Biting the Hand that Feeds You: Trauma Cleanup
Angela and Steven Williams and their son Barrett lived in a close-knit neighborhood where neighbors were more like family than acquaintances. They celebrated birthdays and holidays together and had street parties on a regular basis whether for the 4th of July, the first day back to school, or the beginning of Spring. The children all played together and mothers and fathers looked after all the kids as they played outside and rotated between houses. It was quite the community to say the least, but it was shaken to its core after a tragic event occurred when the Williams’ family was dog-sitting for a family down the road.
Barrett was seven-years-old at the time, and he was “hired” by an elderly couple a few houses down, the Stewarts. The Stewarts had a large Great Dane, Toby, that was well-loved by everyone that knew him. He was an energetic, playful animal that needed a lot of attention, but the Stewarts were only going to be gone for two nights and figured Toby would be fine if Barrett walked him a few times each day until they returned. The Stewarts’ biggest worry was that they may come home to an unattended dog who’d had accidents all over their home. Barrett and his mom had very specific feeding and walking instructions and Barrett was excited to have a job so he could earn a little spending money. The first day went well even though Barrett struggled some to keep up with Toby as the dog pulled him up and down the street. But it was the second day that things took a nasty turn, resulting in a trauma cleanup.
Barrett had just put down a bowl of food that Toby was devouring, Angela remembers, and Barrett ran and jumped on Toby just before they were about to leave. I watched in horror as Toby turned and attacked Barrett. Blood was everywhere and all I remember is screaming and trying to drag Barrett out from under Toby. Somehow I ended up outside on the front porch with Barrett in my arms. He was covered, every inch of him, in blood, and I was screaming at the top of my lungs.
Several neighbors heard Angela’s cries for help and rushed over to help. Barrett was in and out of consciousness and it was difficult to determine exactly where he was bleeding from. When the ambulance arrived, they laid Barrett out on the front porch and found several bite wounds and lacerations on Barrett’s arms apparently from shielding his face, an extremely deep tear that separated a portion of Barrett’s scalp from his skull, and a broken ulna protruding from his forearm, likely due to breaking a fall in the struggle to get away from the dog.
Angela remembers other neighbors securing the dog as the ambulance drove away with her and Barrett and how she felt pure horror over what had occurred and what the future held. The aftereffects involved daunting tasks that included trauma cleanup of the bloodshed, determining what to do with Toby, and helping Barrett recover physically and emotionally from the attack.
Picking Up the Pieces
Fortunately, the Williams’ neighbors suggested Advanced Bio Treatment in dealing with the task of trauma cleanup and decontamination of the Stewarts’ home. Advanced Bio Treatment has an excellent reputation and years of experience in dealing with trauma and accident cleanup, in addition to all the required certifications to handle and dispose of biohazard waste. Anytime blood or body fluid is part of a cleanup, it is essential that precautions are taken to ensure that all biological materials, even microscopic amounts, are removed and the area is decontaminated. Not only blood, but many body fluids and tissues, can harbor dangerous bacteria and pathogens that are transmissible to other humans. When a team of our technicians arrived at the Stewarts’ home, most of the smeared and puddled blood had already dried, but it had been tracked throughout the house in the midst of the chaos of the attack and then in securing the animal. Our technicians use the utmost care to ensure that all remnants from a traumatic event are completely removed and that all blood is thoroughly cleaned up and all exposed areas are disinfected. There are a variety of methods depending on the specific circumstances, but Advanced Bio Treatment uses the latest technology including The Halo™ disinfecting system which employs a hydrogen peroxide fogger to ensure all exposed surfaces are completely disinfected and free from harmful bacteria.
In the end, Barrett didn’t suffer any permanent injuries. He was able to return home after a short hospital stay and a single surgery to repair his broken arm. The Stewarts’ dog, Toby, was given to relatives in Louisiana, without children, who happily offered to care for him on their large property where Toby could run and explore. In the event that you are faced with the aftermath of a trauma, accident, or crime, call on our team of experienced, compassionate staff and technicians to support your cleanup needs.
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