Fire Damage – The First Twenty-Four

Although it will be difficult to comprehend the event for some time, there are some imperative things to do immediately following the incident that are known as disaster management.

Remember your safety first. So not under any circumstances attempt to go through the property, even through a part that appears to be undamaged until it is deemed safe by a firefighter. There are things that you will need to try to recover from the damage, but this should only be done under the close supervision of a firefighter.

While you are waiting for permission to return to your property, call your local emergency services such as the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, or your church. Begin to gather life sustaining essentials such as clothing, food and shelter. Also ask immediately for services to obtain necessary medications and equipment. Ensure immediate and continued safety for you and your family.
The next call should be to your insurance company. You may not have all the answers that they will need immediately, but making initial contact is crucial in your claim. After the conversation with the insurance professional, who will likely give you another to do list, begin to locate important documents. Find or have re-made a driver’s license, state identification, or military ID card. Find your insurance documentation. This can usually be done at the company’s on-line website, and even if you think the original documentation has not been destroyed in the fire, keep on safety’s side and do not dig through rubble if a copy of what you need can be easily obtained from another source. It should also be noted that safe boxes should not be opened as they can retain heat for a substantial amount of time, and doing so can cause an explosion. A rule of thumb? Do nothing without direct supervision and permission of trained and equipped professionals.

Once you are allowed safely back on the property, under the supervision of trained authority, look for medications, valuables, and medical items such as eyeglasses, hearing aids, wheel chairs, or prosthetic devices.
Some calls that will need to be made at this point are to your mortgage company, to the post office, and to utility companies. A lot of times you will find that authorities at the site or at your insurance company have made taken these measures already, but ultimately they are your responsibility. Responders to the disaster will likely turn off your water and utilities at the source, and while you should not attempt such a task on your own, it is a prevention and safety measure to inquire as to whether this has been done.

Although it is the last thing that you would possibly think of in such a tragic situation, from the second of your evacuation, begin to save and all receipts. These will be helpful if not necessary in the pending insurance claim, and every receipt counts. Food, shelter, travel safety measures, and replacement costs for clothing and documents, right down to the postage needed to obtain them can be considered in a claim.