SERVPRO of Indianapolis West’s Community Partnership

4/5/2018 (Permalink)

We're proud to give back to the community we live and work in.

SERVPRO as a corporate entity has a long tradition of giving back to the community, a tradition that began with company co-founders Ted and Doris Isaacson at the start of the company in 1967. SERVPRO today still encourages this attitude among its over 1,700 franchises across the country.

SERVPRO of Indianapolis West embraces this approach, and in its over 10 years as a franchise, has a specific partner it teams with several times a year. Together, they help each other give back to the local community in more effective ways.

A Partnership to Better the Community

SERVPRO of Indianapolis West has teamed with the Wayne Township Trustee’s office and Wayne Township Fire Department to help them maximize their many community outreach events at various times throughout the year. Since the local fire department is the first line of defense in preventing fire and water disasters, this partnership developed organically.

Neighborhood Cleanup Days

The Wayne Township Fire Department sets aside several days throughout the year as neighborhood cleanup days. Rick Boger, Marketing Manager of SERVPRO of Indianapolis West, explained, “They meet in the morning, usually on a Saturday, serving up donuts and coffee to the volunteers. They draw about a hundred people, including me. We break into small groups and we’ll walk the streets of the neighborhood, armed with trash bags and rubber gloves, picking up garbage.” For Rick, it’s a chance to meet others in the area who care about their community. The street department coordinates with these Cleanup Days and sends a trash truck to follow the groups and collect the filled trash bags.

Safety Day

SERVPRO of Indianapolis West also participates in the Fire Department’s annual Safety Day. “It’s a way the department gets important safety information out to the public, ranging from emergency tips like “stop, drop and roll” and CPR demonstrations. There are many different fun activities for children to participate in while learning how to stay safe. “It gives our company the opportunity to pass out our safety tips and educate the public on water and fire safety, and what signs of a mold infestation might look like.” Rick also serves food to the public, free of charge during the event.

Smoke Alarm Blitz

SERVPRO of Indianapolis West and the Wayne Township Fire Department work together with their local Red Cross for one of Rick’s favorite events. “Several times a year, the Red Cross provides us with smoke alarms. We pick a random neighborhood in the community, send out notifications in advance, and visit the homes. We knock door-to-door and offer to test the smoke alarms in the house, and also make sure the house has enough alarms.” The volunteers replace any defective alarms and/or add alarms (up to two free alarms per home). “Sometimes we install alarms in homes that never had one before. We might install 10-15 smoke alarms in a day that weren’t working before, and those alarms might be the difference that saves someone’s life.”

Rick also helps with fundraising efforts for the Fire Department, such as volunteering at their golf outings where SERVPRO of Indianapolis West as a local company sponsors a hole.

Rick says SERVPRO of Indianapolis West’s community partnership with the Wayne Township Trustee’s office and Fire Department makes a lot of sense, and Rick is proud of the work they’ve accomplished together. “Firefighters are the first responders to property emergencies. Without them, we’d have nothing to restore.”