What To Do AFTER The Fire

9/14/2023 (Permalink)

| SERVPRO® of Shippensburg/Perry County (717)-300-3347

A fire will change your life in many ways that you cannot imagine. Knowing where to begin and who can help you is important.

Put Safety First

The safety of you and your family must be the first priority.Follow the advice and directions issued by local authorities. If the authorities ask you to evacuate, do not return until they report that it is safe and secured.

Contact Your Insurance Company

The typical homeowners policy will provide reimbursement for Additional Living Expenses (ALE) such as the cost of hotels and food when a covered loss to your home makes the residence uninhabitable.

If you do not have insurance, your family and community might help you get back on your feet. Organizations that might help include:

• American Red Cross (717) 234-3101;

• Salvation Army (717) 233-6755 ;

• religious organizations;

• public agencies, such as the public health department;

• community groups;

• State or municipal emergency services office; and

• nonprofit crisis-counseling centers.

What To Expect

A fire in a home, whether you live in an apartment, a single family, or multifamily home, can cause serious damage. The building and many of the things in your home may have been badly damaged by flames, heat, smoke, and water. You will find that things the fire did not burn up are now ruined by smoke and soggy with water used to put out the flames. Anything you want to save or re-use will need to be carefully cleaned. The firefighters may have cut holes in the walls of the building to look for any hidden flames. They may even have cut holes in the roof to let out the heat and smoke. Cleanup will take time and patience.

Restoration Services

You do not need to make a quick decision on who will perform the restoration services.  You will, however  need to have someone perform board-up services to secure the property. Many restoration companies - including SERVPRO of Hershey / Swatara perform board-up services.  You are not required to use the same company to provide mitigation and restoration services.  Take you time to decide after consulting with your insurance adjustor and do some of your own research before you decide.

Restoration and Mitigation Services Include:

Restoration companies like SERVPRO of Hershey/Swatara provide services that include the following:

• Documenting all items affected and items to be removed for cleaning / restoration
• Removing unsalvageable items and material
• Storing and cleaning contents and personal items
• Restoring furniture and other personal property
• Cleaning clothes, linens, etc
• Drying the structure and contents
• Deodorizing the structure and content
• Preparing the structure for rebuild

Once the structure has been miigated for the fire damage - the home owner can negotiate with contractors to rebuild. SERVPRO of Shippensburg/Perry County can help the homeowner with the rebuild process as well.