An Inland Northwest staffing agency has deployed dozens of workers to help with wildfire recovery efforts, as the recent Spokane Complex Fires have driven up demand for demolition and cleanup laborers.

Spokane-based A.I.S. Inc, which does business as Express Employment Professionals, placed about 60 workers on fire recovery projects in the first week after evacuation orders were lifted. Beverly Amstadter, owner of the staffing agency, says she expects that number to continue climbing as more damaged properties are assessed.

Demand began increasing almost immediately after the fires, she says.

“We currently have multiple crews deployed with several restoration contractors, assisting with everything from debris removal and site cleanup to demolition and contents restoration,” Amstadter says. “As additional properties are being assessed, we’re receiving new requests for workers every day.”

Restoration and demolition companies often maintain relatively lean permanent crews and turn to temporary workers when disasters create sudden increases in workload, Amstadter says. Those companies are experiencing some of the greatest demand for additional workers following the fires.

The agency's additional personnel placements are expected to grow as insurance claims move through the system, properties receive clearance for work, and rebuilding projects begin, Amstadter says.

The type of labor needed will also change as recovery efforts progress, she says. Cleanup and debris removal are driving much of the immediate demand, but rebuilding efforts could sustain increased demand for construction workers for years.

“I would expect to see continued demand for general laborers, carpenters, equipment operators, electricians, plumbers, and other construction-related positions as rebuilding begins,” Amstadter says.

That transition could turn what began as an emergency staffing need into a longer-term workforce issue for the Spokane area. Amstadter estimates restoration and cleanup work could continue for months, followed by years of additional construction activity.

The work also presents safety considerations because fire debris can contain hazardous or contaminated materials.

Training requirements depend on the work employees perform. General cleanup workers typically need standard jobsite safety training and appropriate personal protective equipment, while employees handling hazardous materials, contaminated debris, or specialized environmental remediation may need additional training or certifications, Amstadter says.

Express Employment works with its clients to determine the qualifications and safety requirements workers need before sending them to jobsites, she adds.

Finding enough people to fill the positions could become another challenge. Express Employment continues to receive calls from restoration companies and is holding walk-in interviews several days a week to recruit additional workers, Amstadter says.

“We will absolutely need more workforce,” Amstadter says.

Higher demand could also temporarily pull employees from other industries, particularly if cleanup contractors offer additional hours, overtime, or higher wages. Some workers may shift industries temporarily, while others are seeking short-term employment or extra hours specifically because they want to participate in the recovery effort, Amstadter says.

Staffing agencies can help contractors respond to those rapid changes because companies facing a sudden surge in projects may not have the time or resources to recruit, screen, and onboard large numbers of employees themselves, Amstadter says.

Express Employment has responded to requests from multiple restoration companies by providing workers as soon as the following day, she says.

“I think staffing agencies play a vital role during disaster recovery because employers often need workers immediately,” Amstadter says. "We can meet that overnight demand."

For Express Employment, the increased workload has resulted in long hours as the company continues connecting contractors with available workers.

“We’re working a lot of late nights right now, but it’s rewarding work,” Amstadter says. “I like to think that every worker we place helps a business recover faster, and means a family may move back into a home faster.”

Express Employment Professionals, an employment agency located at 331 W. Main in Spokane, was founded in 1994 by Amstadter's parents, Ira and Susan Amstadter, before she acquired it late last year. The family business operates as a franchisee of Oklahoma City-based Express International, which has more than 870 franchisee locations worldwide.