Crime Scene Cleanup & Blood Cleanup

Parts of the following post have been copied, with permission, from www.biotrauma911.com/blog.

I’ve been a police officer for nine years.  Even though, as a police officer, I have not been actively involved with the crime scene cleanup or blood cleanup process, I understand it to be a very detailed and labor intensive process.  Crime scene cleanup, blood cleanup, suicide cleanup, gross filth cleanup and general biohazard cleanup all require specialized training.  In my dealings with many of these cleaning professionas, I have found them to be very professional, caring and compassionate.  Although not required, many are former police officers, EMTs, military corpsman, funeral directors and firefighters.   Crime scene cleanup and blood cleanup is more than just a job, it’s a calling.  It is a calling not for the weak or timid, and I commend every professional technician employed in the crime scene cleanup and blood cleanup industry.

Too many times, I’ve had the unfortunate experience of being dispatched to the scene of a violent crime or serious accident involving blood and bodily fluids.  Within minutes, several police officers, firefighters and EMT’s arrive to assist, all rushing about, stepping over the blood, while dilegently performing their duties with the syncronization of a rolex watch.  Somewhere though, in the back of an ambulance or hiding in the background waiting for help, is the victim.  The victim, not necessarily injured, is the homeowner or lessee, responsible for the condition of her home or apartment.  She’s approached several times by first responders, prodding her for information, asking questions either she can’t think about or doesn’t have the answers to.  All the while, she’s looking at the remains of a loved one, remains still present after the body is removed.  Blood, bone matter and other bodily fluids are strewn about the floors and walls.  In a state of shock, she utters repeatedly, “what am I to do”, “WHAT AM I TO DO”!  No answer.  With further clarity she asks several uniformed individuals nearby, “who will help me cleanup this blood”?  Still, no answer.  Tears stream down her face as she slowly begins to realize that she will be left alone.  The frenzy will end; the officers, firefighters and EMT’s will leave and she will be left to clean the aftermath of a crime or trauma scene.

Any public servant dispatched to a crime or trauma scene should feel obligated to render as much assistance as needed.  This includes taking additional steps to ensure the victim knows that crime scene cleanup companies and other blood cleanup services are available to help.  Too many victims are all too often left alone without receiving this information.  It’s not necessary for first responders to “sell” a particular company, but to point the victim in the right direction should be a legitimate and justified level of action.

I encourage any first responder reading this blog to think about the victims and their cries for help.  These cries may not be understood and they may be faint, but they are there.   Take a few minutes to talk with the victim after everyone else has left.  Find out what you can do to help and what information the victim may need that will help them to begin the healing process.

A final note on a topic which should be important to all of us, communicable or infectious diseases.  The Hepatitis B Virus can live and thrive in blood for up to seven days.  Hepatitis B causes inflammation of the liver and can lead to more serious conditions such as cirrhosis, liver cancer and death.  There is no cure or suitable treatment plan for Hepatitis B.  Please, stay away from blood and/or bodily fluids.   Please contact a reputable crime scene cleanup company before attempting to clean a scene yourself.  To locate a crime scene cleanup company or a company involved with gross filth cleanup, blood cleanup, mold remediation, suicide cleanup or other biohazard cleanup, you may want to start your search at CleanupDirectory.com.  A nationwide directory of crime scene cleanup and janitorial companies, CleanupDirectory.com offers a lot of good resources for those who may be in need of help.