Thinking Through a Disaster: First Steps
When flood, fire, or storm disasters strike, it’s hard to think logically. The first thing to do to make all the rest go more smoothly is to call an emergency restoration service. In Cudahy, top-quality emergency restoration services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to help their customers through the first steps of a disaster.
Once you’ve called the emergency restoration service, the second thing to do is contact your insurance company. Be sure to tell them an emergency restoration service is on the way, and ask if there are special instructions about which you should be aware.
If you have any individually insured pieces like heirloom rugs or furniture, artwork, or tapestries, make sure you tell not only the insurance company but also the emergency restoration service. There is a good chance the restoration service may be able to salvage a piece that you may believe is unsalvageable.
The next thing to do is document your losses. Take pictures and even video, if appropriate, of damage. There is no such thing as too much documentation. While your emergency restoration service should also take numerous pictures of the damage and restoration as it is in process, your photographs will verify and provide supplementary information if needed for a smooth insurance claims process.
After you’ve contacted the emergency restoration company and your insurance company, the next step, depending on your unique situation, is to find safe housing for you and your family. This is something you’ll want to get specific details about from your insurance agency. It’s most likely, however, that temporary housing is covered in your policy.
You should expect professional technicians to arrive on the scene 60-90 minutes after your call. Any top-quality emergency restoration service should be licensed, insured, bonded, and have a professional website that gives you information about how disasters like fire, flood, and storm disasters are typically handled.
You should also expect to be assigned a project manager who will be your go-to person for questions, concerns, and communication throughout your restoration project. This person should also be in touch with your insurance agency to provide written documentation like project notes, estimates, and invoices, and photographs of the damage and progress made toward the pre-loss condition of your property.
Depending on your circumstances, it is common for emergency restoration companies to provide one-stop restoration for their clients. Top-quality companies clean, sanitize, deodorize, and restore the damage. Should the situation require detailed work like floor, wall, electrical, or plumbing replacement, they should handle that type of work, too. One of the conveniences of hiring an emergency restoration company is that you only have to deal with one company from the beginning to the end of the restoration process. Be sure to ask your project manager for those details.
In the days and weeks following a disaster, especially if you and your family have undergone a devastating emergency, you may want to consider reaching out to a mental health professional. It’s not at all uncommon to have anxieties, insomnia, or even nightmares after a traumatic event. Mental health professionals will help preserve your family’s peace of mind should the need arise.
Those first phone calls after disaster strikes are important ones. Think through your options, do basic online research, and be confident you’re back on track to restoration with the right company by your side.