Restoration in educational facilities is more than just rebuilding after disaster — it’s about restoring trust, continuity, and community. In an era of aging infrastructure, climate-related weather events, and increasing demands on facility uptime, institutions must rethink their approach to disaster response and recovery. This presentation will explore the critical role of restoration planning, emergency mitigation, and post-loss reconstruction in minimizing downtime and protecting what matters most: students, staff, and the learning environment. By sharing real-world case studies, proactive strategies, and scalable solutions, I’ll provide facility professionals with the tools and insights needed to partner effectively with restoration experts and build long-term resilience into their campuses
After completing this session, participants will be able to:
-Identify the unique restoration challenges faced by educational institutions, including aging infrastructure, occupancy sensitivity, and high expectations for rapid recovery.
-Evaluate the critical importance of emergency response planning and pre-loss partnerships with restoration providers to minimize downtime and protect students and staff.
-Understand the phases of professional restoration services — from initial mitigation through reconstruction — and how each phase impacts facility operations, safety, and compliance.
-Develop a campus-specific action plan for restoration readiness that aligns with existing facility management protocols and institutional risk management goals.
DJ McCabe is a seasoned restoration executive with over 20 years of experience leading large-scale recovery efforts across the Southeast. As the founder of McCabe Restoration — now a key platform company under Compass Equity Partners — DJ has built a reputation for delivering fast, effective, and compassionate restoration solutions in some of the region’s most challenging disaster environments.
DJ’s teams have supported educational institutions ranging from K-12 schools to major universities, helping facility leaders navigate water, fire, and storm-related losses with minimal disruption to students and staff. His firm specializes in emergency mitigation, environmental remediation, and full-scale reconstruction — with a deep understanding of the operational, regulatory, and emotional demands that come with restoring learning environments.
With a hands-on, solutions-oriented leadership style, DJ brings practical insights from the field, backed by years of experience coordinating with school administrators, risk managers, and public agencies. His commitment to building long-term partnerships in the education space has made him a trusted advisor in both emergency planning and post-loss recovery.
Athens, GA | October 6-10, 2025
