After the Fire

Contact your local disaster relief service, such as the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army, to help with your immediate needs, such as:

• temporary housing
• food
• medicine
• eyeglasses
• clothing
• other essential items

Contact your insurance agent/company.

Caution!!! Do not enter the damaged site. Fires can rekindle from hidden, smoldering remains.

• Normally, the fire department will see that utilities (water, electricity and natural gas) are either safe to use or are disconnected before they leave the site. Do not attempt to turn on utilities yourself.
• Be watchful for structural damage caused by the fire. Roofs and floors may be damaged and subject to collapse.
• Food, beverages and medicine exposed to heat, smoke, soot and water should not be consumed.

Leaving Your Home

• Contact your local police departments to let them know the site will be unoccupied.
• In some cases it may be necessary to board up openings to discourage trespassers.
• Beginning immediately, save receipts for any money you spend. These receipts are important in showing the insurance company what money you have spent related to your fire loss and also for verifying losses claimed on your income tax.
• If it is safe to do so, try to locate the following items:
  • identification, such as driver’s licenses and Social Security cards
  • insurance information
  • medication information
  • eyeglasses,hearing aids or other prosthetic devices
  • valuables, such as credit cards, bank books, cash and jewelry
• There are many people/entities that should be notified of your relocation, including:
  • your insurance agent/company
  • your mortgage company (also inform them of the fire)
  • your family and friends
  • your employer
  • your child’s school
  • your post office
  • any delivery services
  • your fire and police departments
  • our utility companies

Do not throw away any damaged goods until after an inventory is made. All damages are taken into consideration in developing your insurance claim.

If you are considering contracting for inventory or repair services discuss your plans with your insurance agent/company first.

You will encounter different viewpoints on the value of your property in adjusting your fire loss or in claiming a casualty loss on your federal income tax. Knowing the following terms will help you understand the process used to determine the value of your fire loss:

• Your personal valuation: Your personal loss of goods through fire may be difficult to measure. These personal items have SENTIMENTAL VALUE to you; however, it is objective measures of value that you, the insurer, and the Internal Revenue Service will use as a common ground for discussion. Some of these objective measures are discussed below.
• Cost when purchased: This is an important element in establishing an item’s final value. Receipts will help verify the cost price.
• Fair market value before the fire: This concept is also expressed as ACTUAL CASH VALUE. This is what you could have received for the item if you had sold it the day before the fire. The price would reflect its cost at purchase minus the wear it had sustained since purchase. Depreciation is the formal term used to express the amount of value an item loses over a period of time.
• Value after the fire: This is sometimes called the item’s salvage value.

Here is a check list of documents you will need to replace if they have been destroyed, and who to contact for information on the replacement process.

Replacement Documents and Contact Information

• Driver’s license, Auto registration
  WHO TO CONTACT- Department of motor vehicles
• Bank books (checking, savings, etc.)
  WHO TO CONTACT- Your bank, as soon as possible
• Insurance policies
  WHO TO CONTACT- Your insurance agent
• Military discharge papers
  WHO TO CONTACT- Department of Veterans Affairs
• Passports
  WHO TO CONTACT- Passport service
• Birth, death and marriage certificates
  WHO TO CONTACT- Bureau of Records the appropriate state
• Divorce papers
  WHO TO CONTACT- Circuit court where decree was issued
• Social Security or Medicare cards
  WHO TO CONTACT- Local Social Security office
• Credit cards
  WHO TO CONTACT- The issuing companies, as soon as possible
• Titles to deeds
  WHO TO CONTACT- Records department of the locality which the property is located
• Stocks and bonds
  WHO TO CONTACT- Issuing company or your broker
• Wills
  WHO TO CONTACT- Your lawyer
• Medical records
  WHO TO CONTACT- Your doctor
• Warranties
  WHO TO CONTACT- Issuing company
• Income tax records
  WHO TO CONTACT- The IRS Center where filed or your accountant
• Citizenship papers
  WHO TO CONTACT- U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
• Prepaid burial contract
  WHO TO CONTACT- Issuing company
• Animal registration papers
  WHO TO CONTACT- Humane Society
• Mortgage papers
  WHO TO CONTACT- Lending institution

Why are windows broken or holes cut in the roof?

As a fire burns, it moves upward then outward. Breaking the windows and/or cutting holes in the roof (called ventilation) slows the damaging outward movement, helps remove blinding smoke that obscures the actual fire, and enables firefighters to fight the fire more efficiently. The result of this action is less damage to the structure in the long run.

Why are holes cut in walls?

This is done so that the fire department is absolutely sure that the fire is completely out, and that there is no fire inside the walls or other hidden places.

Is it possible to obtain a copy of the fire report?

In most localities, a fire report is a public document and is available at the fire department or fire marshal’s office

The following checklist serves as a quick reference and guide for you to follow after a fire strikes!

1. Contact your local disaster relief service, such as The Red Cross, if you need temporary housing, food and medicines.
2. If you are insured, contact your insurance company for detailed instructions on protecting the property, conducting inventory and contacting fire damage restoration companies. If you are not insured, try contacting private organizations for aid and assistance.
3. Check with the fire department to make sure your residence is safe to enter. Be watchful of any structural damage caused by the fire.
4. The fire department should see that utilities are either safe to use or are disconnected before they leave the site. DO NOT attempt to reconnect utilities yourself.
5. Conduct an inventory of damaged property and items. Do not throw away any damaged goods until after an inventory is made.
6. Try to locate valuable documents and records. Refer to information on contacts and the replacement process inside this brochure.
7. If you leave your home, contact the local police department to let them know the site will be unoccupied.
8. Begin saving receipts for any money you spend related to fire loss. The receipts may be needed later by the insurance company and for verifying losses claimed on income tax.
9. Notify your mortgage company of the fire.
10. Check with an accountant or the Internal Revenue Service about special benefits for people recovering from fire loss.