"Recovery is not a race. You don't have to feel guilty if it takes you longer than you thought it would."
Anonymous
In 2019, Governor DeWine announced a targeted effort to reduce opioid overdose deaths in Ohio. Efforts appear to be working, as the Ohio Department of Health (ODH)’s 2023 Ohio Unintentional Drug Overdose Report, released in October of 2024, revealed a 9% decline in verified overdose deaths across the state. In 2023, Ohio recorded 4,452 unintentional drug overdose deaths, down from 4,915 in 2022.
Unfortunately, from 2022 to 2023, there were increases in the number of unintentional drug overdose deaths involving the non-opioid drug categories of cocaine and benzodiazepines. The number of drug overdose deaths involving cocaine increased 7%, and deaths involving benzodiazepines increased 4%. Exposure to these substances can be dangerous. We strongly encourage law enforcement, health officials and property managers not to proceed in a scene unless appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and naloxone (e.g., NARCAN®) is available for use.
Despite the apparent success in the 2023 report, Ohio still ranks 6th overall in the nation in overdose deaths. One of the continued leading causes of drug overdose deaths is fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is used in medical settings as a pain reliever. Fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Illegally manufactured fentanyl is routinely found in heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and other non-regulated substances.
Production and use of fentanyl-containing products can lead to fentanyl contamination in homes, vehicles and drug laboratories. These pose a serious health threat to first responders, law enforcement and anyone entering a contaminated area. Exposure to even a very small amount of fentanyl can lead to compromised breathing, respiratory arrest and death.
If you come across a scene with possible fentanyl exposure, do not enter or attempt to clean it up yourself. Avoid disturbing the area or touching your eyes, hands or mouth after touching any potentially contaminated surface, even if you are wearing gloves. Restrict access to the area, and call Bio-One Columbus. Our trained technicians can safely decontaminate the scene with state-of-the-art equipment and proper safety and isolation gear.
If you feel that you or someone else is in immediate danger or is experiencing a drug overdose, call 911 immediately.
Signs of overdose include the following:
Remember: Fentanyl is measured in micrograms not milligrams, so the smallest amount can knock out your respiratory drive and stop your breathing. Please do not to try to clean these scenes by yourself.
For anyone who is currently struggling with opioid or other substance addiction, there is hope and help.
If you or a loved are experiencing a mental health or substance abuse related emergency, please contact any of the following resources:
Remember, you can get free Naloxone or fentanyl test strips in Ohio - just go to https://naloxone.ohio.gov/ to learn more.
Please call Bio-One Columbus so that we can decontaminate safely and reduce the risk of harm. Our trained and professional staff use full PPE and follow state and federal guidelines to stay safe while using state-of-the-art tools to remediate the area. For more information on our cleanup process, visit our website.
Bio-One of Columbus is a leader in crime scene cleanup and biohazard decontamination services in Columbus. Our technicians are highly skilled and have been trained on OSHA's safety standards. Bio-One of Columbus continues to be the most passionate and caring company in the cleaning services industry.
For more information, visit us at https://bioonecolumbus.com/
Twitter: @BioOneColumbus
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Copyright © 2025 Bio-One Columbus, All rights reserved.
“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”
~Hamilton Wright Mabie
As we move into this holiday season, it is a good opportunity to reflect on the ways we have impacted our community in the last year and consider our future goals for 2025. In 2024, we completed 207 jobs supporting individuals, families, project managers, supporting organizations and community agencies!
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, or another occasion that brings you together with loved ones, we hope this holiday brings you joy, love and peace.
From our family to yours, Happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year!
These are some of our favorite transformations this year
Bio-One of Columbus is a leader in crime scene cleanup and biohazard decontamination services in Columbus. Our technicians are highly skilled and have been trained on OSHA's safety standards. Bio-One of Columbus continues to be the most passionate and caring company in the cleaning services industry.
For more information, visit us at https://bioonecolumbus.com/
Twitter: @BioOneColumbus
LinkedIn: Bio-One Columbus
Facebook: Bio-One Columbus
Instagram: Bio-One Columbus
Bluesky: Bio-One Columbus
Copyright © 2024 Bio-One Columbus, All rights reserved.
Bio-One answers the call to help our community and remediate a variety of scenes. From hoarding, crime scene cleaning, or simply giving back, we'd like to bring you into the Bio-One world by sharing stories of the unique and important work we do.
Here is this week's Weekly Wrap-Up.
INC. 5000
Inc. Magazine revealed that Bio-One, Inc. is No. 2,476 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.
“We’re honored to be recognized in the Inc. 5000,” said Brian Brinegar, president of Bio-One Inc. “The ranking is a direct reflection of our business model, and Bio-One’s unique ability to consistently deliver essential services with care and compassion.”
Read more in our recent blog post announcing this exciting news.
ORANGE COUNTY BLOOD DRIVE
In partnership with the Red Cross, over 25 blood donors signed up to give blood in Orange County at the Bio-One and TIP blood drive.
According to the Red Cross, just one donation can save up to three lives! That's up to 75 lives saved from this selfless event. Truly an example of Help First.
POST-9/11 EXHIBIT KICK-OFF EVENT
As a sponsor of the National Law Enforcement Museum and Memorial, we were thrilled to learn more about the Post-9/11 exhibit through a virtual kick-off event.
Speakers pulled back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes conversations that go into crafting an exhibit about the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and life since. To view the conversation, click the video below or visit the Bio-One Facebook page.
Stay tuned for more exiting updates as the opening gets closer!
Bio-One teams across the U.S. answer calls to help their communities and remediate a variety of scenes. In our new blog series, we'd like to bring you into the Bio-One world by sharing stories of the unique and important work we do for local communities.
Here is Week 5 of our Bio-One Weekly Wrap-Up.
Chocolate Spill Makes for a Sweet Cleanup
In Scranton on March 25, Juan and Nicole Morales received a call for a "chocolate" cleanup. Assuming this was code for a sewage back-up, they rushed to scene to find a different situation entirely. Approximately 100 gallons of milk chocolate had spilled, covering asphalt outside a local business.
This is certainly the sweetest smelling job a Bio-One office has ever taken, but Nicole clarified, "That smell was nice for the first few minutes but at the end I felt sick. Good thing we had an awesome team that pushed through and got this done!"
After scraping the chocolate with a forklift and pressure washing the area, the Bio-One team received a five-star review. Well done!
Behind the Scenes with Citizen's Academy
Many Bio-One owners sign up for their local Citizen's Police Academy to acquaint themselves with the activities of their local police department. This week, Bio-One owner, Ginger Akemon, in Jacksonville, FL earned her Citizen's Police Academy certificate from the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
"Definitely a learning process. Each County has their own, my goal is to go to each county's classes. This was 10 weeks long and over an hour drive each way, but well worth it, " said Ginger.
Hoarding Transformation in Long Beach
In Long Beach, the Bio-One team has been working hard on several hoarding projects. These before and after pictures show the detail and expertise our teams bring to each job.
If selling or buying a home is in your future, you're likely well versed the entire process, from the initial offer to closing. But are you aware that disclosing a death in the home may be required? The rules vary by state. Here's what you need to know.
Property Disclosure Documents
No matter how perfect a house looks on the outside, there is often property information a buyer needs to disclose before the sale can go through. Property disclosure documents reveal known structural issues, neighborhood nuisances, hazards, HOA details, water damage, notable repairs made to the home and death in the home.
Rules for reporting a death in the home vary by state, and variations in rules may include:
To be more specific, here are three death disclosure examples as stated from experts or articles based in Texas, New Jersey, and California:
For a state by state guide on disclosure laws we recommend visiting this resource on Nolo.com.
How to Search Property Records
If you'd like to do your own sleuthing and search property records, look no further than DiedInHouse.com. Founded in 2013, this website promises to instantly search millions of records to determine if a death has occurred at any valid U.S. address.
In a 2015 interview with Forbes.com, founder Roy Condrey stated, "I went online to find a ‘Carfax’ of sorts for deaths in homes and I didn’t find anything, but I did find pages and pages of people asking if there’s a way to find out if their house is haunted."
The service isn't free, though. Once you enter an address, you're prompted to pay a minimum of $11.99 for a single search. The report will, however, provide a number of property records including meth labs, fire, death, and registered sex offender information.
Remediating After a Death in a Home
If a death recently occurred in the home you're hoping to purchase, there may have been biohazards from bloodborne pathogens that required remediation. Consider asking the seller how the death was remediated to ensure proper steps were taken. Remediation processes may vary depending on the location of the death, how the death occurred, types of flooring, and if the death was undiscovered for days or weeks.
Bio-One technicians are trained and equipped to properly disinfect biohazards from bloodborne pathogens, and we ensure safe biohazard material handling and disposal. Once the entire area is cleaned of blood and body fluids, we also help property owners restore the location to its pre-incident state.
If you are selling a home and need a biohazard remediated or want to ensure remediation was done correctly, give Bio-One a call. Our experts not only contain and disinfect the dangerous biological materials, we carry out our work in a caring and private manner. Find a Bio-One team near you.
