After the Fire

A Guide to Assist You

WHY?
After the fire, you may notice some damage that seemed unnecessary.  “why broken windows?” Or “why holes in the wall?”  Fires produce temperature well over 1200 degrees f., along with smoke and hot gases.  As a fire burns, it moves upward, then outward.  Ventilation must be done quickly to help the trapped heat escape, reducing fire spread and allowing the firefighter to make entry into the base of the fire. Often, a wall must be forcibly opened to find the “hidden” fires. This allows complete fire extinguishment.  Without the use of these firefighting techniques, the building could suffer total destruction by fire

INSURED/NOT INSURED PROPERTY                 

The first thing to do after the fire is to contact your insurance company or agent as soon as possible.  If you are renting or leasing the property, you must also contact the owner. Your insurance adjuster may be able to assist you in making immediate repairs or help in securing your home.  If you are unable to contact your agent and need professional assistance in boarding up your home, you may contact a general contractor or a fire damage restoration firm. (Refer to your Yellow Pages under Contractors-General or Fire & Water Damage Restoration.)

To obtain a copy of the official report, have your agent contact the Raleigh Fire Department at (919) 831-6392.

IF YOU ARE NOT INSURED                                        

If your property is not insured or if your insurance will not cover all your losses, contact your family lawyer or the Internal Revenue Service for directions. You may be eligible for casualty loss.  Check Publication 547, “Tax Information on Disasters, Casualty Losses and Thefts,” available from your local Internal Revenue Service Office.

If you are not insured and need assistance, The American Red Cross is available to assist families who have been displaced from their homes through any type of disaster.  They are available around the clock, every day of the year, with food, clothing, and housing.  Their phone numbers are 231-1602 (daytime) or 1-800-989-2721 (after hours).

GETTING YOUR FAMILY SETTLED

If your home is unlivable and if you cannot stay with family or friends, consult with you insurance company to see if you are covered for additional living expenses.  The Red Cross may be able to provide temporary shelter until you can arrange to rent a place to stay.

TAKE VALUABLES WITH YOU

If you must leave your home, try to locate the following items to take with you:  Important legal documents, identification, vital medicines, eyeglasses, hearing aids, valuables, credit cards, checkbooks, insurance policies, money, jewelry, photos, etc. (Note: Let safes cool down before opening)

UTILTIES

Often the Fire Department must have the utility service shut off or disconnected as a safety precaution and to prevent further damage to the structure and its contents.  The utility companies cannot restore utilities until the repairs are approved and the City of Raleigh Building Inspections Department has issued clearance.  The telephone number to request an inspection or information is 890-3065.

IF YOU MOVE

If you move, notify the City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department, post office, banks, telephone, cable television service, credit card companies, magazine, newspapers, etc., of your new address.  Also, contact the Social Security Administration and Wake County Human Services if you are receiving benefits.

IF YOU NEED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE

If you need emergency assistance for food, clothing, or lodging, contact the local Red Cross at 231-1602 (daytime) or 1-800-989-2721 (after hours).

VEHICLE FIRES

IF INSURED

Contact your insurance agent who can explain coverage and assist you with your claim. If your vehicle is damaged in a structure fire, contact both your home insurance and vehicle insurance agents.

IF UNINSURED

If the vehicle is repairable, a list of repair facilities can be obtained in the Yellow Pages of your phone directory under Automobile Repairing and Service.  If towing is required, refer to the Yellow Pages of your phone directory under Automobile Road Service.

If the vehicle is a total loss (beyond repair), it may have some value to a salvage yard.  A list of vehicle salvage companies can be obtained in the Yellow Pages of your phone directory under Automobile Salvage.

Temporary transportation may be necessary.  Bus schedules are available through the City of Raleigh Capital Area Transit System (CAT) at 833-5701.  Look in the Yellow Pages under Taxicabs for a listing of taxi services available in the city.

GENERAL CLEANING/SALVAGE HINTS

If not insured, here are some hints you might want to consider:

1. Vacuum all surfaces.
2. Change and clean air-conditioner/heater filters.
3. Seal off the room in which you are working with plastic wrap to keep soot from moving from one location to another.
4. Painted Walls – To remove soot and smoke from walls, mix together 4 to 6 tablespoons tri-sodium phosphate (can be purchased in paint stores) and 1 gallon of water.  We suggest that you use rubber gloves and goggles while working with this solution.  Warning-Keep mixture away from children and pets.  Wash a small area at a time working from the floor up.  Do ceilings   last.  Rinse thoroughly from the top down.  Do not repaint until completely dry.  It is advisable to use a smoke sealer (available in paint stores) before painting.  Wallpapered Walls – Usually  wallpaper cannot be restored.  Check with your wallpaper dealer.
5. Furniture – Do not use chemicals on furniture. A very inexpensive product called FLAX SOAP (readily available in hardware and paint stores) is an efficient product to use on wood, including kitchen cabinets.  Do not dry furniture in the sun as the wood will warp and twist out of shape.
6. Floors – Use FLAX SOAP on wood and linoleum floors.  It will take 4 to 5 applications.  Then strip and re-wax.               
7. Carpet – Steam clean, shampoo and repeat steam cleaning
8. Mattresses-Reconditioning an innerspring mattress at home is very difficult if not impossible.  A company that builds or repairs mattresses can probably renovate your mattress.  If you must use your mattress temporarily, put it out into the sun to dry, then cover it with plastic sheeting.  It is almost impossible to get smoke odor out of pillows.  Feather and foam retain odors.
9. Locks and Hinges - Locks (especially iron locks) should be taken apart, wiped with kerosene and oiled.  If locks cannot be removed, squirt machine oil through a bolt opening or keyhole and work the knob to distribute the oil.  Hinges should also be thoroughly cleaned and oiled.  Warning -Do not use gasoline for cleaning.
10. Mildew - To remove mildew, wash stain with soap and water.  Rinse well and dry.  If stain remains, use lemon juice and salt or a solution of household chloride bleach and warm water.
11. Clothes - To remove smoke odor or soot from clothes that can be bleached, add ½ cup of ammonia to 2 gallons of water, then rinse in vinegar (use rubber gloves). Should you have any questions, about the cleaning or preparation of Clothing, it is wise to contact a cleaning service. Take wool, silk, and rayon garments to the dry cleaners as soon as possible.  Warning - Do not mix ammonia with bleach.
12.  Books - Stand on edge, separate the pages, and dry with a low-  velocity fan, pile and press to prevent the pages from crinkling.  alternate drying and pressing to prevent  mildew. if books are very damp, sprinkle a little cornstarch or talc between the pages, leave for several hours, and then brush off.

GENERAL INFORMATION

WHAT ABOUT CASH                                                            

If paper  money you have kept in your home is half burned or less, you can mail the burned money via first class registered mail to the U.S. Treasury Department, Main Treasury building, Room 1123 Washington, DC 20220. Mutilated or melted coins can be taken to the Federal Reserve Bank nearest you or mailed via first class registered mail to Superintendent, U.S. Assay Office, 32 Old Slip, New York, NY 10005.  If your U.S. Saving Bonds have been mutilated or destroyed, write to the U.S. Treasury, Bureau of Public Debt, Division of Loans and Currency, 537 S. Clark Street, Chicago, Il 60605 Attn: Bond Consultant.  Include name(s) and address(es) that were on the bonds, approximate date or time period purchased, denomination, and approximate number of each.
PETS                                                              

Smoke can injure the lungs of a dog or cat in minutes, and sparks can cause painful burns that may be hidden under your pet's fur.  As soon as possible, take your pet to a veterinarian.  If your pet is lost in the confusion, call Animal Control at 807-5433.                                                               
COUNSELING SUPPORT                                 

After a fire, you may experience difficulty in concentrating, anxious feelings, depression, anger, fatigue, irrational (unfounded) fears, and nightmares.  These are common responses to a traumatic event.  If you or your family members need support, call the American Red Cross or check your Yellow Pages under Counselors.  Some employers and/or health insurance carriers provide coverage for counseling services.
WHAT ABOUT FOOD                                          

Any food, beverages, and/or medicines exposed to heat or smoke should not be consumed.  Medicines can change strength by exposure to heat.  Please check with your doctor before taking these medicines.  If food was in tightly closed or sealed containers or in airtight refrigerators or freezers, they may be salvageable. Don't use canned goods when cans are bulging, dented, or rusted.  It is cheaper to replace the material than to jeopardize your health by taking a chance.   If in doubt throw it out!
WHAT ABOUT ODORS                                        

Sometimes there is residual smoke odor from a small fire that is annoying and lingering.  Short of a good cleaning of everything in the house, you can place small saucers of household vanilla, wine, vinegar, or activated charcoal around your home to help absorb these odors.  Remember that the smoke odor is also inside the heating and cooling ductwork, so you may get a fresh blast of it every time your air system is turned on.
If insured, consult your insurance company for assistance.  If the odor does not go away in about a week, you may (and probably should) call a janitorial supply or cleaning service specializing in restoration of fire-damaged property (refer to your Yellow Pages under Fire and Water Damage Restoration).  They have the equipment to scrub out the ductwork and deodorize everything in the house.

For More Information Contact:
Larry Stanford
Fire Marshal
Fire Department
310 West Martin Street, Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27601
919-831-6392

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