Flies in the Window
With a far superior sense of smell than humans, flies
can detect blood from up to a mile away and within
minutes be on the scene where they gather around
doors and windows. It only takes one to start the pro-
cess, but there’s often a few that get in and eventually
bounce around at a window after laying eggs in the
contaminated area. This is a good time to take notice
as adult females can lay hundreds of eggs that be-
come will become adult flies capable of laying more
eggs within two weeks. The severity of contamination
grows exponentially over that time period. The pres-
ence of even just a few flies on a window could be an
early indicator that something is wrong.
No Sign Can Be A Bad Sign
Inactivity can also be something to pay attention to.
Neighbors and management often grow accustomed
to seeing certain people leaving for or returning from
Unattended Death:
Know the Signs
work, taking the pet for a walk or perhaps using the fit-
ness center regularly. Clients often tell us that they had
noticed that the deceased “hadn’t been in the office”
in a while or that there was a buildup of fliers and no-
tices on the door. Rent delinquency is also commonly
By Christopher Brown
Operations Manager cited as having occurred prior to discovery. While it’s
ECS - Emergency Cleaning Solutions after their dog ran away so they decided to take a
O
ne thing you always recognize but never quite
get used to in the crime scene cleaning busi-
ness is the smell of death. Even those who don’t
quease easy may find themselves instantly
nauseated the first time they encounter it. That unmis-
takable odor is a clear warning sign that someone or
something has died. But it’s also often the last. By the
time a neighbor or visitor has discovered the smell and
reported it, the contaminated area has likely spread
and caused considerable damage to structural ma-
terials and personal belongings. This not only makes it
harder on the family but more complicated and ex-
pensive to remediate. There are, however, some early
signs to watch for that may help to reduce the time
entirely possible that someone lost their job the day
long vacation without telling anyone, there’s also the
possibility of a more serious concern.
Few things are as tragic as an unattended death
where someone has passed away alone and undiscov-
ered for days, weeks or even months. The longer the
time between death and discovery, the more difficult
the situation becomes for everyone involved. Knowing
what to look for and when to be concerned may help
to reduce that time. If you’ve noticed some of the
warning signs and are concerned about a neighbor
or resident that lives alone, don’t be afraid to check in
on them. Hopefully you’ll discover their smiling face as
they open the door. u
between death and discovery.
www.saaaonline.org | May/June 2018
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