Your home is a lot of things — the place in which you and your family reside, the biggest investment in your lifetime, the place that contains all of your personal and valuable possessions, but most importantly, your memories. So, needless to say, a fire in your home can potentially be the most devastating disaster that can happen to you and your family. If you do not have homeowner’s insurance, this can be a serious problem. However, if you are insured, there are a series of steps that need to be taken.

The purpose of this article is twofold: (1) to advise an insured homeowner how to handle the events that will unfold after a fire has taken place; (2) a series of steps to follow to help prevent ever having such a disaster.
Assuming you have been as careful as possible, which we will discuss further in Part 2 of this article, it is more than a rare occasion that a fire can happen in your home. Fires can occur due to lightening, faulty wiring, smoking in bed, Christmas tree lights, candles, gas stoves, electric heaters, and probably the most obvious cause of all – carelessness. After such a disaster occurs, the following steps should be followed:

1. Be sure all loved ones and pets are safe and accounted for.
2. Do not go back into a burning building under any circumstances in an attempt to retrieve any valuables or personal possessions.
3. Immediately notify your local fire department by dialing 911 where the operator will forward your call to the appropriate emergency departments.
4. Report the fire to your insurance company and obtain a copy of your homeowner’s insurance policy (assuming it has not been destroyed in the fire).
5. Read and interpret your insurance policy, which generally has three separate and distinct sections:
   a) building insurance provisions, which covers the structure, attached and detached additional structures, and the grounds that surround your home.
   b) contents or personal property provisions, which covers all of your personal belongings that were destroyed in the fire, including clothing, furniture, soft goods, and non attached appliances and electronics. Note: if you have valuable jewelry or artwork, this generally requires a separate policy or “rider” to insure each additional appraised and listed item.
   c) additional living expense provisions, also commonly known as ALE, which provides coverage for you to rent or lease living space of “like and kind” quality to your own
   personal residence until such time as you are able to move back into your home.
6. Now it is decision time. You need to get an estimate for building repairs, prepare an inventory of personal items, and find a place to live. At this point, you would be well advised to seek
   the help of a public insurance adjuster. They are licensed and trained professionals who
   can help guide you through every step of the process. They will charge you a fee, which
   is normally a percentage of your insurance claim. It is my advice that an insurance adjuster
   be retained, as the process can be overwhelming to handle on your own. If you do not
   wish to retain a public adjuster, you can attempt to settle your claim with your insurance company claims adjuster.
7. Hire a licensed, professional fire rebuilder. This can easily be done by searching the internet and finding a reputable builder in your area.

In the second part of this article, we will discuss fire prevention and, hopefully, the first part of this article will never become part of your life. There are many ways to prevent a fire from ever happening in your home but, most importantly, common sense should be used. Below are some helpful tips and procedures to follow to avoid the possibility of a fire.

Smoke Detectors

There are two types of smoke detectors:

1. Battery operated detectors, which can be purchased at any local hardware store and simply installed by the homeowner.
2. Hard wired system with a battery back up. This option is a bit more complicated but much more effective. This is a series of interconnected alarms where if one alarm goes off, all alarms will sound so every member of the household and every level of the house will be alerted. Furthermore, if the electrical system in the house is damaged or destroyed, the battery
   back up portion of these alarms would “kick in”, and the alarms would still function.

Fire Extinguishers

Excellent placement for a fire extinguisher would be in the kitchen, laundry room, workshop area, furnace room, and garage area. These are potentially hazardous areas and having a fire extinguisher could help prevent a situation from getting out of control.

Thinking Ahead/Planning an Exit Strategy

It is recommended that you have a family meeting, especially if you have small children, to advise them how to exit the home in case of fire. This would involve keeping all doors closed in any areas that contain smoke or fire, keeping all windows closed so as not to vent the fire, and exiting the premises from the nearest door or window opening.

Fireplaces
There are several procedures that need to be followed in order to enjoy a fireplace in your home.

Chimney or flue should be cleaned on a yearly basis.Tempered glass doors should be used in front of the fireplace to prevent sparks from coming out of the fireplace.Do not light a fire late at night before going to bed, leaving sparks or embers burning unattended.Do not leave any flammable items in close proximity to fireplace.

Furnaces, Hot Water Heaters, Space Heaters

These should be checked periodically to be sure they are functioning properly. Space heaters should never be left unattended. They are somewhat hazardous and should be used only if someone is present in the room at the time of use

Clothes Dryer

Clothes dryers create extreme heat in order to dry clothes. You should never leave your home when a
dryer is running. Furthermore, be sure the dryer is vented properly and the lint screen is cleaned periodically.

Electrical Hazards

It is best to invest in having an electrician come to your home and install additional outlets wherever needed. Extension cords can be very hazardous, as the wires can become frayed and can cause a fire. GFI’s (ground fault interceptors) should be installed in bathrooms and kitchens. It is also advisable to have your electrical service (circuit breaker panel) updated so that you have a minimum of 150 amps coming into your home.

Gasoline/Flammable Liquids

These items should be placed in a shed or container at a safe distance from the home. Never keep these items in your garage or an area attached to the house, as they are hazardous and can also be a cause of spontaneous combustion.

Smoking

Aside from the fact that smoking is hazardous to your health, it can also be dangerous if smoking while in bed or if cigarette butts are left in an ashtray before they are completely extinguished. Furthermore, never empty an ashtray into the garbage containing cigarette butts that are still hot or have any burning embers.
If the above procedures are followed and diligently adhered to, you will greatly reduce the risk of having to endure the tragedy of a home fire.