What to Do After a House Fire: A Step by Step Checklist
A clear checklist for the first hours and days after a house fire: safety, insurance, documentation, shelter and calling a restoration company.
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Tell the operator your city, what happened and whether the fire department has cleared the building. You will be connected with a local provider that covers your area.
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- Give your city and ZIP code
- Say what happened and whether the fire is out
- Ask the company about its license and insurance
Quick answer
Make sure everyone is safe, wait for the fire department to clear the building, call your insurer, photograph the damage, protect the property from weather and call a restoration company. Do not turn on power or touch soot covered items until you have guidance.
Hour one: safety and shelter
- Account for everyone, including pets, and get medical care for anyone with burns or smoke inhalation.
- Stay out of the building until the fire department says it is safe to enter.
- If you need somewhere to stay, contact the American Red Cross about shelter, food and clothing, or ask friends and family.
- Ask the fire officer for the incident or report number. You will need it for your claim.
Day one: protect and document
- Call your insurance company and ask what they need and whether they have preferred vendors.
- Once it is safe to be inside, photograph and film each room before anything is moved.
- Arrange board up and roof tarping if windows, doors or the roof are open. The Red Cross lists this as an early step.
- Turn off or leave off utilities until they have been checked. Leave power and gas repairs to trained professionals.
- Do not use the HVAC system, which can spread smoke and soot.
- Keep receipts for hotels, food, clothing and emergency repairs.
Call a restoration company
Fire damage gets worse with time. Soot can stain and etch surfaces, odors set into porous materials and firefighting water can lead to mold within 24 to 48 hours. Call (833) 917-4160 and a local company can secure the building, begin water removal and start soot containment while you work with your insurer.
What to avoid
- Touching soot covered surfaces with bare hands
- Wiping walls with a wet cloth, which can smear residue
- Eating food that was exposed to heat, smoke or chemicals
- Throwing away damaged items before your insurer has seen or approved it
- Signing a repair contract the same day without checking the company
Over the next weeks
Replace important documents such as identification and insurance papers, notify your mortgage lender or landlord, and keep a running log of calls and dates with your insurer and contractors. Ask for written scopes before work begins.
Sources and further reading
- American Red Cross: what to do after the fire department leaves
- Ready.gov: Home fires
- IICRC: ANSI/IICRC S700 Standard for Professional Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration
Related services
- Emergency Fire Damage Cleanup
- Board Up and Roof Tarping After a Fire
- Fire and Water Damage Restoration
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