Emergency Checklist

Checklist for steps after a fire:

Here are the steps to follow after a fire in your home:

  • Contact your local disaster relief service, such as the Red Cross. They will help you find a place to stay for awhile and find food, medicines, and other important things.
     
  • If you have insurance, contact your insurance company. Ask what you should do to keep your home safe until it is repaired. Find out how they want you to make a list of things that were lost or damaged in the fire. Ask who you should talk to about cleaning up the mess. If you are not insured, try contacting community groups for aid and assistance.
     
  • Check with the fire department to make sure your home is safe to enter. Be very careful when you go inside. Floors and walls may not be as safe as they look.
     
  • The fire department will tell you if your utilities (water, electricity, and gas) are safe to use. If not, they will shut these off before they leave. DO NOT try to turn them back on by yourself. This could be very dangerous.
     
  • Contact your landlord or mortgage company about the fire.
     
  • Try to find valuable documents and records. See the information in this brochure about how to get new copies if you need them.
     
  • If you leave your home, call the local police department to let them know the site will be vacant.
     
  • Begin saving receipts for any money you spend related to fire loss. The receipts may be needed later by the insurance company and to prove any losses claimed on your income tax.
     
  • Check with an accountant or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) about special benefits for people recovering from fire loss.

The government through FEMA has provided some very valuable and detailed information detailing the best way to deal with the aftermath of a fire in your home. You can click on the icon below to view their "After A Fire" checklist and download the complete FEMA "After the Fire!" document.

 

Checklist for steps after a flood:

Here's what you can do to begin restoring your home immediately:

There is no time to waste when it comes to the recovery process after water has entered your home or business. The home restoration process must begin immediately. Unlike a fire that can be extinguished to stop further damage, water continues to cause damage to your home long after the water has receded.

Here's what you can do to begin restoring your home immediately:

  • Check for structural damage before re-entering your home to avoid being trapped in a building collapse.
     
  • Call a trusted Arizona Fire and Water Restoration company to help you stabilize the property and document damage for your insurance company. Make sure to take photos of all damaged areas.
     
  • Call your insurance agent to file a claim. Remember that you have the right to choose which contractor you hire to handle your property restoration in Arizona.
     
  • Make a list of damaged or lost items and include their purchase date and value with receipts, and place with the inventory you took prior to the flood. Some damaged items may require disposal, so keep photographs of these items.
     
  • Let an electrician inspect your electrical system for safety before turning it back on.
     
  • Boil water for drinking and food preparation until authorities tell you that your water supply is safe.
     
  • Prevent mold and further damage by removing wet contents immediately and start the dry-out process of salvageable walls and flooring.
     
  • Wear gloves and boots to clean and disinfect. Wet items should be cleaned with a pine-oil cleanser and bleach, completely dried, and monitored for several days for any mold growth and/or odors.


It is important to hire an insurance-friendly restoration company in Arizona. Make sure to ask the right questions when hiring a restoration contractor. Some restoration companies specialize in floor and carpet dry-out etc. and others are complete restoration contractors that can handle all aspects of recovery and reconstruction. Be careful to hire a contractor with the right fit for your situation. Working with your insurance company is an important part of the process an insurance companies know the reputation of local restoration companies