Polk Township Vol. Fire Dept.

What To Do After The Fire

The fire is out now and there are some things that you must do. There are many important steps that you must take to start to return your life back to normal. It is very easy, during this tragic period to forget any one of these important responsibilities.

Step #1: Securing the Site

If you are the owner: It is your responsibility to see that any openings are protected against rain and entry. The outside doors must be locked and secured. (Your fire department should help you.)

Contact Insurance Agent: The agent must be notified of the fire. This will help start immediate repairs. If you can't reach your agent or you need professional help to secure the site, a general contractor or fire damage restoration firm can be found in the yellow pages.
If you plan to leave the site, try to safely remove any valuables. The fire department will advise if you can enter the building safely. Do not leave the site until it is secured.

If you are a tenant: Contact the resident manager, the owner or the owners' insurance agent. It is the owner's responsibility to prevent further loss to the site.
Make sure your personal belongings are secure either within the building or moving them to another location.
Contact your insurace agent to report the loss.

Contact local disaster relief services: Contact the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army if you are in need of temporary housing, food, eyeglasses or medicines destroyed in the fire. Emergency relief is given without regard to income. The fire department or phone book can give you contact information.

Step #2: Cautions at Site

Entry: NEVER enter the building until the fire department says it is safe!

Rekindle: Fire can rekindle from hidden smoldering remains. Be aware for signs of heat or smoke.

Wiring: Household wiring could have been damaged by fire or water and should be checked by an electrician before current is turned back on.

Collapse: Be aware of any structural damage caused by fire or water. Roofs, floors and stairways may be weakened and could easily collapse.

Contamination

Food, beverages and medicines exposed to heat, smoke or soot should be discarded.
Household products, especially aerosol cans, could be dangerous and should be discarded.
Clothes and apparel may be contaminated from smoke, heat and soot.

Refigerators: Refrigerators or freezers left unopened will hold their temperatures for a short time.

Utilities: The fire department will see that utilities(water, electricity, gas and heat) are either safe to use or disconnected before they leave the site. If a utility is disconnected contact the utility company to have them checked for proper working order, make repairs or restore service. NEVER reconnect utilities yourself.

Receipts: Keep receipts for any money you spend. They show the insurance company what money you have spent related to your fire loss and also verify losses claimed on your Federal income tax.

Leaving the Site

Contact the local police: The police will watch your property during your absence.

Temporary Housing: Local relief services like the American Red Cross and Salvation Army should be able to help you with temporary housing.
If you are insured under a package homeowner's or tenants' policy, a section of your coverage may pay for the extra costs of temporary housing. If you need immediate funds, ask your insurance agent about how soon you might get an advance.

What to take with you

Remember: NEVER enter the building to get any items until the fire department says it is safe!

Indentification
Medications
Eyeglasses, hearing aids, prosthetic devices
Credit cards, checkbooks, insurance policies, savings books, money, jewelry and firearms

Don't open your safe: A safe involved in a fire can hold intense heat for several hours. If the door is opened before the safe cools down, the entering air combined with high inside temperatures may cause the contents to burst into flames.

Notify about Relocation

You should notify the following people about your relocation to temporary housing:

Insurance agent
Mortgage company
Employer
Family and friends
Children's school
Post Office to hold your mail
Newspaper deliverer
Utility companies: Heat, Electric, Phone, Water and Trash

Step #4: Additional questions you have

Your disaster relief case worker, fire department official and insurance agent will all help with the many other questions that you may have. But there are a few more things to remember:

Damaged goods: Don't throw away any damaged goods until a complete inventory is made. All damages are taken into consideration in determining the extent of your insurance claim.

Consult your Agent first: Always consult your insurance agent before you contact any estimating, inventorying or repair service companies.

Hopefully you will never experience the pain and loss of a fire. But it is always a good idea to be aware of the many steps that must be taken to get your life back to normal. It is also very important to have all of your important papers organized and protected. And a complete inventory with descriptions, pictures and serial numbers is the most accurate way to insure you make a complete and fair claim settlement.

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John D. Einhorn
Sources: FEMA