Saturday, June, 26 2010 Nature: Public Awareness Information Location: Windswept Drive, The Peninsula Days and times after an unfortunate residential fire, the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company offers some commentary that may be of assistance during times of recovery. Encountering a residential fire could throw you and your family off their normal routine. To recover from a residential fire, you must not only act quickly and intelligently but allow yourself time to confront your emotions. Illustrated herewith are some basic precautions you can pursue to take care of yourself and your family while dealing with these practical and financial issues. Immediately After 1. If you and/or your family members have been in a residential fire, you may have minor wounds or injuries that need immediate care. Have them checked by an emergency medical service provider on scene as soon as possible. At the very least, wash wounds with soap and water and apply pressure by wrapping the wound in a clean bandage. On the fire scene, it will be best to remain calm and listen for instructions from the fire department representatives, police agency personnel and other workers present to figure out whether or not it is safe to enter the residential location to retrieve personal items such as identification, money or credit cards, and medications. Emotional Recovery 2. Many feelings can occur after an unexpected and sudden fire or disaster, including anger, sadness, fear and guilt. According to the American Red Cross, "Memory problems, anxiety and/or depression are also possible after experiencing a disaster." It may be particularly difficult for children, senior citizens, persons with disabilities or persons who have limited English proficiency or speak English as a second language and do not have a translator at the time of the fire. You can do a few things to help the process of emotional recovery: return to normal routines as soon as possible; get plenty of sleep and drink water; limit exposure to disasters on television or in the news; reach out and find support as well as accept help; and focus on positive action. Pets 3. If you have pets, they will most likely need to stay with a friend, family member or veterinarian. They can often be as unsettled as a human being by the occurrence of a disaster. Feed them as usual and visit them often if they must be kept at a separate location while you repair your residential location. Checking the Home 4. Check with the fire department to make sure it is safe to access your home. Look for damage on the outside of the house first, including loose power lines and roof or foundation cracks. Wear long pants, a long shirt, gloves and closed-toed shoes in the house. If you see smoke or embers or smell gas, leave immediately and call the fire department. Do not walk under sagging ceilings or over sagging floors. Take photos of the damage before making temporary repairs by covering holes, bracing walls and removing debris. Save all of your receipts to give to your insurance company. If there is no water between you and the circuit breaker, turn off all breakers except the one marked "Main" and the breakers for the rooms you will be repairing. If there are sparks or broken wires, turn off the main fuse. Removing Smoke/Odor 5. Trisodium phosphate can be purchased to remove odors in fabrics. One cup of bleach in one gallon of warm water and/or your usual laundry detergent mixed with one tablespoon of pure vanilla extract will also safely remove odors from clothing. Wash walls from bottom to top to prevent streaking. To reduce the chance of mold or mildew growth, clean walls with the same bleach/water solution. Drywall and insulation that have been damaged by water must be removed and replaced. Financial 6. Contact your insurance agent, broker or company as soon as you can to report the details of the fire. Make a list of damaged and lost items, including photos or video footage if possible. Do not discard damaged items until they have been documented or seen by a claims adjuster. Present all receipts from repairs made to the home. Much of this information was retrieved via the internet for purposes of this presentation: http://www.ehow.com/about_6162357_fire-disaster-recovery.html Illustrated herewith is the photo galleries are various remediation efforts to mitigate the following concerns: (a) Water damage; (b) Smoke damage; (c) Fire damage; (d) Structure collapse issues – walls, floors, ceilings; and (e) Fire response crew evaluation and investigation procedures and processes. Please know that these pictures were specifically taken for your informational purposes and potential training purposes of the volunteer fire company for fire prevention and fire suppression purposes as well as fire disaster remediation educational awareness.