What To Do After A House Fire

The thought of a home catching fire is absolutely catastrophic for most people. Experiencing one can be extremely traumatic and devastating, especially if you have never dealt with anything like it. You have more than likely entered a period in your life where you face unforeseen challenges, but we are here to help you navigate it. 

Fire Damage – Yakima WA

The stress from fires can cloud your judgment, so it’s important to know what to do ahead of time. This way you are not doing things that will cause harm because you are thinking in the heat of the moment. It’s critical to know what to do in order to keep yourself and others safe during this catastrophic event.

Exit The Building & Call For Help 

Nothing is more important than getting yourself out of the fire. Though you may want to run back in to save something from the fire, you must fight the urge to do so. Once you are safely out of the building, be sure to immediately call for help. The first responders who show up will ensure everyone’s safety first by getting everyone out of the building and away from danger. Then, they will begin to put out the fire and attempt to save the structure. Unfortunately, everything necessary to put out the fire can cause other types of damage, such as water damage, that will need to be repaired later. 

Call Your Insurance Agent

After contacting emergency services to help put out the fire and eliminate danger, it is important to get ahold of your insurance agent to help you figure out the next steps. You will need to note everything that has been damaged. Taking notes and pictures of your home will be very important when filing a claim and starting the cleanup process. Everything is worth taking note of, so keep everything in mind when observing the damage. Take note of what documents were lost in the fire, so that you can replace them in the future. In addition to this, get a copy of the fire report from the fire department.

Find A Safe Place To Stay

After the fire, you will need to find someplace else to stay. No matter how minimal the fire was, it isn’t safe to stay in a home with fire damage. Even small fires need to be inspected, and the property needs to be thoroughly cleaned of soot, smoke, ash, and burned materials before it is safe to reoccupy the home. When the fire is large, you may need to find a long-term housing situation. Your insurance agent can help you find temporary housing while the fire damage is being restored. 

Contact A Fire Damage Restoration Company

Seeing your home go through a fire is difficult enough, and adding a cleanup on top of that can just add extra stress that you do not need to put yourself through. To begin the process of fire damage cleanup, Clean Image Services can help you with any advice and resources that you need to ensure that you get a job well done. Professionals will do all that they can to bring your home back to its original state to the best of their ability by checking the integrity of your home, removing and cleaning soot and debris, and rebuilding.