8 Emergency Tips After a Fire

7/9/2020 (Permalink)

Fires are traumatic. Take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Fire damage can be devastating in a home or business. The resulting water damage from extinguishing the fire just makes things worse. Because of all this stress, it can be extremely difficult to act rationally immediately following an emergency. Emotions run high and it’s very easy to make a mistake that can have lasting consequences. That’s why we’ve come up with 8 emergency tips for you to follow right after your fire and water loss. Before we get there, keep the following in mind:

1. Get permission from the fire department before you attempt to re-enter the home.
2. Inform your utility, insurance and restoration companies of the fire.
3. To the best of your ability, try not to move around your home too much. No matter how careful you are, it can be very easy to spread soot particles and cause additional damage, as well as cause smoke smell to linger longer in rooms that may have been far removed from your fire.
4. From whatever vantage points you can access, photograph and document the damage.
5. Remove the contents of affected areas as soon as you can. If possible, get them outside into the sun so that they can air out and dry if necessary.
6. If your power is out, empty your freezer and refrigerator and keep the doors propped open. Try to find another home for anything perishable before it begins to spoil.
7. Extract any water that you can by mopping and blotting. The more water you can get out, the simpler and more affordable the restoration process will be.
8. Take care of yourself, your loved ones and your pets. Fires can be an extremely traumatic experience.

If you’re dealing with a home or business fire in the West Seneca or Lancaster area, give us a call 24/7/365 at 716-674-1103 – we’re here to help!