too, and wonders how they're coping with what happened.

"I cried when I heard it," she said. "When something this tragic happens ... it affects everybody."

Two doors down at HCA Respite Home & Residential Services, staff members have fielded calls from concerned families, some of whom asked if the HCA is taking any special precautions in light of the shootings, said Mike Reed, a registered nurse.

The facility provides services for families and children with disabilities. All doors in the building have keypad systems to provide security, Reed said.

On Friday, about 30 new staff members were participating in a training class at the HCA, he said. None of the children were present because they were in school or at work.

"Everything is quiet today, even Wal-Mart," said Mary Catherine Allison, a residential counselor. "It was just like a calm. Normally, it's hectic on Mondays. There were lots of parking spaces. It was really weird. It felt like the city was mourning."

Across the street, Envy You Salon-Boutique remained closed Monday, after being closed Saturday and Sunday "due to the recent events," according to a sign posted in the shop's window.

Pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks near the American Civic Association was sparse late Monday morning.

"Everyone who survived this incident is a hero," Chandler said.

She wants outsiders to know this: "We've always been a tight-knit community. ... We're not just a small, rundown little town. I just can't believe this happened."

Industry donates resources in NY massacre cleanup

BINGHAMTON, NY — Following the horrific events that unfolded last Friday at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, NY, the American Bio-Recovery Association (ABRA) has completed the cleanup, according to a press release.

The ABRA, a non-profit international association of crime and trauma scene professionals sought help from two local companies to assist in the biorecovery cleanup efforts, the release stated.

Disaster Cleanup of Endwell, NY, and Bio-Recovery Corporation of New York, NY, donated their labor and supplies to professionally and legally remediate the scene with a crew of six highly skilled biorecovery technicians, the release noted.

As a community service, the ABRA provided no cost biohazard cleanup services to the non-profit American Civic Association in hopes of helping the community heal from the loss of 13 innocent would-be American citizens and the wounding of four others, the release added.

The thoughts and prayers of the CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management® and CM/Cleanfax® staff go out to all of the friends and families affected by this tragedy.

Cleanup completed at Civic Association

April 5, 2009

Cleanup has been completed at the American Civic Association building in Binghamton, where a gunman killed 13 people and injured four before taking his own life Friday.

The American Bio-Recovery Association, a non-profit international association of crime and trauma scene professionals, said Sunday that the bio-recovery cleaning was complete. The Ipswich, Mass.-based group provided the service at no cost.

Two member companies, Disaster Clean Up of Endwell and the Bio-Recovery Corporation of New York City, donated labor and supplies to remediate the scene with a crew of six technicians.

MAYOR BLOOMBERG SIGNS LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING GUIDELINES FOR SAFE CLEANING OF TRAUMA SCENES

Remarks by Mayor Bloomberg at a Public Hearing on Local Laws


"The next bill before me is Introductory Number 123-A, sponsored by Council Members Nelson, Gentile, Liu, Sanders, Vallone, Katz, Weprin and Mealy. Introductory Number 123-A requires the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to establish guidelines for the uniform and safe cleaning of trauma scenes on both public and private property and to provide important information on resources related to trauma scene clean-up.

"Presently, there are no available written guidelines that integrate both worker protection requirements and medical waste handling. The guidelines established under this bill will provide agencies, private employers, and the public with clear and important information on protecting workers and the public.

"The guidelines for trauma scene management - to be followed by all City agencies - would include the immediate restriction of access to the trauma scene, the cleaning and decontamination of the trauma scene, and the removal of any waste in accordance with applicable laws and guidelines. These guidelines will be modified for trauma-scene management on private property and will be available through 311 and on NYC.GOV along with helpful information for property owners and crime victims.

"I would like to thank the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Thomas Frieden and his staff for working on this bill. I would also like to thank the Council for approving this legislation."

Canarsie station would be hazard, residents say

BY Erin Durkin
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Monday, March 30th 2009, 4:00 AM

Canarsie residents are fighting a plan to build a medical waste facility they charge could be hazardous to their health.

CMW Industries is planning to build a medical waste transfer station on Farragut Road, to move waste such as mercury and formaldehyde between hospitals and labs and out of state disposal facilities. Waste could be stored at the site for as long as 10 days.

Residents worry that an accident could expose them to dangerous chemicals, and that 35 daily truck trips will add to air pollution.

CMW officials insist their concerns are unfounded.

"I think it's horrendous," said Sylvia Jones, who lives four blocks from the project site. "It will jeopardize everyone's health within this area, and my health too, as a 76-year-old woman."

CMW is waiting for a permit from the state Department of Environmental Conservation that both sides agree is likely to be granted.

An administrative law judge threw out a bid by Assemblyman Nick Perry and Councilman Charles Barron to block the application.

"It's just an inappropriate place," Perry said, noting there are homes a block from the site and a school a block and a half away.

Opponents say their neighborhood is already burdened with too many polluting facilities.

"This smacks of environmental racism," Barron said. "We have bus depots, we have transfer stations, we have so many environmentally hazardous facilities in our community. We don't need another one."

"One accident on one of those trucks and all that medical waste will be spilled in our community."

But owners said the station would pose no danger.

"They're literally taking boxes from one truck that have been fully sealed at a doctor's office and moving them to another truck," said Jeff Baker, a lawyer for CMW. "

"The concept that there's any kind of a risk to the community is ridiculous," he said, adding truck traffic to the facility would not be enough to significantly add to air pollution.

That's little comfort to Jewel Brown, 47.

"I'm an asthmatic," she said. "I'm very concerned about my health ... the traffic, the pollution - it's going to be very heavy."

Perry said if the DEC approves the permit, he will ask for an injunction to stop the facility because it violates zoning law.

"We are prepared to go to court," he said.

Queens’ own crime-scene cleanup crew

by Lee Landor , Editor


Ron Gospodarski, left, founder of Bio-Recovery Corp., and employee Manny Sosa clean up after a natural death in the Bronx. (photo by Lee Landor)

Death is a dirty job. No one knows that better than Ron Gospodarski, a volunteer paramedic and founder of Bio-Recovery Corp., a trauma- and crime-scene cleanup company that deals with the gruesome grime that most people never get — and usually don’t want — to see.

The 47-year-old Woodside resident started his company in 1998 after realizing there was a gaping void in the area of bio-hazard abatement. At the time, Gospodarski was working as a paramedic and as operations manager at the Queens District Attorney’s Office.

“I never knew who cleaned stuff up,” Gospodarski said, noting that emergency medical personnel and police officers often leave a crime or trauma scene even messier than it was when they arrived. Curious and concerned, the microbiologist did some research and found there was no one responsible for cleaning things up.

Seeing the opportunity to provide a much-needed service and to start his own business, the Buffalo native opened the first bio-recovery company in the New York City. His primary aim: offer help to victims and families who have suffered a loss and can’t bear to deal with cleaning up remains. Another important goal he aims to achieve is increasing awareness about the presence of companies such as his.

“I feel bad for these people,” Gospodarski said. “I really, truly do.” The city does not provide services in this area, he noted. What’s worse is that it doesn’t even inform those who need cleanup services that they have options, that companies like Bio-Recovery exist. According to Gospodarski, the Police Department and offices of the medical examiner and district attorney said it would be a “conflict of interest” to refer such companies.

Spokespeople for both the Queens District Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said crime-scene cleanup does not fall under their jurisdiction. A spokesman from the NYPD said referring businesses would be a conflict of interest. “We’re not in the business of promoting other businesses,” he said.

“Is that really caring about people?” Gospodarski asked. Without the help of city agencies, how exactly does one go about advertising death-scene cleanup services? The truth is, “Nobody wants to know about you until they need you,” Gospodarski said. “People just don’t want to deal with reality,” but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be informed, he added.

But sometimes reality is harsh. That Bio-Recovery technicians know well. They were called in to clean the aftermath of the May 2000 Wendy’s Massacre in Flushing. Five employees were killed and two were seriously wounded during a robbery planned by a former employee of the fast food restaurant and its manager.

Gospodarski, along with 65 certified bio-recovery technicians, finished the $30,000 cleanup two weeks after it began; the entire restaurant was contaminated with bio-hazardous chemicals.

Typically, cleanups range from one to three hours, utilize one to three technicians and cost between $600 and $2,000. Bio-Recovery can get up to 10 jobs some weeks, and none others, according to Gospodarski.

Bio-Recovery has cleaned everything from accident, suicide and homicide scenes, to hoarder houses, anthrax outbreaks and sewage backflows. The company specializes in the cleanup of microbial contamination and other bio-hazards.

In addition to the Wendy’s Massacre, Bio-Recovery was responsible for cleaning up after several other high-profile Queens crimes, including two in Howard Beach: the June 2005 beating of Glenn Moore by Nicholas “Fat Nick” Minucci and the February 2008alleged murder of ex-cop Raymond Sheehan by his wife, Barbara Sheehan.

In January, Gospodarski and his crew went to clean up the bloodied Springfield Gardens home of 86-year-old Vivian Squires, who was slashed across the neck while fighting off an intruder who tried to smother her to death.

“You’re sort of like a voyeur,” Gospodarski said. “You get to see what others want to see, but don’t get to.” Crime scenes are only fascinating until they become a reality: people think they want to see the gruesome aftermath of an unbelievable crime, but once that actually becomes a possibility, they shy away from it, according to Manny Sosa, a 29-year-old technician who has worked with Bio-Recovery for nearly 10 years.

While he and his fellow technicians — all certified by the American Bio-Recovery Association — view the cleanups simply as their jobs, they fully acknowledge that they’re dealing with human life. At a recent cleanup in the Bronx, where a woman died of natural causes and was found five days later, Sosa was emptying drawers filled with contaminated clothing and other items. “You’re throwing someone’s life away,” he said as he filled a large black garbage bag. “It’s pretty sad.”

Still, overall, “We’re more pragmatic about it. We take it ... for what it is,” Gospodarski said. “To us, it’s really just a job again.”

The Bio-Recovery technicians must detach themselves while they work. That way, they’re able to remain focused and judgement-free. “It doesn’t matter to us who they were, where they came from,” Sosa said. “We just do our job.” This is a job he does not talk about outside of work: “I try not to attach myself to any of this. Work is work — when I leave here, I don’t want to discuss people’s personal privacy. I’m invading people’s space just by being here,” he said.

One of the most important and difficult things about this job, according to Gospodarski, is interacting with those who hire him. “You have to build a rapport and friendship” to earn their trust, he said. Acknowledging that they’ve been through a trauma and treating them, and the victim, with respect is key.

In this job, it’s not enough to have a tough stomach: “You have to be a people person,” according to Gospodarski. “If you put the people factor first, you can’t go wrong.” Because he’s done just that, Gospodarski has earned Bio-Recovery its good reputation, he noted. And that, he said, “is more important than any dollar sign.”

According to a spokeswoman from the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New Yorkers can call 311 for information on safe clean-up or access detailed guidelines on the department’s website, nyc.gov/health.

Bio-Recovery Corp. technicians are available 24 hours a day in New York, New Jersey and Southern Connecticut and can be reached at (877) 246-2532, (718) 729-2600 or (516) 766-3366. For more information about the company, email info@biorecovery.com or visit biorecovery.com, where Gospodarski’s crime-scene cleanup blog can be accessed.

New Yorker finds niche cleaning up grisly scenes

Shanghai Star.
RON Gospodarski has made a career cleaning up after other people ?their blood, brain matter and body parts.

Gospodarski owns Bio-Recovery, a business that cleans crime, trauma and biohazard scenes in New York City and surrounding areas.

An emergency medical technician in the city for more than two decades, Gospodarski established Bio-Recovery nine years ago as an outgrowth of his old job, in which he would be among the first to arrive at a messy scene of tragedy.

“People would ask us who we could get to clean this up and we never knew anyone,?said Gospodarski, 43. “I did some research and found out no one was doing this here so I figured, let’s do something.?

His company, based in Long Island City, New York, charges customers US$600 and up, depending on the job. Families and property owners find him through funeral directors, the telephone book and the Internet. The police are forbidden to make such referrals.

Gospodarski and more than a dozen employees ?all with backgrounds as firefighters, police officers or in other emergency services ?arrive at a scene after the police finish collecting evidence.

Dressed in chemical-resistant blue suits, full-face respirators, gloves and boots, they meticulously scrub away blood, brain matter and other body fluids and parts following suicides, homicides and other traumatic events.

Tough task

“We’re helping people during a tragic time when they’re left with something like this,?said Gospodarski, who has a master’s degree in biology. “We’re there to do a job and we can’t get too emotional, because that gets in the way.?

Gospodarski, who says he works 10 to 15 hours a day, has cleaned up after stabbings, hangings and fatal work accidents.

Toughest to take, he says, are suicides of young people.

“You’re usually in their bedrooms and you’re looking at pictures of them and you see how they live and you think: ‘What would make someone go this far to do this?”’

Bio-Recovery has cleaned up after some of New York’s most sensational and headline-grabbing murder cases.

In 2000, the company cleaned a Wendy’s fast-food restaurant in Flushing, Queens, where seven people were shot execution-style inside the walk-in refrigerator. Five died.

Human nature

By the time Gospodarski’s group arrived, the entrance to the restaurant had been transformed into a shrine, adorned with votive candles, flower bouquets and sympathy notes.

Inside, the food contents of the walk-in had been left to spoil and the walls and floor were splattered with blood.

Bio-Recovery scrubbed and disinfected the apartment above the Carnegie Deli in New York’s theatre district following a highly publicized triple homicide in 2001.

Gospodarski’s group also helped clean up after letters containing anthrax were received at the New York offices of ABC News and the New York Post.

“We’ve run the gamut and we’ve seen everything,?he said. “I wouldn’t say I’m desensitized to this, but you do get used to it.?

The grim and gruesome job has its rewards, he says.

“The greatest satisfaction of the job is when the families call up and say thank you and that we really made a difference,?he said. “We get calls from the poorest to the richest who say that we’ve done a wonderful job and we appreciate it. That means a lot.?

The job also gives some insights into human nature.

He recalled being stopped by an onlooker as he cleaned up a building in Manhattan’s East Village where an elderly person had died of natural causes and body fluids dripped through six apartments before the corpse was discovered.

“It’s inevitable; someone will stick their head in and say, ‘Are they going to rent this?”’ he said. “It’s amazing.?