[Disaster Planning] Florida PCO Rebuilds Following Fire

Bob Pepe Sr.’s world was turned upside down in January 2002 when a fire completely destroyed his office’s interior. But Pepe, president of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.-based Globe Exterminators, picked himself up, rebuilt his office and is using his tragedy to educate other PCOs on how to protect their businesses from fires.

Globe Exterminators went up in flames as a result of an electrical fire that occurred late at night, after the office was closed. Pepe arrived on the scene 20 minutes after the fire began and watched helplessly as desks, computers, books, filing cabinets, paperwork and personal belongings were destroyed. When the final flame was doused, the 95-year-old structure was still standing but it had been completely gutted. (If the structure were not so well built it would have been entirely destroyed, Pepe said.) The fire caused more than $75,000 worth of damage to the 2,000-square-foot facility, according to Pepe.

Pepe was understandably distraught following the fire. "I got through feeling sorry for myself about two days later, realized that I’m still alive and it wasn’t like I got run over by a tractor-trailer," he says. "I had a very minor thing happen to me in my life compared to other people’s problems."

With this new-found perspective, Pepe went about the business of rebuilding. As a temporary fix, Pepe set up a pre-fabricated trailer from which Globe Exterminators operated the next seven months. "We went from a 2,000-square-foot structure to a 200-square-foot structure," Pepe recalls.

DEALING WITH TRAGEDY. It turns out Pepe had prepared his business perfectly to deal with such a tragic event. In addition to being properly insured, no service vehicles were damaged because Pepe allows his technicians to store their service vehicles at home. The one service vehicle that was on site, was parked far away from the building.

Of greater significance was the fact that Globe Exterminators stores all of its pesticides at a separate, on-site facility.

"When I arrived I was getting clobbered by people coming up to me and asking about chemicals," Pepe said. "I could look them in the eye and say, ‘None are in there. The chemicals are safely stored in that structure at the far end of the property.’"

Also, damages to Pepe’s records were minimized because he regularly backs up his computer files. Although the company’s filing cabinets were badly damaged by fire, Pepe says he was able to salvage most records.

In short, Globe Exterminators is a model operation in terms of being well equipped to deal with fires or, for that matter, natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, etc. Now, Pepe is using his experience to help other PCOs. He recently spoke on the topic of fire preparedness at a pest control training course put on by the Pest Control Educational Center.

In his presentation, Pepe explained to attendees how he was able to avoid many problems that could have occurred because he was properly insured; had his computer files backed up; kept his vehicles away from his structure; and had his chemicals stored in a separate structure.

"I told them that you want to be in the same situation that I was in. You want your trucks moving the next morning," Pepe said. "All of my trucks were moving the next morning except one."

Seven months following the fire, Globe Exterminators reopened the doors to its office. Pepe says the pest control community has been very helpful. In particular, he credits Univar, which donated office furniture and credit. Others have donated books and various educational resources.

The author is Internet editor for www.pctonline.com. He can be reached at bharbison@pctonline.com.