What to Do After a Structure Fire

10/29/2024 (Permalink)

Extensive damage to a house from a fire

A house fire can be emotionally damaging, both to the homeowner and other family members. Precious keepsakes, documents, and family heirlooms may be lost or damaged to the point of being unrecoverable. Plus, that feeling of uncertainty takes over. Questions such as where will we sleep tonight, or how will we prepare food, or change clothes? And, once the first few questions form in your head, thousands might follow. It becomes so overwhelming, that many people might just shut down emotionally.

The Key is to Not Let Anxiety Take Over

Once you’ve gotten your family and pets out of the structure, first call 911, report as many details of the fire as possible but do not try to extinguish it yourself. Do not try to enter the structure to retrieve personal items, fire can quickly destabilize the structure, and you could become trapped or worse. Stand back far enough to avoid smoke inhalation or burns. If you or a family member is injured, seek immediate medical attention. Lastly, call a trusted family member or friend and let them know you are alright and ask them to share this information with others.

Call Your Local SERVPRO® Office

SERVPRO of Kauai has the resources to help you navigate fire damage. Restoring your home is our main goal. As a leading fire damage restoration company, we specialize in all aspects of the cleanup process. Our crew will remove excess water left after firefighting efforts, board up or tarp open areas to limit secondary damage and begin documenting the site. Once we’ve completed the scope and are confident the structure is no longer dangerous to move around in, our trained team will begin to thoroughly deep-clean your property. This includes soot removal from walls, carpets, and upholstery, removal of items which cannot be saved, and drying areas which were water soaked.

Our team leader will take as much time as necessary to talk with the homeowner, ensuring that they understand what we are doing and why. Many of the soft goods, such as clothing, will be taken off-site for cleaning and deodorizing with specialized equipment. Other items may be taken to one of our storage facilities, to be held until restoration is complete. We will do everything in our power to save as much as we can, throughout the process.

Rebuilding - Making It "Like It Never Even Happened"

SERVPRO of Kauai offers a thorough rebuilding and reconstruction process after a fire. While each job is slightly different and requires a different approach depending on your needs and the extent of damage, SERVPRO professionals are dedicated to returning your structure to pre-fire condition. We use clean build technology in the process, plus our technicians use EPA-registered products that will help protect your structure through viral pathogen cleaning, dust control, and protecting against other contaminants while construction occurs.