Top 10 Things to Do Immediately After a Fire

12/16/2024 (Permalink)

A sudden fire can cause severe damage to your home, business, or other property. While your primary concern should be to ensure your safety and the safety of your family or other occupants, it is also essential to understand what to do immediately after a fire. Here is a quick guide on how to handle a sudden property fire. 

Steps To Take After A Fire Starts 

1. Call Emergency Services: As soon as you notice a property fire, you need to call 911 and get firefighters to your property to put the fire out. This will help reduce the risk to you, your property, and your community.
2. Seek Medical Care If Necessary: If you or anyone else is injured, they must head to emergency medical facilities to treat burns or other injuries. 
3. Tell people you are safe: Once you and the other occupants are safely away from the fire and help is on the way, you can inform your loved ones of the situation and make sure they know you are safe. 
4. Follow Local Authorities Instructions: After being safe, you need to listen to local authorities about when you can re-enter the area. It might not be safe to approach the property right away. 

Steps For Handling Fire Damage

1. Returning To Your Property: Once local authorities agree that you can return to your property, you can re-enter it. It is recommended that children and pets continue to stay away from the property while you assess the damage.
2. Assess The Damage: Before entering the property, hire fire damage cleanup contractors. They can help assess damage and make sure that structural damage is addressed. 
3. Be Careful Around Damaged Items: Furniture damaged in the fire may not be stable. Avoid putting weight on tables or furniture. Additionally, areas of your home, like hallways or staircases, can also be damaged and may break underneath weight. 
4. Do Not Force Jammed Doors: If a door appears jammed in place and will not budge, do not force it. The door might sometimes be stuck because it supports the door frame. Shoving it can cause it to collapse.
5. Catalog Signs of Damage: Make a list of the damaged sections of your property for insurance purposes.
6. Hire Fire Damage Cleanup Crews: Some contractors specialize in mitigating damage caused by fires or flooding. These crews are trained to work through a property safely. 

Fire Damage Cleanup in Parsippany, NJ, and Montville, NJ

If you live in or around Parsippany and Montville, NJ, we highly recommend working with our SERVPRO® team to handle fire damage issues. For more information, please get in touch with our team.