ProStar for emergency and rebuild needs

As the saying goes, a person’ s home is their castle.

So when that castle comes under siege through disasters such as fire or flood, for example, experts are needed to ensure it is returned to a safe and secure state.

That’ s where Canmore’ s ProStar Cleaning and Restoration comes in.

For example, when a natural gas explosion in June of 2015, destroyed one Canmore home and damaged many more on 13th Street, ProStar, under the direction of Project Manager Cyd Fraser, swung into action.

Having opened in January 2015, ProStar, a full-service cleaning and disaster restoration company which specializes in mold, asbestos and biohazard remediation, as well as storm, water and sewage backups, fire and smoke damage and structural and building envelope work, was ready to help.

Since the explosion, ProStar and Cyd Fraser have dealt with more than a dozen of the homes affected and one of its clients will move back in in the next few weeks.

“It was a very busy time,” said ProStar President Jodi Scarlett, “and we are proud to say that the homeowners from one of our largest projects will be moving home in January 2016. This is quite timely as their neighbours with similar damages are expected to be displaced for several more months.

“It was quite a process. With Cyd in charge we ordered new windows so we could get to work inside. Five of the houses needed extensive asbestos abatements, a fourth was moderate and one as minor. But two were as extensive as you can get.

“Right now, we’ re celebrating the end of our first year in Canmore.”

ProStar serves many southern Alberta communities and in Cyd Fraser, Scarlett feels the company definitely found the right person to be in charge in Canmore.

“Cyd is local and she’ s a huge part of our success in Canmore,” said Scarlett. “She knows everybody because she’ s been in town a long time, she volunteers extensively in the community and she’ s someone people trust to go into their homes and be a leader in an emergency.”

When disaster strikes, there are two parts to the job - the emergency response and then the rebuild.

“Because Cyd’ s locally based, and because she’ s been in the construction industry for more than 28 years, of which 22 of those have been in and around Canmore, she’ s the ideal person,” said Scarlett. “As the local Project Manager, she sources all trades people from within the community and for anything we need, she can source it at all hours, which is critical in an emergency.”

Cyd joined ProStar in 2014 to lead the Canmore branch. Her project management skills have been honed over 28 years in the construction industry and she has expertise as a red seal carpenter, site superintendent and NSCO safety officer and in architectural review, environmental coordination, administration of construction teams, scheduling, planning, design, estimating, budgeting, and event management.

With an eye for detail, Cyd prides herself on being an effective team leader who puts the right people in the right place and empowers them to get the Job Done Right. Cyd enjoys volunteering for many organizations in and around the Canmore area, and speaks French and Spanish.

“What I love about Cyd is that she builds dreams with each of her projects. It was important for me, as a business owner, to find a Canmore project manager who would treat someone else’ s home like their own. To understand that during a fire or flood, no matter how big or small, that the homeowner just wants their home to be how it was before, or better, than when it happened. “Cyd stands for excellence and a Job Done Right and I couldn’ t think of anyone better to be the face of this company in Canmore.”

With the homes affected by the explosion, for example, as structural damage reviews were being made, asbestos was discovered in several. Cyd’ s expertise in construction allowed all aspects of rebuilding to be undertaken.

ProStar worked with engineers to ensure that exterior wall designs and materials were structurally sound, and that they were esthetically pleasing. The building envelope - roof, subfloor, exterior doors and windows, walls - was repaired to previous levels or better.

“But aside from Cyd, I have an expert team that will get your home back to what is was before any damage, or better, quickly and professionally.

“We rely on trusted local contractors and keep our business local. My company is like my family; we are a team and with a business that is 24/7/365, we spend a lot of time together. Opening the Canmore ProStar branch last year has allowed me to spend more time in this beautiful community. What’ s more, when I walk down the street or pick up a java from the local coffee shop, I love seeing our clients and our vendor partners”

“You’ ll see me at BOWDA meetings and it’ s important for me to spend time in Canmore getting to know the community and our clients.”