U.S. Police & Fire Championships Announces Presenting Sponsor: Bio-One, Inc.

The California Police Athletic Federation (CPAF) is proud to announce that the 2021 United States Police & Fire Championships (USPFC) are now Presented by Bio-One, Inc.

Operating under the motto, "Help First, Business Second," Bio-One provides high-level decontamination and biohazard cleanup services while offering clients the privacy and compassion needed at difficult times. Bio-One operates in 41 states with over 110 locations and is committed to providing first-class service.

"We are thrilled to add Bio-One as the Presenting Sponsor for the 2021 USPFC because First Responders warrant our support," said California Police Athletic Federation President LC Collins. "Bio-One’s reputation is second to none, and with their partnership, we can offer first responders a health and wellness outlet. We look forward to working with them for years to come."

Founded by San Diego Police Lieutenant Veon "Duke" Nyhus, The United States Police & Fire Championships were first held in San Diego in 1967. Duke recognized the need to promote physical fitness and camaraderie among the Public Safety and First Responder community members.

The USPFC caters to active and retired public safety and first responders who participate in Olympic-style competitions and open to individuals representing firefighters, law enforcement, and officers from corrections, probation, border protection, immigration, and customs across the country. Traditionally athletes compete in 45+ sporting events from biathlon to motocross across 35+ venues in Southern California.

"At Bio-One our support for Law Enforcement and Fire Service Officers is unwavering, and we're thrilled to partner with the California Police Athletic Federation during this memorable event," said Nick-Anthony Zamucen, founder of Bio-One. "We wish each athlete success and look forward to celebrating these everyday heroes."

The 2021 USPFC Presented by Bio-One will take place from June 10th to the 19th in venues across San Diego, California, and strengthen the relationship between First Responders and the community for many years to come!

About the United States Police and Fire Championships

The California Police Athletic Federation (CPAF) is the parent organization of two multi-sport programs designed for peace officers and firefighters. The World Police & Fire Games (WPFG) are open to active and retired law enforcement and fire service personnel throughout the world. The United States Police & Fire Championships (USPFC) are open to active or retired public safety and first responder personnel from an eligible agency within the USA. For more information, please visit www.uspfc.org.

Bio-One ranked number one in Entrepreneur magazine’s 42nd Annual Franchise 500 for success in crime-scene and trauma-scene cleaning. This marks the fifth year in a row that Bio-One has been included in the ranking.

St. Charles, MO – Bio-One ranked number one in Entrepreneur magazine’s 42nd Annual Franchise 500 for success in crime-scene and trauma-scene cleaning. This marks the fifth year in a row that Bio-One has been included in the ranking.

Bio-One is locally owned and operated by Megan and Amanda Boccardi. Since 2016 they have served over 530 community members, businesses and government agencies in St. Charles county and surrounding areas.

Bio-One provides service in recovery and suicide cleanup, homicide cleanup, hoarding situations, junk removal, deceased animal recovery, feces removal, pest and rodent droppings and more.

“The motto of ‘Help First, Business Second’ attracted us to pursue joining the Bio-One family and we’re thrilled to part of a winning team,” said Megan Boccardi, owner of Bio-One. “We truly feel blessed and honored to make a difference in our community.”

The number of Bio-One franchises have increased 145 percent in the last three years with over 100 locations in 41 states.

“We’re honored to be recognized by Entrepreneur,” said Nick-Anthony Zamucen, CEO of Bio-One Inc. “The ranking is a direct reflection of our Bio-One family, strength of our business model, and our ability to consistently deliver care and compassion to our clients.”

Over its 42 years in existence, the Franchise 500® has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. Bio-One’s position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity.

About Bio-One Inc.

Bio-One Inc. is the first crime and trauma scene cleaning franchise, operating in 41 states with over 100 locations. Bio-One is committed to providing excellent service in recovery and suicide cleanup, homicide cleanup, hoarding situations, junk removal, deceased animal recovery, feces removal, pest and rodent droppings and much more. Each office is independently owned and operated by a member of the local community. For more information about Bio-One, visit us at www.BioOneSTC.com.

Let Your Insurance Work FOR You

August 27th, 2018 by Megan Boccardi

Did you know there is a good chance your insurance covers many of the services we provide to our clients? Services that are covered by insurance include undiscovered deaths, decompositions, suicides, homicides, blood clean ups, MRSA decontaminations, C-Diff decontaminations, some feces clean ups, some mold remediations, and more- you just have to call us and we can walk through with you step by step if insurance may cover an unfortunate or tragic event. Locations covered by insurance are not limited to homes either. We remediate vehicles where suicides have taken place, where fecal accidents have happened, where shootings have occurred, etc. Many times it is cheaper for us to come and remediate a vehicle versus totaling the vehicle and making a complete loss.

Bio-One is a Bio Recovery Company who specializes in cleaning/remediating bio-hazards. What are bio-hazards? Bio-Hazards are risks to human health or the environment arising from biological work, especially with microorganisms. Risks to human health- that statement is impactful. Many diseases are contagious and very dangerous if not dealt with appropriately and with caution such as HIV, Hepatitis viruses, TB, MRSA, C-Diff, Sepsis, and Dengue Fever. Considering diseases and viruses are becoming more and more prevalent in today's society, it is imperative that experts come in to remediate an area or areas affected by blood or bodily fluids so no bio-hazards remain to cause sickness and/or death to those who come in contact with the area(s) once they have been treated. We are the experts to properly treat that area affected, and our clients can feel safe knowing a professional, knowledgeable, and highly trained company came and took care of the situation.

Why does insurance cover most of our services? Well, the last paragraph pretty much sums it up. Health is so important and people are educating themselves on what not to do and what to do when tragedy or an accident occurs. Also, many of our jobs we are removing flooring, walls, appliances, cabinets, seats in vehicles, expensive furniture, personal items, and so much more that insurance helps pay to replace. When the job turns into a project for our client such as needing additional contractors in the now safe area to replace what we had to remove, running everything through insurance is even more economical because our client still only pays their deductible ONE time, regardless of how many contractors have to come in after us, Bio-One STC.

The greatest thing about Bio-One is we are dedicated to helping first. We are only a phone call away, day or night. If you or someone you know is dealing with something you think Bio-One can help with, give us a call. Not only are we here for our clients, but we are also here to help others even if it is just answering a few questions or providing guidance. Why feel alone and lost when we are here to help? Call us at 636-279-9570!

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Bio-One Earns a Spot on Inc. 5000 List

AUGUST 16th, 2018

Bio-One is not shy or unfamiliar with making franchise lists and achievement lists. We stand out above our competitors for several reasons and people are taking notice. Being the first franchised Crime and Trauma Scene Cleaning Company, Bio-One has set precedents and has set the bar high for other like-minded companies. We as a franchise are only getting bigger and stronger- with new franchises opening up each month along with new and innovative ways to train our franchise owners and technicians along with having better technology support with our websites and marketing tools. All owners have several outlets to reach out to one another for support, ideas, and ways to grow their business; Bio-One is not just a franchise, we are a family.

Making the Inc. 5000 list in 2018 when no other companies similar to us did, just shows how strong our foundation is all the way from the founder, Nick-Anthony Zamucen, to our corporate office, to each and every single franchise office across the United States. I have never owned a business before, nor have I been a franchise expert by any means, but from the minute I started to educate myself about Bio-One back in 2016, I have been nothing short of impressed with how each branch of operations, each owner, each event Bio-One puts on, each organization Bio-One supports, has been nothing short of professional, passionate, and truly genuine. Being previous law enforcement, you could say myself and Amanda possess integrity and the desire to help others. Those qualities that make up a good civil servant, also make up a good Bio-One franchise owner. Our transition to Bio-One from law enforcement was easy because the same principals apply to us as owners that were required of us as police officers. Bio-One as a whole seeks owners with those same qualities which is why, in my opinion, Bio-One keeps making achievement lists and setting the bar higher for everyone else. The strive for excellence never ends and we can always get better; our support through corporate recognizes that and we all work together as a team to keep reaching higher.

Why should you care about any of this? Well, I will tell you. When tragedy hits your home, your family, your friends, your community, don't you want a company helping/guiding you that has proven time and time again that we know what we are doing, we are here to help, we are compassionate, we are hardworking, we are genuine, and we are the leading Crime and Trauma Scene Cleaning Company in the country? When you call a Bio-One office, you get someone who answers their phone, and that person is an owner. No call service, no limited hours of operations- 24/7/365- we are always here to help. Somehow just something as simple as an owner answering the phone and being there for their clients day and night provides comfort and nostalgic feelings- feelings of back in the day when call centers were rare, and automated systems were even more unheard of. We are here for you when you need us the most, and will continue to strive to be better- not for ourselves, but for our clients and community.

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Dealing with Stress and Grief from an Undiscovered Death

We get the calls that are very difficult to make. When loved ones call us, they many times struggle to put into words why they are calling and what service of ours they are needing. Summer is here so many of the calls we get are undiscovered deaths. The heat can cause bodies to bloat quicker and cause indescribable smells that neighbors or the mailman can even detect. Family members who find out from either the police, property management, landlord, or a friend or other family member, tend to feel an overwhelming amount grief and sadness hearing their loved one was deceased alone for days, weeks, and sometimes months before being discovered. They ask themselves, how did this even happen? How did no one realize he/she was missing from society? How did I miss it?

Those are all questions that could plague anyone who lost a loved one in this manner. Getting these calls makes me more diligent myself to call loved ones who I haven't spoken to in a while. Dealing with the grief is just one aspect of dealing with an undiscovered death. The family has to call a company like us to come and remediate the home due to the bio-hazards that are now present. Many times flooring, walls, appliances, and furniture have to be removed for proper disposal. Removing flooring or any structural aspects of the residence means there needs to be replacement, and work has to be done beyond just removing the bio-hazards. The list of things to do for the loved ones seems never ending, but that is why we are here- to help and guide them through each step.

Just recently we, Bio-One STC, received an undiscovered death where the man was deceased for more than four weeks before he was discovered. This case is a perfect example of how much damage decompositions can be to properties. Flooring, subfloor, furniture, and several other items had to be removed for proper disposal. Once all of the bio-hazards have been removed, now the family and friends are left with replacing the flooring among other things to get the home back to a habitable condition. Our client, who was like a daughter to this man, told us twice how without our help she would be lost and wouldn't have gotten nearly as much done with the propertly that she has due to our guidance. We are still in touch with her and may be providing her with other services to get the home ready for sell.

We are bio-hazard removal and remediation experts, but we also have so many more skills and resources to help those in need during these situations. Please, do not hesitate to call us, we can help!

Authors: Megan and Amanda Boccardi

The 4th of July is a holiday many people look forward to each year. It is in the summer which means people are out barbecuing, hanging out with family and friends, and celebrating the freedoms we have that we can contribute to our founders, and our military members who have fought and died for all of our everyday freedoms in multiple wars. That all being said- we as Americans take pride in being Americans and spend the day on the 4th of July observing our history, our present, and our future in this wonderful country we all call home. Two years ago Juan Castillo posted an article on The List 25 stating some fun facts about our Independence Day which I found interesting and entertaining. Read these fun facts below- they apparently are going to make you want to celebrate even more.

Fun Fact #25- According to author Kenneth C. Davis, July 2nd is the real day of Independence, but it's celebrated on the fourth because that's when congress accepted Jefferson's declaration.

Fun Fact #24- Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on a "laptop", which was a writing desk that could fit on one's lap.

Fun Fact #23- Thomas Jefferson changed the wording of the Declaration of Independence from "the pursuit of property" to "the pursuit of happiness".

Fun Fact #22- John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4th, 1826.

Fun Fact #21- Only two men signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776- John Hancock and Charles Thompson.

Fun Fact #20- Jefferson's original draft of the Declaration of Independence was lost, and the one eventually signed is the "engrossed" document.

Fun Fact #19- The printed version of the Declaration was called the Dunlap Broadside; 200 were made but only 27 are accounted for.

Fun Fact #18- Congress declared July 4th as an official holiday in 1870 as part of a bill to officially recognize other holidays- Christmas being one of them.

Fun Fact #17- The Declaration of Independence was a justification for a revolt against the British which included a list of charges against the British King.

Fun Fact #16- Several counties have used the Declaration of Independence as a beacon in their own struggles for freedom. These countries include France, Greece, Poland, Russia, and many countries in South America.

Fun Fact #15- "Yankee Doodle", a popular American patriotic song, was originally sung prior to the Revolution by British military officers in mockery of the unorganized and buckskin-wearing "Yankees".

Fun Fact #14- The "Star Spangled Banner" was written by Francis Scott Key and was originally a poem stemming from his observations in 1814 concerning the British attack on Baltimore's Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. It was later put to music, though not decreed the official national anthem until 1931.

Fun Fact #13- Including John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (mentioned earlier), a total of three US presidents have died on July 4th. James Monroe is the third president to share this fate.

Fun Fact #12- Conversely, America's 30th president, Calvin Coolidge, was born on July 4th, 1872.

Fun Fact #11- In 1776, about 2.5 million people lived in the United States versus 311.7 million people in 2011.

Fun Fact #10- The average age of those who signed the Declaration of Independence was 45. The youngest at age 27, was Thomas Lynch Jr. of South Carolina. The oldest delegate was Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania at age 70. Thomas Jefferson was 33.

Fun Fact #9- One out of eight signers were educated at Harvard (7 total).

Fun Fact #8- 87.5% (2.8 million) of imported U.S. flags are from China.

Fun Fact #7- 97% ($190.7 million worth) of imported fireworks are from China.

Fun Fact #6- An estimated 150 million hot dogs will be consumed on July 4th.

Fun Fact #5- Both the Philippines and Rwanda celebrate July 4th as a day of liberation. In Southeast Asia, it is known as "Republic Day", and Rwandans celebrate "Liberation Day".

Fun Fact #4- The White House held its first 4th of July party in 1801.

Fun Fact #3- The tune of the National Anthem was originally used by an English drinking song called To Anacreon in Heaven.

Fun Fact #2- In 1954, the words 'under God' were added to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Fun Fact #1- The oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the United States is the 4th of July Parade in Bristol, Rhode Island; it began in 1785.

So there ya go, some fun facts about this wonderful holiday. Enjoy yourselves, be safe, and play with fireworks responsibly. Do not forget what this holiday is really about, and appreciate the freedoms and privileges we have as Americans. Happy Independence Day!

Authors: Megan and Amanda Boccardi

The Girl Scouts have always been a great foundation oriented towards teaching young girls inclusiveness, independence, service, and giving back to the community all the way back to when it was founded during WWI. So it was no surprise to me when I heard of Camp Fury STL and what it was all about. Camp Fury STL is a week long camp for high school age girl scouts; this camp is put on by amazing female first responders in the St. Louis area who teach the girls the ins and outs on being a police officer, being a paramedic, and being a firefighter. Activities include defensive tactics, investigation skills, traffic stops, firefighting skills, and EMS Skills to give the girls an insight on what it is like to be a first responder.

It was a an honor to be invited to speak to the girls yesterday at the end of their day 2 of the camp. Being previous law enforcement, Amanda and I are prime examples just like all other female first responders that girls and women can do anything they put their mind to. Being in a male dominated field (law enforcement) previously, Amanda and I are not in unfamiliar territory with our current business which is mainly owned and operated by men across the United States. Our goal last night was to leave hoping we reached even just a few girls with the inspiration that they can be whatever they want in life- as long as they work hard and never give up. There is nothing those girls cannot do as long as they have the will and the drive.

Seeing how involved our first responders are in our community made us so proud of where we live and work. These women are heroes and are truly in their positions to help others and better their community. I have never been more proud to be a woman, a previous law enforcement officer, and a female business owner. Check out the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri and donate or volunteer if you can- these girls are our future leaders taught by our current leaders from our very own community.

Author: Megan and Amanda Boccardi

I am writing this blog today with a heavy, heavy heart. In the past 20 years or so, suicide rates have raised 30 percent. 30 percent! What is going on in today's society that is so different than 25 or 30 years ago? Do the shifts in our society have a hand in the dramatic increase? Media outlet addictions, selfies, political wars, religious wars, more openly gay and lesbian teenagers, more labels such as 'transgender, pansexual, questioning, queer, asexual, demisexual, intersex' being added to our vocabularies, rise in crime rates, rise in divorce rates, and the list goes on and on as to how our society has changed. Are people overwhelmed with these changes- whether it being themselves who are the change or themselves who cannot accept the change? So many 'what ifs' but only one fact- there is a 30 percent increase in people taking their own lives.

Just this past week, two known celebrities took their own life: Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. Military veterans are killing themselves at a tragic rate of at least 20 suicides a day. Some would say to tell others to reach out if they feel suicidal to help prevent them from committing the irreversible act. Others would say that people who deal with depression and suicidal ideation are not in the mind set to reach out for help so the responsibility is on the friends and family to reach out to them- that sometimes the seemingly strongest and happiest people are dealing with inner demons on a daily basis. If that is the case, and I believe it is, then what can be done to save those lives? I wish I knew the answer.

Last night at 0130 hours, I received a call from an aunt calling on behalf of her brother and sister-in-law. Her nephew, 15 years old, had shot himself with a .22 hand gun while his parents were out of town. His 22 year old brother held him in his arms until the police arrived. We get these calls too often. We want to be the company that is called to help because we got into this business to help others, but hate what happened and it lays heavy on our hearts. After responding once the police cleared the scene, the coroner came and left, and when the family was ready for us to arrive, we took care of the scene so when the parents came home from their trip there would be no traces of the saddening, heartrending event.

This I am sure upset you to read, however this is what we do on a daily basis. We work with families who are going through such horrific times, and our hearts are always 100 percent with the family to help ease even just an ounce of their stress and pain. Something as simple as us calling in the claim to their home owner's insurance for the family relieves them of one less task to take on when dealing with such an unexpected heartbreak. Bio-One is always here to help. Arriving when wanted, working professionally and proficiently, expressing compassion and a shoulder to cry on if needed, and following up afterwards, we, Bio-One STC, make a difference. This morning we made a small difference to a family who fell victim to suicide, and that small difference is the reason we do what we do- Help First, Business Second.

Author: Megan and Amanda Boccardi

Attention property owners and realtors! We can help you more than you know. Just this week we, Bio-One STC, has helped two different property owners who own properties for a secondary income- one for a hoarding/sanitation project and the other being a cat urine remediation. Having had a rental property ourselves, we understand what messes can be left when the previous tenant or owner walks away from the property for good. From hoards, to gross filth, to feces, to urine, to mold, to unbelievable horrific odors, we can help get the property ready for sell and ready for a new family.

Renters do not always treat the home they reside in as if it were their own- this is no secret. Once a renter moves out and the owner assesses the residence for what repairs need to be made, sometimes more issues come up than expected. Even though that lease states that smoking cigarettes in the residence is prohibited, many tenants ignore that rule. We can help with tobacco odor removal! Pets can damage a home by either defecating and/or urinating on the flooring and or walls which not only leaves an awful smell, but a bio-hazard that is not easy to remove. We can help with feces and urine remediation and odor removal from those situations! Hoarding and neglect of throwing away food and/or items that are soiled cause mold and a bad distinguished odor. We can help with hoarding removal, mold remediation, and the awful smell! How about just a deep clean/sanitation of a residence that looks like it has not been properly cleaned in a long time- our chemicals are stronger and better than anything that can be bought over the counter. We can make that residence sparkle! Sometimes tragedy occurs in a home where the owner of the property is left to handle it- a crime or death occurs causing damage to the home from the blood and/or other bodily fluids. We can help with removing those bio-hazards and getting the residence back to a safe condition!

There really is a long list of what Bio-One can do to help others.

A property owner contacted us last week to bid a gross filth/hoarding/sanitation project that her previous tenants had caused. We are working on that property next week and she has already contacted us on another sanitation project where there is also mold to be remediated. While at this bid our estimator discovered the mold underneath the laminate in the basement. The mold was discovered because we are trained and know what to look for. When leaving that second bid with her, she made the comment that she wished she knew us sooner because she has experienced several different situations where Bio-One could have helped. Once someone has seen and smelt what our chemicals and machines can do, they are convinced- Bio-One can greatly help in a timely and proficient manner while doing the project properly/the right way. Keep us in mind when you or your clients are forced to deal with any of these issues, and more we are only a call away!

Bio-One takes pride in going above and beyond for clients on a daily basis. We strive to be better than our competitors and it comes easy to us. Those of us who open Bio-One offices are buying into a franchise that focuses on Helping First, Business Second. Helping First, Business Second is not only our motto but our way of life. Clients not only see but feel how sincere we are when it comes to wanting to help them through a hard or tragic time of their life. But how are we different from our competition? If you google bio-hazard clean up, blood clean up, suicide clean up, homicide clean up, undiscovered death clean up, feces clean up, or hoarding clean up, a handful of companies come across your first page- Bio-One STC being in the top three usually. Why contract Bio-One STC to do the work? Why trust us to help you during a personal devastating event?

There are many ways Bio-One shines above all competitors. We are locally owned and when you call us, you get the owner answering your call, not a call service. Bio-One gets involved with the community like no other crime and trauma scene cleaning companies. At each event Amanda and I sponsor or volunteer, we are the only company of our kind. Why is that? What we do for a living is unique and can dramatically help someone who did not know there was help out there- why wouldn't companies like us get out there and educate others on how we CAN help during the utmost difficult times in a family's life. Why are we the only company of our kind volunteering in the community and giving back? Law enforcement in our area know of Amanda and I and of Bio-One because we personally get involved in what they are doing in the community and help whenever we can. Being previous law enforcement ourselves, it is obvious we not only highly respect our officers, but are so grateful for them and what they do on a daily basis that most people will never even know about.

When going on bids, Amanda and I are engaged with our clients. We are personal with them, not business like showing up in a suit, but showing up as if needed we can start work right away. Sincerity in listening to their needs and really wanting to help goes a long way and that is the impression our client gets on every bid. When working on a hoarding bid/proposal for a potential client, we take our time writing a minimum of a four page proposal which is oriented and designed for our client in mind. After going over our proposal, the client has a clear understanding of what exactly Bio-One represents and what exactly will be done during the project at hand. There are no bait and switch tactics and/or hidden costs- what our client sees is what our client gets- transparency is our goal.

Above all else, Amanda and I with Bio-One STC truly care for others and truly want to help others- that is why we got into this business and why we were law enforcement for years. We did not open this business to gain a profit; we opened this business to help others, be involved in the community, as well as be our own bosses. Pride in what we do is not only apparent but 'in your face' when you to speak us- we cannot hide our love for our company and what we do- nor should we. We know we are the leading company in the nation for crime and trauma scene cleaning and there is no question as to why. Bio-One owners are hand picked and share the same qualities and values; we all live by 'Helping First, Business Second'.