Understanding Fire: Important steps to take after fire damage occurs

3/13/2020 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Northwest Portland NOW at 503-SERVPRO if you have fire damage in your home or business!

STOP! If you have fire or smoke damage in your property right now, call us at 503-SERVPRO RIGHT NOW. Don’t wait to mitigate - the longer damage sits unattended, the more likely it will develop secondary damage. Call us at 503-SERVPRO now.

SERVPRO of Northwest Portland understands the devastation a fire has on a residential home or commercial business. We understand the journey of trying to return back to normal after a home or business has fire damage.

Here at SERVPRO of Northwest Portland, we’re passionate about spreading emergency preparedness awareness. We’ve written five blogs on this topic, What to know if fire occurs in your home or business, What to remember when building a fire escape plan, How smoke detection tools can save lives, How to stay safe while evacuating, and How residents can plan around mobility and functional concerns.

For our next installment in our Understanding Fire series, we’re highlighting the importance of what to do after a fire occurs in your home or business.

After a fire occurs in a building, there are a few things you may need or want to consider.

• If you need temporary housing, food and medicines, consider contacting local disaster relief services, such as The Red Cross.
• If you are insured, contact your insurance company or your insurance agent for detailed instructions on protecting the property and conducting inventory. They will advise you to contact a fire damage restoration company of your choice to provide emergency restoration services, or EMG services. To read more about our SERVPRO’s EMG services, visit our blog on our Priority Response team here.
• Check with the fire department to make sure your residence is safe to enter. Be watchful of any structural damage caused by the fire.
• 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.
• Conduct an inventory of damaged property and items. Do not throw away any damaged goods until after an inventory is made. A reputable restoration company will assist you in this matter.
• Try to locate valuable documents and records.
• Begin saving receipts for any money you spend related to the fire loss. The receipts may be needed later by the insurance company and for verifying losses claimed on income tax.
• Notify your mortgage company of the fire.

Whether or not you choose SERVPRO of Northwest Portland, a reputable restoration company will assist you through this process. At our company, our Priority Response Team are experts on navigating the fire recovery and restoration process, and they are always available to assist or advise.

If you sustain fire or smoke damage in your home or business, call SERVPRO of Northwest Portland at 503-283-3658. 

Sources: Ready.gov