Have you ever thought about what you would do in the event that you had a serious fire in your home? Sometimes the entire home isn’t damaged but areas become quite uninhabitable after the fire, leaving you at a loss as to just what you should do next. If the fire originated in the kitchen and is contained to that area of the home, all may not be lost. Here are some steps to take after the fire when the flames have been extinguished.
Talk to Emergency Personnel before They Depart
In some areas of the UK emergency responders to fires are a bit distant, especially in remote areas of the nation. Other times they are located quite near and can be contacted easily if you have any questions. Even so, you should always talk to the emergency firemen before they depart to see when you will be able to re-enter your home or even if it is safe to do so.
If It Is Safe to Re-Enter
Obviously if it is not safe to re-enter your home you will need to find other accommodations for the family. If they say you can re-enter your home but stay clear of the kitchen then that is exactly what you should do. If the area is not safe, cordon it off especially if there are small children in the household.
Contact an Emergency Electrician
Many experts suggest that you should really consider staying elsewhere until you’ve contacted an emergency electrician Romford has on call. If they cannot be contacted due to the hour of the day, then at least make that phone call to a qualified electrician first thing the following morning and stay elsewhere for the night.
Contact Your Insurance Provider
Your home is most likely heavily insured so before you let anyone do any work or make any repairs or alterations let the insurance company know of the incident. They will most likely send someone out within the day to do an assessment and take photos of the area that was burnt. Unless you take this step, you may have trouble making a claim against your policy.
Reassure the Children
One thing that many families forget in the heat of the moment is that children are often traumatised over a fire in the home. Older kids can handle things better but younger children see and hear all the stress, the lights and commotion take a toll on them and they really need to be reassured that all will be well and is well at the moment.
It is difficult to make it through any major catastrophe but when there is a family involved and when you also need to think about where to stay and how to get your home in working order again, those stresses can be a bit much to handle. These steps should help you think more clearly and take things one step at a time. With a few pointers and a moment to sit back and plan, you can make it through a serious kitchen fire. Remember, insurance will pay the cost of workmen and supplies to make the repairs, you just need to keep it together until everything is put back into place.