What to do After a House Fire

4/13/2022 (Permalink)

Got a house fire? We can help! Call SERVPRO® of Greater Waco 254-224-5999

A house fire is one of the most traumatic times in your life but with a little basic research, it can be much less stressful. Here’s a checklist to go through that may help.

1. Find somewhere safe to stay. You may not know if your home is safe or not so find a place where you can get your thoughts together and relax.  From here, you can set up a post and find out from the fire department if your home is safe or not and start the rebuilding process.
2. Call your insurance company. Depending on your policy, they may have emergency resources immediately available to cover housing, food or clothing. You’ll want to document everything and even purchases made with your own funds may be reimbursable.
3. Help your furry family. While this may be traumatic for you, pets feel it too with less understanding of what is going on.  Find a family member or friend who can temporarily take care of them while you figure out the next steps.
4. Get in touch with your mortgage lender or landlord. For a rental, the homeowner’s policy will most likely cover the structure but you may need your rental insurance to cover any destroyed contents and personal belongings.
5. If safe, start retrieving any personal belongings from the home and get the home secured. If your money is burnt, you can take it to your nearest Federal Reserve Bank. If you are unsure of how to get your money replaced, you can go to your local bank and they may have resources on where to send it or be able to replace it for you. You’ll want to lock any doors and have windows boarded up and if needed, the roof tarped.  You’ll also want to collect anything of value or with personal information on it.
6. Check with your local American Red Cross or in Texas, call 2-1-1, for a list of local community resources to assist with everything from temporary housing to food banks.
7. Call SERVPRO of Greater Waco. We can do a full 360-degree digital scan, evaluation and give you a plan of action to get you back to normal.

Got a house fire? We can help! Call SERVPRO® of Greater Waco 254-224-5999