Caroline has been working in our hotel department for over 6 years.  She enjoys working closely with insured’s, adjusters and her friends at Temporary Housing Directory.  She takes pride in making sure insured’s are comfortable in hotels while they are out of their homes.  Her goal is to make the hotel stay as stress fee as possible for insured’s as well as adjusters.  Maintaining correspondence with insured’s and adjusters are a number one priority.  Her responsibilities include placing insured’s in hotels and extending the hotel stay as needed.

The challenges to her job include issues with hotels having sold out situations, hotels charging THD for incidental charges and insured’s not checking out in a timely manner.  Many issues can arise with extensions.  Adjusters may not be able to get information they need from insured’s or outside adjusters and this can hold up the extension process.

As a hotel coordinator she understands the job is very detailed oriented.  Information she processes in the database system affects the entire company. 

She's been married to Jeff for over 20 years and loves being a mother to Madeline and Ryan. In her spare time she likes to cheer on her daughters soccer team.  Go Piranhas!!!  She also likes to hike and ski in the beautiful Colorado mountains. 

She is so thankful for the opportunities THD has offered her.  The challenges Temporary Housing Directory has expected from her has made her a stronger and more confident person.  She loves her family at THD and will make every effort to do whatever it takes for THD to stay #1!!!

The holiday season can be a very dangerous time of the year according to the United States Fire Administration (USFA) with fires causing approximately 400 deaths caused by these fires, over 1600 injuries and about $100 million dollars in property damage. The most joyous of times can also be deadly. Short-circuiting tree lights are cited as the leading cause of these fires.  By following some of the outline precautionary tips from USFA, individuals can greatly reduce their chances of a holiday fire casualty.

Preventing Christmas Tree Fires

• Christmas Tree Fire Hazards - Movie segments demonstrating how fast a live Christmas tree can become fully engulfed in flames. Special fire safety precautions need to be taken when keeping a live tree in the house. A burning tree can rapidly fill a room with fire and deadly gases.
• Selecting a Tree for the Holiday
  Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needle should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has probably dried out, and is a fire hazard.
• Caring for Your Tree
  Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree. Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.
• Disposing of Your Tree
  Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or woodburning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.

Holiday Lights

• Maintain Your Holiday Lights
  Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.
• Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets
  Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires - they should not be warm to the touch.
• Do Not Leave Holiday Lights on Unattended

Holiday Decorations

• Use Only Nonflammable Decorations
  All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents.
• Never Put Wrapping Paper in a Fireplace
  It can result in a very large fire, throwing off dangerous sparks and embers and may result in a chimney fire.
• Artificial Christmas Trees
  If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant.

Candle Care

• Avoid Using Lit Candles
  If you do use them, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Never leave the house with candles burning.
• Never Put Lit Candles on a Tree
  Do not go near a Christmas tree with an open flame - candles, lighters or matches.

Remember to have smoke alarms on every level in your home in working condition.  You should test them monthly, keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times.  Make sure every member of your family knows how to call for help and practice your home escape plan.

Temporary Housing Directory wishes you a safe holiday season.  For more information about our temporary housing services please contact us at 800.817.3220

On November 11, Teresa Vidger, THD President brought the entire THD team to Phoenix, AZ to celebrate their annual holiday event at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge.  This annual event is a way that Teresa feels that she can celebrate the contributions of each THD member and reward them with a beautiful destination that is meant for a lot of laughs and fun times.   This year was special as it is THD’s 10 year anniversary. 

The day started off with a lunch outdoors where everyone could enjoy the lovely fall weather visiting with old colleagues as well as meeting the newest members of the THD family.  There was also some free time to spend and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Arizona desert.

That evening the festivities continued with the annual team photo then reception to further mingle and have fun getting caught up.  The reception was followed by dinner at a wonderful Italian restaurant, Tuscany.   Teresa gave service awards for the team members that had been with the company for 5 plus years.

After dinner, the celebration continued as each Temporary Housing Directory department performed a skit for the Annual Holiday Follies with comedy, dancing and singing skits that filled the room with laughter and applause.  The managers and even Teresa dressed up in 70’s gear to start the THD Follies and get everyone laughing.   Prizes were given out to the best skits and fun was had by all! 

At the end of the evening, THD’s first four employees hosted a video and presented it to a very surprised Teresa with a DVD that looked back on the great memories and successes of THD over the past 10 years. Each employee shared with Teresa why they are thankful for working at such a great company.  Tears were shed and it was a great way to end the night.

As THD celebrates the holiday season and 10 years of providing temporary housing it is with great pride and gratitude that we thank all our customers for helping make THD a success.