BFW Welcomes Newest Commercial Drying Specialist
Restoration Team Leader, Garrett Roth, recently received his Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) as a Commercial Drying Specialist after attending a five-day course at Restoration Technical Institute this past October.
The IICRC is an international nonprofit certifying body whose mission is to “establish and advance globally recognized standards and certifications for the inspection, cleaning, restoration and installation industries. Currently, over 53,000 people are active certified technicians with certifications from the IICRC. Out of these, only 1,066 are Commercial Drying Specialists.
At Berks Fire Water Restorations, we now have four certified Commercial Drying Specialists: our CEO, Ted Lavender, Director of Education, Steve Schumm, Service Manager, Jason Stone, and our newly certified Restoration Team Leader, Garrett Roth.
“I am very proud of our company and Garrett for obtaining training and credentials of an elite group of restorers,” explains Lisa Lavender, COO of Berks Fire Water Restoration and Restoration Technical Institute.
Director of Education, Steve Schumm, observed how Garrett “shows so much excitement in continuing his education in our industry by always showing pictures of drying setups on losses he is working on.”
Lisa believes that Garrett’s passion and drive to grow as a restoration professional “inspires his team and the company and allows us to continue to provide first class service to our customers by utilizing the best and latest processes and technology.” She explains, “When a commercial loss occurs, the approaches and management of the loss is very deliberate to contain the severity of the loss, and most importantly, the interruption to the organization. Garrett is a true professional, and I am honored to work alongside our newest Commercial Drying Specialist.”
Learn More About Our Newest Commercial Drying Specialist
Q&A With Team Leader, Garrett Roth
How did you first become interested in the restoration industry?
“I’ve been with BFW for a little over 2 years now. A family member of mine is a subcontractor that we use, so she was the one who pointed me in the direction of applying at Berks Fire Water Restoration. After starting, I learned more about the flow of business and the aspects behind it, which made me want to focus more on making it a career path and not just another job.”
What was the most challenging aspect of attending the CDS course?
“CDS class was the toughest course that I’ve taken to date. It was one that I’ve wanted to take since my initial WRT course. I’ve become more interested in focusing on water damage, especially the more intricate and large loss type scenarios because of the challenge they can pose. The most challenging part of the course for me was understanding and learning more about commercial heating and cooling and using it to your advantage to dry out a structure.”
How many other IICRC certifications do you have?
“I currently hold 10 certificates. I have taken all the necessary classes to earn my masters in water damage. I just need to complete one more year in the industry to achieve that. I also need to take two more classes to achieve my masters in textile and fire restoration, which is my goal!”
What do you enjoy most about your job at BFW?
“I enjoy being able to help people through the unexpected events that they may be going through. Achieving this certification gave me a better understanding of commercial buildings and how to give the property owner different options for dry outs and rebuilds that may meet their needs.”
Anything else you would like to add?
“I would like to thank Ted and Lisa, as well as Trish and the rest of the management staff, for helping me through the learning process and giving me the opportunity to further my education in this field. It has been a great gift!”
