Natural Disaster Tips

4/17/2020 (Permalink)

After a natural disaster like a hurricane or a tornado, your first priority will be to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. When the storm passes there will likely be challenges to face, but there are a few things you can do to help make sure you stay protected when it comes to your home and finances.

Before Making Repairs, Document the Natural Disaster Damage

It’s normal to want to start making repairs as soon as you can, but it’s recommended that you document any natural disaster damage first. This will likely help in discussions with your insurance company. Once you’ve protected your home from further damage, take photographs of debris and other natural disaster damages before removing or repairing anything.

If You Have Been Temporarily Relocated, Save Your Receipts

Your homeowner’s insurance policy may cover living expenses if your home has natural disaster damage and you need to leave it temporarily. It’s best to keep a record of all of your expenses during this time so that you have a record of what you spend, and so that you can submit them to your adjuster and insurance company for reimbursement consideration. If you have to leave your home and your address will change temporarily, it is important to update your contact information with your mortgage company. If you’re a Mr. Cooper customer, you can call 888-480-2432 or make updates through your online account.

Beware of Fraud After Natural Disasters — From Home Repair Scams to Price Gouging

Home repair scams and price gouging efforts increase after natural disasters. Consider finding a contractor through a recommendation from someone who can vouch for their work. Be wary of contractors who ask for large amounts of money upfront or provide very low bids. Get multiple bids, set an agreement in writing, and make sure your contractor is insured. Keep these “red flags” in mind, too:

• Unsolicited phone calls or visits
• Fake officials or people impersonating government officials
• Credentials that cannot be easily checked, such as a contractor address that can’t be verified
• Price-busting promises, or people who promise a hefty discount without telling you the total cost of the job
• Scare tactics or high-pressure sales tactics

Understanding Commercial Insurance

3/21/2019 (Permalink)

Commercial Insurance

Commercial property insurance covers businesses for losses due to certain covered events, such as fire, theft, vandalism, or natural disaster. This coverage helps business owners protect their valuable assets, such as an owned or leased building, tools, equipment, machinery, or inventory. Commercial property insurance rates typically average $500 to $1,000 per year.

Commercial Property Insurance Rates

The cost of business property insurance varies depending on the value of the property to be insured, the location of the business, and the coverage limits and deductible you choose. There are several other factors affecting the cost of commercial property insurance, but most small businesses will pay $500 to $1,000 per year in premium.

Some insurance providers will allow you to include commercial property insurance in a business owners policy (BOP), which is a bundled package of multiple insurance types. The cost of the package as a whole is often less than the underlying policies if purchased separately.

The most important factors that affect the cost of business property insurance include:

• Geography: Everything from the land value of your business location to local crime rates can impact the annual cost of your premium.
• Safety and Security: This expands on the geography and location aspect. Is your commercial property located in a high crime area? Are there hazardous materials stored in your building or nearby?
• Size of Business Premises: A large commercial building will generally cost more to cover than a single unit office space.
• Age of Building: Old buildings can be more susceptible to certain types of damage, so they may cost more to insure. For example, a fire caused by old electrical wiring could translate into costly repairs if the building needs to be rebuilt to code.
• Type of Equipment: Heavy industrial equipment will cost more to insure than an at-home business’ sewing machine.
• Age of Equipment: You may pay higher premiums if your equipment is hard to repair because of scarce parts or if it’s more likely to break down because of heavy use.

Insurance companies will charge more for greater risk exposures that require higher coverage limits. It’s important to remain aware of the risk exposures of your business and the assets that you need covered.

Use an Agent or Broker Who Understands Your Business

Commercial property insurance is a type of small business insurance and is not specific to any particular industry. Keep in mind that not every insurance company will have intimate knowledge of your business or the risk exposures that need protection. When shopping for a commercial property insurance policy, try to find an agent or broker who understands your business or industry type.

How Commercial Property Insurance Works

A commercial property insurance policy is non-industry specific, which means that the coverage is mostly standard across all business types. However, commercial property insurance is not a one-size-fits-all product. Policies will differ in a few key areas, such as the coverage limits, how assets are valued, and what’s covered and not covered in the policy.

What Commercial Property Insurance Covers

Your insurance policy will cover certain perils, which are causes of damage such as fire or theft. Coverages included in your policy are called inclusions, whereas perils not covered in your policy are called exclusions. It’s important to know what is covered in your policy and what is not covered.

Here are some of the primary items covered in a commercial property insurance policy due to loss from a covered peril:

• The building, owned or leased
• Business equipment loss
• Damage or loss due to wind, hail, fire or theft
• Accidental damage of property
• Business Interruption (lost business income)
• Electronic data
• Interruption of computer operations
• Valuable papers and records
• Forgery or alteration
• Accounts receivable

Of the covered items in a commercial property insurance policy, the most important items to cover are the building and the business’ assets contained within it. Business interruption, which covers a loss of income when your business is forced to suspend operations due to a covered event, is also necessary coverage in the property insurance policy.

For more information about Commercial Insurance visit Fit Small Business: Get Your Business Into Shape!

We Provide Commercial Services

12/6/2018 (Permalink)

Commercial Services

Commercial Restoration and Mitigation Services

If you are a property manager, business owner or building engineer then you understand the importance of maintaining and taking care of a commercial property. Our SERVPRO Commercial Division is solely dedicated to providing quality service for commercial clients and their properties. Our Commercial Division understands the needs and complexities of commercial buildings.We provide Emergency Ready Plans for large scale buildings, to get you back in business as quickly as possible.

We have the resources and capabilities to provide commercial restoration and mitigation services for any size structure. Whether your business or commercial property faces a fire, water or mold loss, we can handle it. We also provide board up and bio-hazard clean up services.

SERVPRO Capabilities

• We are an EPA & IICRC certified firm
• Any size loss will be handled confidently by an IICRC professional trained in water, fire, smoke, and commercial loss
• Golden Spike, Great Wolf Resorts, Ballard House, VA Medical Center, Aurora Firehouse 15, local municipalities, etc.
• We have equipment resources to manage all of your needs
• Including specialty drying equipment (injectidry, floor drying system, ETES, air scrubber, desiccant, etc.)
• 16 production vehicles, including 2 trailers
• Esporta Washing System
• Ultrasonic Cleaning System
• Document Drying
• Production teams with 7 years of national catastrophic storm travel
• Producing jobs in locations such as Illinois, Maryland, Arkansas, Idaho, Florida, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, California, Georgia, and Puerto Rico.
• Ownership that places the highest importance on Customer Satisfaction
• Our capabilities allow us to respond to your needs

SERVPRO’s Commercial Division is qualified to answer any of your restoration and mitigation questions. If you are concerned about your commercial property or if you have any questions about the services we provide, call our office and ask for our commercial division.

Development Boom in Colorado

8/16/2018 (Permalink)

Denver

Many projects currently underway are multifamily, meaning apartment or condo buildings, with nearly 10,000 new residential units in the downtown area, the report also says.

Some people say developers are overbuilding, creating too many apartments that contribute to worse traffic and overcrowding in the city.

Schippits said one way developers decide whether to build is by looking at the number of apartments compared to jobs available. CBRE is a Los Angeles-based commercial real estate services and investment firm.

Denver's job-per-apartment unit ratio is 5.9, meaning for every 5.9 jobs, there's one apartment unit.

"As a metro area... we're underperforming when it compares to our competitive set like Seattle or Austin," Schippits said. "If you peel the onion away any more...downtown is even further behind."

Downtown's ratio is at 6.6, above the national average of 6.1.

"What we're forecasting is with all the new apartments coming online, plus the jobs that are created downtown as predicted by Moody's [Analytics], our ratio will drop to 5.2," he said.

"So we're not overbuilding," Schippits said, adding that building more apartments is key to controlling for expense. "If we have more supply, there's less pressure on cost."

Be Prepared

5/25/2018 (Permalink)

Be Ready!

Emergency Ready?

          As many as 50% of businesses may never recover following a disaster, according to the latest industry research. Of the businesses that survive, the overwhelming majority of them had a preparedness plan in place. Pre-planning can serve as an insurance policy aimed at peace of mind. By developing a SERVPRO® Emergency READY Profile for your business, you minimize business interruption by having an immediate plan of action. Knowing what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation and can help minimize how water and fire damage can affect your business.

        Preparation is a key component for making it through any size disaster, whether it’s a small water leak, a large fire or an area flood. The best time for planning for such events is not when the event happens, but well before it happens. No one ever plans on a disaster, but you can plan for it. Now is the time to ask yourself, “Are you ready for whatever could happen?” The SERVPRO® Emergency READY Profile is a start up approach that provides the critical information needed to begin mitigation and recovery services. It is designed to serve as a quick reference of important building and contact information. By working with SERVPRO’s Emergency READY Profile, your business will receive the benefit of over 40 years of experience in reducing the impact of any natural or man-made disaster. SERVPRO® is a leader in water and fire damage response and can help you quickly get your property back in working order.

Homeowners, can you locate your water/gas shut off? 

Click here:

https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/7-things-every-homeowner-should-know-the-location-of/

Smoke Odor Damage and Your Business

5/21/2018 (Permalink)

Call The Professionals

What to Expect After a Fire

Fire and smoke damage is destructive and finding a restoration/mitigation company can be daunting. When it comes to fire and smoke damage restoration, SERVPRO professionals are trained and follow an extensive and thorough restoration process in order to get your home or business back to normal.

Each fire/smoke damage case is unique and is treated as such by SERVPRO professionals. SERVPRO professionals will compose a detailed plan to rid your property of smoke and soot damage. Smoke odor latches onto and penetrates the surfaces of walls, ceilings, clothes, upholstered furniture, books, electronics and more. It is crucial that all affected contents and surfaces are properly sanitized by professionals. Oftentimes it can be difficult to determine the source of the smoke odor. Experienced professionals know where to look for smoke and soot damage and how to best approach the restoration process.

If smoke damage is not taken care of by a professional, your property and its inhabitants may face greater damage. Smoke and soot can destroy the integrity of your home or business, damaging the ventilation system, air ducts, insulation, wall studs and even the framing/structure.

Different Smoke Odors

Cleaning smoke and soot damage yourself or using a basic cleaning service runs the risk of recurring smoke odor which can cause respiratory problems. Smoke odor can be harmful depending on what type of material was burned. Smoke that comes from wood framing causes a “campfire” smell which lets off acetic acid, benzene, carbon monoxide (CO), formaldehyde, formic acid, heavy metals, nitrogen-oxides (NO2), phenols, sulfur dioxide (SO2).

Cooking fire smoke is very difficult to remove and has a lingering smell of burnt animal fat/protein. Grease splatter from a cooking fire requires specific cleaning techniques that only a professional can provide.

When plastic is burned, it releases dangerous chemicals such as hydrochloric acid, sulfur dioxide, dioxins, furans and heavy metals, as well as particulates and are known to cause respiratory ailments which are potentially carcinogenic.

Fireplace wood fires also emits hazardous emissions, such as particulates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other emissions that can be dangerous for health.

Who Are The Professionals?

SERVPRO provides 24/7 Emergency response. After the initial emergency call a crew of certified SERVPRO professionals will promptly respond to your fire damage and arrive onsite prepared to assess, plan and arrange resources to restore your home or business back to what it once was.

What Will SERVPRO Do?

Board Up and Security

Fires can destroy doors, walls and windows, leaving your property vulnerable to additional loss from weather or theft. SERVPRO professionals have the equipment and capabilities to provide board up for your home or business. Your home or business may need additional security. SERVPRO can also provide fencing or even security to oversee your property.

Demolition

All damaged structural material is removed from the structure in order for the mitigation and restoration to take place. Demolition is a planned procedure, completed with the utmost care and strategy.

Cleanup

The local fire department will use fire retardants and water to extinguish the flames. SERVPRO will assess and examine the extent of damage to the structure, walls, ceilings, floors, ventilation/HVAC system and contents while composing a thorough plan for mitigation and restoration.

Contents

Clothes, upholstered furniture, books, electronics and more that are affected by smoke may be salvaged and sanitized. All affected items deemed salvageable are sanitized and deodorized using specialized solutions and equipment. Contents go through an extensive inventory process ensuring all items are accounted for and stored in a secure location.

Common Causes of Denver Commercial Water Damages

11/11/2017 (Permalink)

Equipment to put out fires can malfunction and cause water damage to your business. Schedule regular maintenance and call SERVPRO for drying services.

Regular Maintenance Plays a Big Part in Preventing Commercial Water Damage Disasters

When business owners think about commercial water damages, they often tend to fixate on torrential storms causing flooding and structural damages. While this can undoubtedly happen given the right circumstances, other situations can severely damage commercial buildings that owners tend to overlook and leave unchecked.

Here are some of the more common causes of commercial water damages:
 
Malfunctioning equipment has played a significant role in commercial water damage claims in Denver. Major appliances used for production, or even something as simple as the buildings water heater, can degrade and eventually break. You should have water storage tanks and equipment that is directly linked to the water supply checked regularly for weak spots or leaks.
 
Sprinkler systems are a significant component to keeping your office or storefront safe from the threats of fire. Unfortunately, sometimes these systems are improperly installed or just break. The result is a large volume of water (typically meant to suppress a fire) raining down from the fixtures or pouring out of the pipes. This is also something that should be maintained from year to year with regular inspections of the sprinklers by a competent individual.
 
Commercial water damage in Denver can be caused by freezing pipes as well. With temperatures far below freezing on average through the winter months, it does not take much exposure for uninsulated pipes to freeze and rupture. While we at SERVPRO act quickly to respond to your emergency situation, it would benefit you to learn the location of the water shut off to your building. This can help the situation from getting worse as you wait for our team of professionals to arrive.
 
 Our experienced team here at SERVPRO has seen a lot of commercial water damages over the years from various sources. While improper installation and operator errors can have their role in a portion of these instances, many of them happen at random with little warning to any trouble. Preventative maintenance can be a great way to stay ahead of disasters before they happen.
 
If you do find yourself amid cleanup efforts for damages to your businesses or company, trust SERVPRO of West Littleton / Sheridan. We are available 24/7 to get your storefront or property back up and running after any kind of unforeseen water damaging event. You can reach us anytime at (303) 593 - 1374.

For more information about the City of Denver, Colorado visit:  https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en.html

Make Sure Your Denver Salon’s Water Removal Plan Includes These Key Points

9/12/2017 (Permalink)

Denver Businesses Benefit from Using the SERVPRO ERP Plan

Use SERVPRO's ERP Plan to Help Prevent and Mitigate Losses

Water has the potential to damage any business. A broken pipe or leaking faucet in your Denver salon could lead to temporary closure or water damage to equipment or furnishings such as your carpet or drapes. Any closure or destruction is bad news for your business because not only do you lose money when you are closed, but you also have to pay to replace any damaged items. That is why SERVPRO recommends salons have a water removal plan in place to guide you should the worst happen.
 
Your Denver salon might need water removal at any time. You cannot always prevent leaks or spills from occurring, but you can draw up an emergency plan so that you and your staff know what to do and whom to call in the case of an emergency. We recommend including these key points.
 
Who to call in an emergency: Make sure everyone knows whom to call when something happens. Include managers, emergency services if necessary, and of course, do not forget to add SERVPRO. Our IICRC-certified technicians have free standing and truck mounted pumps and a range of extraction tools on hand to deal with any water removal needs.
 
The chain of command: Your staff needs to know whom to call and who is responsible for each aspect of the cleanup and water removal operation.
 
Insurance details: Ensure everyone knows how to contact your insurers and has all the insurance details to hand. Not all business insurance covers water removal so make sure you have the right coverage in place before anything happens.
 
Action steps: Set out a list of action steps to take, for example moving items to a higher position, or stopping the flow of water until the emergency services arrive, if possible.
 
Plan for reopening: The idea is to get your salon up and running again as fast as possible. Have a plan in place to make the process smoother and easier.
 
The SERVPRO Ready Profile Plan is easy to use app that makes it easy for salon owners to plan for water removal and other incidents. You get the guidance you need to assess your premises and draw up an emergency plan, and also receive downloadable forms and plans you can use in an emergency.
 
For help with water removal in Columbine, Bow Mar, Sheridan and surrounding areas, call SERVPRO of West Littleton / Sheridan at (303) 593-1374 today.

Learn more about this Mile High City by clicking.

Preventing Commercial Water Damage During Construction of Your New Business

3/30/2017 (Permalink)

Don't let water damage get your business down before opening day.

As a new business owner, the last thing you want is water damage during the construction of your business. However, it can happen if the proper procedures are not followed. Remember that SERVPRO is proud to serve our local business owners when the unexpected happens, but this article from The Hartford Insurance explains what can happen: 

 Common causes of water damage during construction include:

• Improper installation of weatherproofing, waterproofing and moisture barrier systems on the exterior skin of a building

• Poorly glued connections on plastic pipes or improperly sweated copper pipe connections

Supervisors should ensure that all weatherproofing/ waterproofing installations adhere to the building plans, manufacturers’ specifications, industry standards, and all relevant building codes. The WDPP (Water Damage Protection Plan) should include a quality control plan for plumbing connections and fittings such as marking each connection with a permanent marker. The plan should also include the fire sprinkler system. Worksite inspections should verify that:

• Water accumulations from rain and groundwater are not migrating into the building

• All door and window openings are covered at the end of each work shift and prior to inclement weather

• Water lines and mechanical equipment are protected from freezing

• Sprinkler or plumbing lines that are pressure tested with water are drained immediately following the test

• Standpipe valves are closed

• Roof drains are not blocked with leaves or debris

• Sink drains are not clogged

• Storage areas are dry and well ventilated

• Materials are raised off the floor by pallets for storage Controls

The WDPP (Water Detection Protection Plan) often outlines preventative measures to minimize the risk of water damage such as an administrative policy to shut off the domestic water supply during off-hours. Supervisory personnel should verify that no trades will be working during off-hours before shutting off the water supply. In addition, they must ensure that the domestic water line doesn’t provide water to any operating mechanical system that requires a constant water source. Other preventative procedures include:

• Providing a secondary power source (i.e. generator) when using sump pumps or other water pumping systems

• Testing sprinkler and plumbing systems with air pressure to identify system leaks before charging with water

• Sealing leading edges of roofing materials at the end of each day to prevent storm water from getting under an incomplete roofing membrane

• Providing heat during the winter in buildings with charged water lines or standpipes to protect from freezing

• Leaving a gap of at least 1/2” between the drywall and the floor to minimize water contact in the event floors become wet

Many leak detection systems are available to help prevent water damage. Many commercial water flow detection systems are completely non-intrusive (no cutting of pipe to install) and easy to program. Passive leak detectors monitor water flow and sound an alarm (local or connected to a centrally monitored system) when water starts to flow and the system is armed during off hours. Active leak detectors not only generate an alarm, but can also prevent water leaks by automatically shutting off the water supply. The WDPP can list the leak detection systems used on-site, identify supervisory personnel responsible for their use, and refer to the operating guidelines for each system.

Source: https://www.thehartford.com/sites/the_hartford/files/preventing-water-damage-during-construction.pdf

Mold in the Workplace

2/28/2017 (Permalink)

Keep your employees safe from mold related illnesses.

Mold can easily grow in many areas of the workplace due to a number of causes. At SERVPRO West Littleton/Sheridan, our technicians hold a special certification to safely remediate mold from your business. Though it may sometimes seem like something that can be put off, it should be treated and remediated as soon as possible. OSHA published a guide which identified the serious effects mold growth could have on your employees. The following is taken from the OSHA website, www.osha.gov. 

Building-related illnesses (BRIs)

The term building-related illness (BRI) is used to describe illnesses that are characterized by objective clinical findings related to specific exposures in the indoor environment. Building-related illnesses (BRIs) are diagnosed by evaluation of signs and symptoms by physicians or other licensed health care professionals. Mold related BRIs result from mold contamination that has occurred in buildings under specific conditions. All BRIs are preventable by eliminating and controlling the conditions that can lead to the harmful exposures.

How Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) differs from BRI

Terms such as Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) have been used to describe situations in which building occupants experience a variety of symptoms that, unlike BRIs, appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. Symptoms often disappear after occupants leave the building.

If you suspect that your business may have mold, or you have identified mold, our skilled technicians are happy to help. Skip the bleach and call the pros. 

SERVPRO Restores Historic Commercial Building After Water Loss

2/23/2017 (Permalink)

The Owyhee Hotel

In January, our crews were in Boise, ID to help customers who had experienced water losses due to subzero temperatures and snowfall over several days. One call we received was from the property manager of a historic building in Boise. The historic Owyhee Hotel, which is now home to several businesses, had experienced water losses in several different areas. We arrived on-site and were able to stabilize the areas. We spent several long days working hard to dry out the affected areas, while still preserving the historic features of the beautiful building. It took over 60 pieces of drying equipment to get the job done. Thank you for trusting SERVPRO to help! To learn more about the historic Owyhee, visit their website at: http://www.theowyhee.com/.

Restaurant Fire Safety

1/6/2017 (Permalink)

Keep your restaurant safe with these tips. If you do experience a fire, call SERVPRO West Littleton/Sheridan to help get you back to business!

Restaurants—with their open flames, hot equipment, electrical connections, cooking oils, cleaning chemicals and paper products—have all the ingredients for a fire to flame out of control. Nearly 8,000 eating and drinking establishments report a fire each year, according to 2006-2010 data tabulated by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in Quincy, Mass. These fires caused an annual average of $246 million in direct property damage.

A fire can devastate your business, leading to lost revenues and even permanent closure. But there are steps you can take to prevent fires and minimize the damage.

Preventative maintenance

• Install an automatic fire-suppression system in the kitchen. This is crucial because 57% of restaurant fires involve cooking equipment. These systems automatically dispense chemicals to suppress the flames and also have a manual switch. Activating the system automatically shuts down the fuel or electric supply to nearby cooking equipment. Have your fire-suppression system professionally inspected semiannually. The manufacturer can refer you to an authorized distributor for inspection and maintenance.

• Keep portable fire extinguishers as a backup. You’ll need Class K extinguishers for kitchen fires involving grease, fats and oils that burn at high temperatures. Class K fire extinguishers are only intended to be used after the activation of a built-in hood suppression system. Keep Class ABC extinguishers elsewhere for all other fires (paper, wood, plastic, electrical, etc.).

• Schedule regular maintenance on electrical equipment, and watch for hazards like frayed cords or wiring, cracked or broken switch plates and combustible items near power sources.

• Have your exhaust system inspected for grease buildup. The NFPA Fire Code calls for quarterly inspections of systems in high-volume operations and semiannual inspections in moderate-volume operations. Monthly inspections are required for exhaust systems serving solid-fuel cooking equipment, like wood- or charcoal-burning ovens.

Staff training

Train your staff to:

• Find and use a fire extinguisher appropriately.  An acronym you may find helpful is PAST – pull out the pin, aim at the base, make a sweeping motion, (be) ten feet away.

• Clean up the grease. Cleaning exhaust hoods is especially important, since grease buildup can restrict air flow. Be sure to also clean walls and work surfaces; ranges, fryers, broilers, grills and convection ovens; vents and filters.

• Never throw water on a grease fire. Water tossed into grease will cause grease to splatter, spread and likely erupt into a larger fire.

• Remove ashes from wood- and charcoal-burning ovens at least once a day. Store outside in metal containers at least 10 feet from any buildings or combustible materials.

• Make sure cigarettes are out before dumping them in a trash receptacle. Never smoke in or near storage areas.

• Store flammable liquids properly. Keep them in their original containers or puncture-resistant, tightly sealed containers. Store containers in well-ventilated areas away from supplies, food, food-preparation areas or any source of flames.

• Tidy up to avoid fire hazards. Store paper products, linens, boxes and food away from heat and cooking sources. Properly dispose of soiled rags, trash, cardboard boxes and wooden pallets at least once a day.

• Use chemical solutions properly. Use chemicals in well-ventilated areas, and never mix chemicals unless directions call for mixing. Immediately clean up chemical spills.

Be prepared: Have an emergency plan

If a fire breaks out in your restaurant, your staff must take control of the situation and lead customers to safety.

• Be prepared to power down. Train at least one worker per shift how to shut off gas and electrical power in case of emergency.

• Have an evacuation plan. Designate one staff member per shift to be evacuation manager. That person should be in charge of calling 911, determining when an evacuation is necessary and ensuring that everyone exits the restaurant safely.  Ensure your staff know where the closest exits are, depending on their location in the restaurant.  Remember that the front door is an emergency exit.

• Offer emergency training. Teach new employees about evacuation procedures and the usage of fire-safety equipment. Give veteran staff members a refresher course at least annually.

Source: http://www.restaurant.org/Manage-My-Restaurant/Operations/Back-of-House/Fire-Prevention-101-The-Basics-on-Restaurant-Fire