SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

Be it damage from excessive rain, a small fire, vandalism or a car accidentally driving through the wall of your home, never fear because help is only a phone call away.

"We're here 24/7, 365 days a year," said Aaron Murray, branch manager for American Technologies Inc. in Las Vegas.

American Technologies is one of several companies located in the Las Vegas Valley that specialize in helping homeowners with emergency situations. Like the proverbial Boy Scout, these companies are prepared. Their staff members are ever-ready to help sop up water after a flood, dry out carpeting and walls, remove smoke damage and board up windows and walls, tailoring their services to meet the needs of each emergency situation.

"Our bread and butter is the everyday Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner who have had a water leak or small fire and require assistance," Murray said.

Within minutes of being notified of an emergency, a staff member is in contact with the homeowner to begin assessing the situation, said Tom Lee of Paul Davis Restoration & Remodeling of Las Vegas.

"Our main concern is to mitigate the loss and minimize the damage," Lee said.

Murray said members of his staff respond to calls for help within minutes. Most times, the length of time it takes for them to respond is mandated by insurance companies, which are usually involved to pay the costs of repairing the property.

"We also regulate ourselves," Murray said. "If a homeowner has a loss, he wants it taken care of yesterday. Time is of the essence."

Equally important is making sure that cleanup efforts don't add to the homeowners' already-elevated stress levels.

"We take our time talking with people," Lee said. "Most times, they are upset and we have to be very sensitive to their feelings."

Once the emergency is over, damage is cleaned up and restoration work begins. The companies aim to put the house back together the way it was before the emergency, Murray said.

Company representatives work hand-in-hand with insurance agents and adjusters to assess the damage, take photographs, figure out what it will take to restore the property, provide quotes for the restoration work and often do the repairs themselves. They also are able to clean personal property and store it until the residence is inhabitable.

Although both American Technologies and Paul Davis Restoration can work directly with homeowners, both recommend that homeowners contact their insurance agents first.

Insurers have a specific protocol they must follow to get all the information needed to file a claim and restore the home to its original condition, Lee and Murray said.

"It's not our job to interpret a policy. We're just there to make it whole again," Murray said. "The insurance adjustor is better suited to interpret the policy and determine what the next steps are."

This allows the staff to focus on the emergency situation and prevent any further damage, said Fara Karr, who is in charge of business development for American Technologies.

In addition to learning the basics about emergency repairs, personnel are trained to handle problems common to a specific region. For example, Murray said his company is one of only a handful in the continental United States that are able to handle emergencies caused by hurricanes. The Las Vegas office is one of 10 locations nationwide.

"Fortunately, we live in an area where there are very few catastrophes, he said.