AFTER THE FIRE
The North Richland Hills Fire Department provides this document to assist in
minimizing damage caused by fire.
According to the National Fire Data Center, "Fire kills thousands of Americans
each year, injures hundreds of thousands, destroys billions of dollars in
property, and costs tens of billions of dollars overall." The following
synopsis illustrates the overall fire picture in America:
- The U.S. has one of the highest fire death rates in the industrialized world. For 1999, the U.S. fire death rate was 13.1 deaths per million population.
- 3,570 Americans lost their lives and another 21,875 were injured as the result of fire in 1999.
- 112 firefighters were killed in duty-related incidents.
- Fire killed more Americans than all natural disasters combined.
- 82% of all fire deaths occurred in residences.
- 1.8 million fires were reported. Many others go unreported, causing additional injuries and property loss.
- Direct property loss due to fire was reported at $10 billion dollars.
Texas fire departments alone recorded the following fire statistics, "In 1999,
there were 78,949 fires, 116 deaths, 1,086 injuries and $376,531,754 dollars in
property loss" according to the TXFIRS Annual Fires In Texas 1999 report. The
annual TXFIRS report is a summation of fire incident reporting from
approximately 564 fire departments that provide fire protection services for
approximately 73% of the state population.
Because fire is an indiscriminate source of suffering, The North Richland Hills
Fire Department has established this document to assist you in dealing with
problem resolution After the Fire.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why do we break windows and doors or put holes in your roof?
Fire produces smoke, hot gases, as well as temperatures over 1200 degrees
Fahrenheit. At times, it is necessary to eliminate heat, smoke and hot gases
before firefighters can enter to extinguish the fire. The ventilation must be
done quickly to help reduce fire spread and smoke damage. Often, walls must be
forcibly opened to check for "hidden fire." After The Fire is extinguished, the
damage may appear unnecessary; however, without the use of these fire fighting
techniques, complete fire suppression and overall damage control is extremely
difficult and dangerous for your fire personnel.
How can I get a copy of a Fire or EMS Report?
Copies of Fire Reports may be obtained from the Fire Administration Building
located at 7202 Dick Fisher Drive North.
How do I report arson?
Incidents of arson may be reported by calling the Fire Marshal at 817-427-6900.
What is the best kind of fire extinguisher for my house?
A multi-purpose fire extinguisher is best for the home. Look for the rating to
be at least 2A:10B:C on the label. This extinguisher can be used on any type of
fire commonly found in the home. It will often be labeled A-B-C.
How can I relay a complaint concerning Fire Department Service?
For complaints concerning fire and or emergency medical services please contact
the Office of the Fire Chief which is located at 7202 Dick Fisher Drive North
or by calling 817-427-6900.
INSURANCE INFORMATION
If you are insured, your insurance will be the most important single component
in recovering from a fire loss. A number of coverage's are available such as -
homeowners, tenant's or condominium owner's insurance policies.
Your insurance policy is a contract between you and the insurer. The insurer
promises to do certain things for you. In turn, you have certain obligations.
Among your duties after a fire loss would be to give immediate notice of the
loss to the insurance company or insurer's agent.
Protect the property from further damage by making sensible or necessary
repairs such as draining the water lines in winter to ensure pipes do not
freeze and burst. The insurance company may refuse to pay for peripheral
damages that occur from not taking such reasonable care.
Make an inventory of damaged personal property showing in detail the quantity,
description, original purchase price, purchase date, damage estimate and
replacement costs. It is a good idea to annually photograph the interior and
exterior of your home. Pictures or video taping of your property may prove to
be a valuable asset to exhibit assets.
Cooperate with the insurer or your agent by exhibiting the damaged property.
Usually, the insurer will have you submit within 30 to 60 days a formal
statement of loss. Such a statement should include:
- Time and cause of loss
- The names and address of those who have an interest in the property. This may include the mortgage holder, a separated or divorced spouse or a lien holder.
- Building plans and specifications of the original home and a detailed estimate for repairs.
- The damage inventory mentioned above.
- Receipts for additional living expenses and loss of use claims.
When adjusting your fire loss or in claiming a casualty loss on your Federal
Income Tax, you will have to deal with various viewpoints on the value of your
property. Some terms used are listed below: Your "personal valuation" is your
attachment to and personal valuation of your property lost in a fire. Personal
items have a certain sentimental value. This term is not meant to belittle
their value to you but it is used to separate feelings about the value from
objective measures of value. It will be objective measures of value which you,
the insurer, and the Internal Revenue Service will use as a common ground.
The "cost when purchased" is an important element in establishing an item's
final value. Receipts will help verify the cost price.
Fair market value before the fire is also expressed as "actual cash value."
This is what you could have gotten for the item if you had sold it the day
before the fire. Its price would reflect its cost at purchase and the wear it
has sustained since. Depreciation is the formal term to express the amount of
value an item loses over a period of time.
"Value after the fire" is sometimes known as the item's "salvage value."
The cost to replace the item with a like, but not necessarily identical, item
is the "replacement cost."
"Loss adjustment" is the process of establishing the value of damaged property.
This is the result of a joint effort among a number of parties. Basic parties
to this process include the owner or occupant, the insurance company and its
representatives.
The owner or occupant is required by the insurance contract to prepare an
inventory and cooperate in the loss valuation processes. An insurance agent may
act as the adjuster if the loss is small. The insurer may send an adjuster who
is a permanent member of the insurer's staff, or the company may hire an
independent adjuster to act in its behalf. It is the insurance adjuster's job,
as a representative of the insurance company, to monitor and assist in the loss
valuation process and bring the loss to a just and equitable settlement.
Either you or the insurer may hire the service of a fire damage restoration
firm or fire damage service company. These firms provide a range of services
that may include some or all of the following:
- Securing the site against further damage
- Estimating structural damage
- Repairing structural damage
- Estimating the cost to repair or renew items of personal property
- Packing, transportation, and storage of household items
- Securing appropriate cleaning or repair contractors
- Storing repaired items until needed
It is important to coordinate with the insurance adjuster before contracting
for any services. If you invade the insurer's responsibility area by
contracting without its knowledge or consent, you may be left with bills to pay
that otherwise would have been covered by the insurer.
SALVAGE HINTS
CLOTHING: Smoke odor and soot can sometimes be washed from
clothing. The following will work for clothing that can be bleached:
4-6 tbsp. of Tri-Sodium Phosphate
1 cup Lysol or any household chlorine bleach
1 gallon warm water
Mix well, add clothes, rinse with clear water and dry well.
Be aware that tri-sodium phosphate is a caustic substance used as a cleaning
agent. It should be used with care and stored out of reach of children and
pets. Wear rubber gloves when using it. Read the label carefully. To remove
mildew, wash the fresh stain with soap and warm water. Then rinse and dry in
the sun. If the stain has not disappeared, use lemon juice and salt, or a
diluted solution of household chlorine bleach.
COOKING UTENSILS: Pots, pans, flatware, etc, should be washed with
soapy water, rinsed and then polished with a fine-powdered cleaner. You can
polish copper and brass with special polish, salt sprinkled on a piece of lemon
or salt sprinkled on a cloth saturated with vinegar.
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES: Appliances that have been exposed to
water or steam should not be used until you have a service representative check
them. This is especially true of electrical appliances. In addition, steam can
remove the lubricant from some moving parts. If a fire has occurred and the
electrical meter has been removed or damage has occurred to the wiring, a
building permit will be necessary in order to restore service. The utility
company will not restore service without a permit and approval from the
Planning and Inspections Department. The inspection and permit may be applied
for at the Planning and Inspections Department 7301 North East Loop 820,
817-427-6300. DO NOT TRY TO DO IT YOURSELF.
FOOD: Wash your canned goods in detergent and water. Do the same
for food in jars. If labels come off, be sure you mark the contents on the can
or jar with a grease pencil. Do not use canned goods when cans have bulged or
are dented or rusted.
If your home freezer has stopped running, you still can save the frozen food.
Keep the freezer closed. You freezer has enough insulation to keep food frozen
for at least one day - perhaps for as many as two or three days. Move your food
to a neighbor's freezer or a rented locker. Wrap the frozen food in newspapers
and blankets and use insulated boxes. Do not re-freeze food that has been
thawed.
To remove odor from your refrigerator or freezer, wash the inside with a
solution of baking soda and water, or use one cup of vinegar or household
ammonia to one gallon of water. Some baking soda in an open container or a
piece of charcoal can be placed in the refrigerator or freezer to absorb odor.
FLOORING AND RUGS: When water gets underneath linoleum, it can
cause odors and warp the floor. If this happens, remove the entire sheet. If
the linoleum is brittle, a heat lamp will soften it up so it can be removed
without breaking. If carefully removed, it can be re-cemented after the floor
has completely dried. Small blisters in linoleum can be punctured with a nail
and re-cemented if you are careful. Dilute regular linoleum paste thin enough
to go through a hand syringe and shoot adhesive through the nail hole. Weigh
down the linoleum with bricks or boards. It usually is possible to cement loose
tiles of any type. Be sure to wait until the floor is completely dry before
beginning.
Rugs and carpets also should be allowed to dry thoroughly. Throw rugs can be
cleaned by beating, sweeping and vacuuming, and then shampooing. Rugs should be
dried as quickly as possible. Lay them flat, and expose them to a circulation
of warm, dry air. A fan turned on the rugs will speed drying. Make sure the
rugs are thoroughly dry. Even though the surface seems dry, moisture remaining
at the base of the tufts can quickly rot a rug. For information on cleaning and
preserving carpets, call your carpet dealer, installer or qualified carpet
cleaning personnel.
MATTRESSES AND PILLOWS: Reconditioning an innerspring mattress at
home is very difficult, if not impossible. Your mattress may be able to be
renovated by a company that builds or repairs mattresses. If you must use your
mattress temporarily put it in the sun to dry. Then cover it with rubber or
plastic sheeting. It is almost impossible to get smoke odor out of pillows. The
feathers and foam retain the odor.
LEATHER AND BOOKS: Wipe leather goods with a damp cloth, then a
dry cloth. Stuff purses and shoes with newspapers to retain shape. Leave
suitcases open. Leather goods should be dried away from heat and sun. When
leather goods are dry, clean with saddle soap. You can use steel wool or a
suede brush on suede. Rinse leather and suede jackets in cold water and dry
away from heat and sun.
Wet books must be taken care of as soon as possible. The best method to save
wet books is to freeze them in a vacuum freezer. This special freezer will
remove the moisture without damaging the pages. If there is a delay in locating
a vacuum freezer, place them in a normal freezer until a vacuum freezer can be
located.
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 be thoroughly cleaned and oiled.
WALLS AND FURNITURE: To remove soot and smoke from walls,
furniture and floors, mix together:
4 to 6 tbsp. Tri-Sodium Phosphate
1 cup Lysol or any chloride bleach
1 gallon warm water
Wear rubber gloves when cleaning. After washing the article, rinse with clear
warm water and dry thoroughly.
Walls may be washed down while wet. Use a mild soap or detergent. Wash a small
area at one time, working from the floor up. Then rinse the wall with clear
water immediately. Ceilings should be washed last. Do not repaint until the
walls and ceilings are completely dry.
Wallpaper also can be repaired. Use a commercial paste to repaste loose edges
or sections. Contact your wallpaper dealer or installer for information on
wallpaper cleaners. Washable wallpaper can be washed like an ordinary wall, but
care must be taken not to soak the paper. Work from the bottom up to prevent
streaking. Do not dry your furniture in the sun. The wood will warp and twist
out of shape. Clear off the mud and dirt by scrubbing with a stiff brush and a
cleaning solution. You can also rub the wood surface with a 4/0 steel wool pad
dipped in liquid polishing wax, wipe with a soft cloth and then buff. Remove
the drawers and let them dry thoroughly so there will be no sticking when you
replace them. Wet wood can decay and mold, so allow it to dry thoroughly. Open
doors and windows for good ventilation. Turn on your furnace or air
conditioner, if necessary. If mold forms, wash the wood with a cloth soaked in
a mixture of borax dissolved in hot water. To remove white spots or film, rub
the wood surface with a cloth soaked in a solution of a half cup of household
ammonia and a half cup of water. Wipe dry and polish with wax, or rub the
surface with a cloth soaked in a solution of half cup turpentine and a half cup
of linseed oil. Be careful because turpentine is combustible.
MONEY REPLACEMENT: Handle burned money as little as possible.
Attempt to. encase each bill or portion of a bill in plastic wrap for
preservation. If money is only half-burned or less (if half or more of the bill
is intact), you can take the remainder to your local Federal Reserve Bank for
replacement. Ask your personal bank for the nearest one. Or you can mail the
burned or torn money via
FIRST CLASS REGISTERED MAIL to:
U.S. Treasury Department
Main Treasury Building, Room 1123
Washington, D.C. 20220
Mutilated or melted coins can be taken to the Federal Reserve Bank, or mailed
via
FIRST CLASS REGISTERED MAIL to:
Superintendent, U.S. Assay Office
32 Old Slip
New York, NY 10005
If your U.S. Savings Bonds have been mutilated or destroyed, write to:
U.S. Treasury Department
Bureau of Public Debt
Division of Loans and Currency
537 South Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60605
Attn: Bond Consultant
Include name(s) on bonds, approximate date or time period when purchased,
denominations and approximate number of each.
SECURING YOUR VALUABLES
If you must leave your home, try to locate the following items to take with
you:
- Legal documents
- Identification
- Medicine
- Eyeglasses or hearing aids
- Valuables
- Credit cards
- Checks & checkbooks
- Insurance policies
- Money, cash & other valuables
- Jewelry
- Photos & other family mementos; etc.
Fire Department personnel at the scene will assist you in retrieving any items
you wish to take with you should you be forced to leave your home.
PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS: If you are forced to leave your home for an extended
time frame, you should consider the following options:
- Stopping the delivery of mail and obtaining a Post Office Box.
- Canceling your newspapers.
- Disconnecting your phone service.
- Stopping monthly cable services.
