Getting organised

Security and utilities

After we have left

Your property again becomes your responsibility when the Fire Service has left.

If you have concerns regarding the suitability of your accommodation after a fire, contact your social housing provider regarding alternative accommodation. The British Red Cross Fire offers free practical help and advice to help people who have suffered damage to their homes following a fire, flood or similar incident. You can telephone Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service on 0115 838 8100 and ask us to refer you.

Prior to the Fire Service leaving they will provide you with a ‘Hand Over Sheet’, formally agreeing that the property has been handed back to you. On the sheet will be details of any advice and safety issues that remain within your property. Please read and take note of those, and the advice given.

Get advice before reconnecting

Gas, electricity and water supplies may have been affected and turned off or disconnected. Under no circumstances should you attempt to reconnect or turn on utilities yourself, unless qualified to do so. Contact the gas and electricity supply companies to arrange reconnection. Normally they will only reconnect if a qualified person has rectified the problems.

Do you intend to leave your property unattended?

• Close all windows and doors, if it is safe to do so – these are an open invitation to thieves.
• Should windows or doors require boarding up – a contractor can be contacted through the Yellow Pages or similar - see ‘Fire and Flood Restoration’ or ‘Glaziers’. Your Building Insurance will normally pay for this work. If you are a council tenant you should contact your local Housing department.
• Remove valuables and important documents if it is safe to do so. Your firefighters may use large salvage sheets to protect your property. These remain the property of the Fire and Rescue Service and long usage may incur a charge.
• Contact your local Police to make them aware your property will be empty.
• Contact your insurance company to inform them of the incident and return a completed claims form to them as soon as possible. They may wish to inspect the property before anything is moved, so check with them first.

Are you a tenant? Contact your landlord

If you are a tenant then contact the building owner, your landlord or their agent. It is often their responsibility to arrange any repair work necessary to gas, electricity and water supplies, and to resecure the property.

Safety

Do you feel unwell?

Contact the NHS (See page 37 for number), your doctor, or hospital accident and emergency department if you suffer the after effects of fumes or smoke inhalation and if you feel unwell at any time after a fire or flood.

Is the building safe to enter?

Do not re-enter an unsafe building until informed by the Fire Officer that it is safe to do so. You will be advised of any apparent defects. In cases of severe structural damage a Local Authority Building Inspector may be required to advise on the safety of the building.

Avoid skin contact with fire residues

Fire residues may contain harmful chemicals. You should avoid skin contact as these chemicals may damage the skin or be absorbed through it. If you have to handle contaminated items reduce the risk by wearing gloves and suitable protective clothing.

It is known that car fires, especially involving the engine, can produce hydrofluoric acid, which can severely burn the skin.

Safety with food

Do not use food damaged by floodwater, heat or smoke. If in doubt, throw it out.

Poor air quality after a fire?

Fires can produce unhealthy chemicals; these can be absorbed by various surfaces during the fire, to be slowly released as unpleasant gases afterwards. Fires also produce tiny particles of carbon that can float in the air for hours or even days. It is advisable that you take steps to limit your exposure to this poor quality air, especially immediately after the fire.

Sufferers from allergies, breathing problems or asthma should keep away from the property until air quality has improved. If in doubt seek medical advice.

Everybody should take precautions to reduce inhalation of the post-fire gases and particles. Opening doors and windows can sometimes help improve air quality.

It may be advisable to wear personal protective equipment such as disposable overalls and a good quality disposable respirator mask covering mouth and nose.

Help is available to improve air quality

A local specialist fire and flood company is equipped to improve air quality by decontamination of your property and by the use of ‘air scrubbers’ that remove the tiny particles from the air. If you are insured, their charges will normally be covered by your standard policy.

Safety after a flood

Avoid direct contact with any contaminated water (e.g. sewage and storm water). Wash your hands thoroughly before touching food and protect any cuts with a waterproof plaster. Persons with a weak immune system should be especially careful. In cases of severe flooding the structural stability of buildings or garden walls may have been affected. If in doubt seek advice from your Local Authority Environmental Health or Building Control Officer, or request that your landlord arranges a safety inspection.

Prevent mould growth

Your property is normally dry – much drier than outside. After a flood this changes and mould can soon start to grow. A mouldy building can trigger asthma and other sickness. Take prompt action to start drying the property.

Safety with electrical supplies, temporary supplies, temporary lighting and heating

Damaged or wet electrical wiring or appliances must be isolated and checked by a competent person before use – don’t risk electrocution.

• Remember, water conducts electricity.
• TV sets store an electrical charge for several hours.
• Generators should be sited outside as they give off fumes that can kill in confined spaces.

Materials containing asbestos

Many common building materials contain asbestos and this is harmless unless disturbed. During a fire these materials can be damaged, resulting in the release of asbestos fibres into the air. Asbestos can be harmful to your health if inhaled.

If you suspect that an asbestos containing material has been damaged seek advice from the Local Authority Environmental Health Officer, or the Health and Safety Executive. Artex manufactured in the UK up to 1985 may contain asbestos – old stock was used into the 1990s.

Safety with pets

Injured animals, including those obviously affected by smoke, should be taken to a vet for prompt treatment. The RSPCA or PDSA charities offer help and advice.

Insurance

No insurance?

Contact your local social security office who may be able to offer financial assistance. Voluntary support agencies such as The Red Cross or the Salvation Army may be able to help you if you do not have insurance and have immediate hardship.

Do you have contents insurance?

If so, and your contents are affected, then contact your contents insurer.

Who to use to do the emergency work

Your home and contents insurance entitles you to have assistance to deal with the chaos following fires and floods. In the event of a claim you should be sure that you receive the service you have paid for in your premiums.

Some insurance companies now send national contractors to carry out restoration work following damage causing incidents.

However you may be aware that as a customer you do not have to accept your insurer’s choice and can in fact choose a specialist fire and flood company to help you recover from the chaos of an incident. These companies advertise in the Yellow Pages under ‘Fire and Flood Restoration’ or related headings, or search the internet for ‘fire’ and/or ‘flood’ including your county.

Who pays for the emergency work?

The cost of immediate damage limitation work by specialist fire and flood companies, is usually covered by your building and contents insurance, provided that you are insured (unless any specified excesses or exclusions).

Your chosen specialist fire and flood company should liaise throughout to ensure that the work remains within policy cover.

What you should do

Your insurance company expects you to take prompt action after your firefighters have left to limit further damage. When you contact your insurance company, remember that both contents and building insurers may need to be informed.

Don’t worry if you can’t find your insurance details, as there will be a record linked to your postcode.

Building and contents policies: what does each pay for?

The contents policy covers items that you can easily take with you when you move (furniture, carpets, curtains etc).

The building policy covers the structure of the building and items fixed to the structure (boilers, fitted kitchens etc).

Do you own the property?

If you own the property you should contact your building insurer. You may need to inform the mortgage company about the incident.

Are you a tenant/leaseholder?

If so then contact the building owner, landlord or their agent, or the management company and inform them of the event. They may claim from the building insurer.

Are you a commerical leaseholder?

You will need to check the terms of your lease, which will define your responsibility for the property. You are advised to inform the owner who may be responsible for the building insurance.

Loss adjuster and loss assessors

The insurer may send loss adjusters or claims advisors to inspect damage to the property and/or its contents, and to agree the claim with you. They represent your insurers and are appointed by them to assess the extent of the damage. You will not be charged for this.

Don’t dispose of anything, including appliances that may have caused the incident, until authorised to do so.

Public loss assessors are independent of your insurance company and can represent you in dealing with your claim. They will normally charge you a percentage of the claim value for their services.

Preparing your claim

Make a detailed list of all the damaged items with replacement costs, if possible. A specialist fire and flood company should be able to assist you by reporting on damage conditions and/or arranging for inspections by specialists. You may need to get quotations for building repair costs. Give all these items to the insurance representative, if appointed, or send to the claims office.

Remember to keep copies of all correspondence and invoices and receipts.

Take photographs

Photograph damage, including items put outside by your firefighters. Remember, cheap disposable cameras are available from most supermarkets.

Are you VAT registered?

The VAT on claims costs for business premises (not the domestic part) will normally be reclaimable from Customs and Excise, not the insurers.

Fire - what to expect

Property fires

Materials used in the construction of the building cool down at different rates and so strange noises may be heard after a fire has been extinguished. Brick walls, for instance, tend to act like large night storage heaters and may stay warm for many hours.

Fire can travel virtually undetected. Your firefighters may have opened up areas to find hidden seats of fire and also to vent large volumes of very hot smoke and gasses to reduce the spread of fire. They may also do this to make sure there is no fire left undetected which could flare up later.

Chimney fires

The surrounding brickwork and plaster may remain warm for several hours after a chimney fire. Some noise may be heard due to the cooling down effect.

To prevent further damage:

• Place a metal bucket or large metal pan part filled with water within the fireplace or hearth to catch any falling debris from the chimney.
• Place a fire guard in front of the fire.
• Allow the chimney to cool for at least 24 hours before lighting a fire.
• Have the chimney swept on a regular basis thereafter – consult the National Association of Chimney Sweeps.

Car fires

If your own vehicle has been involved in a fire:

• You are advised to contact your insurance company and seek their advice.
• Always act to protect your safety
• Some car fires, especially involving the engine, can produce a harmful chemical (hydrofluoric acid), which can severely damage skin.
• Avoid skin contact with all fire residues, especially car fire residues.
• Your damaged vehicle cannot be abandoned in a public place, or on a highway. If it is in an unsafe condition you may need the assistance of a recovery company to move it. Consult the Police before it is moved if a crime is suspected.
• It is not necessary to report a car fire to the Police unless other factors are involved; such as arson, a road traffic accident, where people are injured or when the vehicle presents an obstruction on the highway.
• Take all valuables and documents from the car with you – taking precautions as mentioned above.

Water damage - what to expect

What type of water is it?

If your property has been flooded it is essential for you to identify the type of water involved, as this decides the appropriate action required to get things back to normal as quickly as possible.

If water escapes from within a property ask yourself, has it come from a clean source, like a water pipe, or supply hose to a washing machine? If it has, it is clean water.

However any water from the sewage system, heating system or from outside the property should be regarded as contaminated.

If the water is clean...

Dealing with clean water is simpler than contaminated water and for a small leak you may be able to contain the situation yourself. Remember, you may not be able to detect trapped moisture under flooring, wall cavities etc. Insurers will normally pay for this work.

If the water is contaminated..

You need to take great care with personal and food hygiene if your property has been flooded with contaminated water. Thorough cleaning and decontamination is essential and again insurers will normally pay for this work.

A parctical example

Wet plasterboard is a good example of the decisions now facing you. Normally only replace it if it has soaked up contaminated water. Clean water can be dried but would take a long time to do so naturally, especially with wet insulation behind or vinyl paint or paper on the surface.

This process can take as little as three days if a specialist company uses an injection drying system to release trapped moisture. This equipment and expertise can sometimes avoid the cost of removing flooring or wall panelling for drying. It will also prevent the growth of mould in damp hidden areas. Your building insurer will normally pay for this work.

Water and electricity caution!

Avoid electrocution! Electricity can travel through water. Turn off electricity in flooded homes and don’t use affected appliances.

Remember, TV sets retain electrical charges, even when unplugged, for some hours.