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Frequently Asked Questions: FIRE
These images illustrate the types of damages Milligan's Hurri-Clean deals with in many fired damaged areas. We use the most efficient and best methods in helping you restore and repair your property.
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Experiencing a house fire is devastating enough, trying to recover and move forward can be made more difficult by not knowing what to do first. To help make recovering from one of the most devastating life events a little easier, we at Milligan's Hurri-Clean encourage homeowners to prepare for the worst by following some simple fire recovery tips.
The first thing homeowners need to do is contact the local disaster relief service, such as the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army, to help with immediate needs such as shelter, food, clothing, medicine and other essential items. Also, as tempting as it may be to try and search for items, the homeowner should NEVER enter the damaged fire site without approval from the fire department. Fires can rekindle from hidden, smoldering remains.
After the immediate needs have been addressed, homeowners should contact the insurance agent or company. Also, beginning immediately, save receipts for any money spent. These receipts are important to show the insurance company what money has been spent related to the fire loss and also for verifying losses claimed on income tax returns.
Once the fire department gives approval, homeowners should try to locate identification, such as driver's licenses and Social Security cards; insurance information; medication information; eyeglasses; hearing aids or other prosthetic devices; valuables; such as credit cards; bank books; cash and jewelry.
Also, the homeowners should attempt some simple tasks to make things a little easier for the days to come: Keep the doors closed to unaffected areas of the structure. Open outside doors and windows for ventilation. Empty your freezer and refrigerator leaving the doors propped open. Throw away any exposed food. Wipe down faucets, chrome, guns or any other metal objects with WD-40 or a similar product to prevent etching. Also stay off the furniture and try not to walk on the carpets any more than you have to. Notify the mortgage company, family and friends, employer, child's school, post office and utility companies of the fire and their current location.
When sorting through the fire damage, it's important that homeowners do not throw away any damaged goods until after an inventory is made. All damages are taken into consideration in developing the insurance claim.
Important information such as insurance policies - medical, dental, automobile and home, passports, driver's licenses, bank books, wills, social security cards, birth certificates, marriage licenses, divorce papers should be copied and stored in a separate location outside the home.
Below is a checklist of documents that will need to be replaced if they have been destroyed, and who to contact for information on the replacement process.
ITEM
Driver's license, Auto registration
Bank books (checking, savings, etc.)
Insurance policies
Passports
Birth, death and marriage certificates
Divorce papers
Social Security or Medicare cards
Credit cards
Titles to deeds
Stocks and bonds
Wills
Medical records
Warranties
Income tax records
Citizenship papers
Mortgage papers
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WHO TO CONTACT
Department of State
Bank or credit union
Your insurance agent
Passport service
The county clerk
Circuit court where decree was issued
Local Social Security office
The issuing companies, ASAP
County Register of Deeds
Issuing company or your broker
Lawyer
Doctor
Issuing company
The IRS Center/ Accountant
U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
Lending institution
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See how Milligan's can help you with fire/smoke damage, click here.
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