AFTER THE FIRE
Lamberton Fire Deptartment wants
to help you quickly recover from this misfortune.
What You Need to Know.
The site of the fire needs to be protected from further damage by weather, theft or vandalism.
If You are the Owner, it is your responsibility to see that holes are covered against rain and entry and that outside doors to your home can be locked or secured. The Fire Department will help with this activity.
Contact Your Insurance Agent. They must be notified of the fire and may also be able to help you in making immediate repairs. If you cannot reach your agent or need professional assistance in boarding up your home, a general contractor, fire damage restoration firm or fire service firm can help. Check your yellow pages.
If you plan to leave the fire site, try to remove any valuables remaining in the building. Do not leave until the site has been secured.
If You are a Tenant, contact the resident manager, the owner or the owner's insurance agent. It is the owner's responsibility to prevent further loss to the site.
Make sure that your personal belongings are secure either within the building or by moving them to another location such as the home of a relative or friend.
Contact your own insurance agent to report the loss.
Fire can rekindle from hidden smoldering remains. Be watchful for signs of heat or smoke.
Household wiring which may have been water damaged should be checked by an electrician before current is restored.
Be watchful for structural damage, roofs and floors may have been weakened.
Food, beverages and medicines exposed to heat and smoke or soot should be discarded.
Refrigerators or freezers left unopened will maintain their temperature for a short time. However, do not attempt to refreeze thawed items.
Before the Fire Department leaves the site, they will see that utilities (water, electricity, gas or heat) are either safe to use or are disconnected. If a utility is disconnected, contact the utility company or authorized service representative to have the apparatus checked for proper working order and to make necessary repairs and reinstate service. Do not attempt to reconnect utilities yourself.
Contact Your Local Disaster Relief Services such as the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army if you are in need of temporary housing, food, eyeglasses or medicines destroyed in the fire.
This may be your decision or one based on the building inspector's judgement that the residence is unsafe.
Notify Local Police. They will keep an eye on the property during your absence.
Temporary Housing: Local relief services, like the American Red Cross and Salvation Army, should be able to help you with temporary housing.
Beginning now, keep receipts for any money you spend. These receipts are important in showing the insurance company what money you have spent related to the fire loss and also for verifying losses claimed on your Federal income tax.
If You are Insured under a package homeowner's or tenant's policy, a section of your coverage may pay for the extra costs of temporary housing such as a hotel. If you need immediate funds, ask your insurance agent about how soon you might receive an advance on your eventual claim settlement.
Try to locate the following items to take with you:
Do Not Attempt to Open Your Safe. A safe involved in a fire may hold intense heat for several hours. If the door is opened before the safe has cooled down, the entering air, combined with the inside temperature, may cause the contents to burst into flames.
Notify the following parties of your relocation:
Your disaster relief service case worker, local Fire Department or insurance agent will help you with the many questions you will have in the coming days. In the meantime:
Do Not Throw Away any Damaged Goods until after an inventory is conducted. All damages are taken into consideration in developing your insurance claim.
Do Not Contract for estimating, inventorying or repair service without first consulting your insurance agent or adjuster.