Your home smells like smoke and your personal belongings and structure may be damaged. This can be emotionally devastating. Since most of us have never suffered such a traumatic experience, it is hard to know what to do or who to turn to for advice. Here are 5 steps to take immediately after a home fire:

1. Contact your insurance company

Contact your insurance company right away and ask them what to do first. Ask them about: 

• Covering doors, windows, and other exposed areas. 
• Pumping out any remaining water 
• Whether you need to make an inventory of damaged personal property, with a description of each item and how much you paid for it. 

2. Take care of yourself and family 

Regardless of the damage, you likely won't be able to stay in your own home. If staying with friends or family is not an option, contact your local disaster relief service, such as American Red Cross or the Salvation Army. They will help you find food, clothing, medicine, and a place to stay.

Prioritize your mental health too. Many people are resilient but this can still affect you. This is particularly true of children. It’s important to cope in a healthy way; be patient as you work through any stress caused by this event. If you or others in your family need support, contact the American Red Cross or check with your employer or health insurance for counseling services.

3. Help your Pets

Don't assume that your pet has not been affected just because it looks all right. Smoke can damage the lungs of a dog or cat in minutes, and sparks can cause painful burns, that will stay hidden under the fur. Take your pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

4. Security and safety

Do not enter your damaged home or apartment unless the Fire Marshal says it is safe. The fire department will make sure the utility services (water, electricity, and gas) are safe to use. If they are not safe, firefighters will have your utilities turned off or disconnected before they leave. Do not try to turn them back on by yourself.

Do not cut or walk past colored tape that was placed over doors or windows to mark damaged areas unless local authorities advise that it is safe to do so.

If a building inspector has placed a color-coded sign on the home, do not enter it until you get more information, advice and instructions about what the sign means and whether it is safe to enter your home. 

A lot of goods and household items will be consumed by the fire. Before making plans to replace or retrieve any item, make a list of all your properties that have been damaged by the fire. Also, make a list of all the properties you still have intact. Beginning immediately, save receipts for any money you spend. These receipts are important in showing your insurance company what money you have spent related to your fire loss, and for verifying losses claimed on your income taxes. 

Replacing valuable documents and records

You may want to replace many of the following documents if they were destroyed or lost in the fire:

Document type	Who to contact
Driver's License	Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Government Issued ID	Issuing authority
Insurance policies	Your insurance agent/company
Military discharge papers	Department of Veterans Affairs
Passport	State Department - Passport Services
Birth/Marriage/Death Certificate	Bureau of Records
Social Security or Medicare card	Social Security Office
Credit Card	Issuing company
Titles to Deeds	Records department of the area in which the property is located
Stocks and Bonds	Issuing company or Broker
Will	Your Attorney
Income Tax Record	IRS center where filed, Accountant, or 1-800-829-1040
Citizenship	Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services; 1-800-375-5283
Mortgage papers	Lending institution

 

Money Replacement 

Handle burnt money as little as possible. Try to place each bill or part of a bill in plastic wrap to help preserve it. If money is only partially burnt — if half or more is still OK — you can take it to your regional Federal Reserve Bank to get it replaced. Ask your bank for the one nearest you. You can also send the burnt money to the Treasury.

For USPS delivery, mail it by “registered mail, return receipt requested” and send to:

Bureau of Engraving and Printing
MCD/OFM, Room 344A
P.O. Box 37048
Washington, DC 20013

For personal delivery and non-postal couriers, e.g., FedEx/UPS, send to:

Bureau of Engraving and Printing
MCD/OFM, Room 344A
14th and C Streets SW
Washington, DC 20228

Learn more about replacing damaged money.

 

 The following checklist serves as a quick reference and guide for you to follow after a fire. 

⬜ Contact your local disaster relief service, such as the American Red Cross. They will help you find food, clothing, medicine, and a place to stay.

⬜ If  you are insured, contact your insurance company. 

• What you should do to keep your home safe until it is repaired, 
• Who you should talk to about cleaning up your home.

⬜ If you are not insured, try contacting community groups for aid and assistance. 

⬜ Check with Savage Fire to make sure that your home is safe to enter. Be very careful when you go inside. Floors and walls may not be as safe as they look. The fire department should see that utilities are either safe to use or are disconnected before they leave the site. DO NOT attempt to reconnect utilities yourself. 

⬜ Contact your landlord or mortgage company to report the fire. 

⬜ If you leave your home, call Savage Police at 952-882-2600 to let them know the site will be vacant. 

⬜ Conduct an inventory of damaged property and items. Do not throw away any damaged goods until after an inventory is made. 

⬜ Try to locate valuable documents and records. 

⬜ Begin saving receipts for any money that you spend related to the fire loss. The receipts may be needed later by the insurance company and to prove any losses claimed on your income taxes. 

⬜ Check with an accountant or the Internal Revenue Services about special benefits for people recovering from fire loss. 

⬜ Notify: 

• Your employer
• If you have school-age children, contact their schools 
  • Harriet Bishop Elementary 952-707-3900
  • Hidden Valley Elementary 952-707-3800
  • St. Johns the Baptist 952-890-6604
  • Glendale Elementary 952-226-0200
  • Eagle Ridge Junior High 952-707-2800 
  • Burnsville Sr. High 952-707-2100 
  • Prior Lake Sr. High 952-226-8600 
• Your mortgage company or landlord 
• Post office to hold your mail
  • Savage Post Office 952-707-0857
  • Prior Lake Post Office 952-447-1062

Although you may be tempted to start cleaning, professional restoration and cleaning is recommended. The water used to extinguish the flames can cause significant water damage and mold growth unless it is addressed properly and quickly.

If you have insurance, ask your insurance company for recommendations of companies that specialize in cleaning up and restoring contents and structure from water and fire/smoke damage. Make sure you know if you or your insurance company is paying for the cleaning. When you contact the company, be sure to ask for a cost estimate in writing. If you are not insured, try contacting community groups for aid and assistance. nd 

You may be able to salvage some items that are affected by heat, smoke, or water but otherwise intact. Keep in mind the damage to the property often goes beyond what the eye can see. Smoke and soot can travel and penetrate into other rooms affecting walls, carpet, upholstery, curtains, clothes, and other belongings. 

Disaster Relief Services

Service	Contact
American Red Cross	612-871-7676
Salvation Army/Dakota County Social Services	952-767-3901
First Call for Help, United Way	612-340-7400
Human Services Helpline Scott County	952-445-7751
CAP Agency	952-496-2125
Community Action Council	952-985-5300

 

Local Churches

Service	Location	Contact
Bethesda Church	Prior Lake	952-226-6651
Bridgewood Church	Savage	952-226-4800
Eden Baptist Church	Savage	952-890-5856
Glendale United Methodist Church	Savage	952-894-5394
Jehovah's Witnesses	Prior Lake	952-447-7007
New Spirit United Church of Christ	Savage	952-440-7335
Southbridge Community Church	Savage	952-224-0103
St. James Lutheran Church	Burnsville	952-890-4534
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church	Savage	952-890-9465
St. Mary Magdalene Lutheran Church	Savage	952-440-1500
Unity of the Valley Church	Savage	952-895-0745

 

Emergency Board-up / Restoration Services

Service	Contact
ServPro	952-900-1890
ServiceMaster Restore	612-688-4497
Service Restoration	651-661-5820
Anytime Restoration	952-213-5991
BELFOR Minneapolis	952-882-9495
Restoration by Highmark	952-292-7075

 

Temporary Living

Service	Location	Contact
Hampton Inn, 4175 Dean Lakes Blvd.	Shakopee	855-680-3239
Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 4550 12th Ave. E	Shakopee	952-445-2244
Mystic Lake Casino Hotel	Prior Lake	855-516-1090
Best Western, 14201 Nicollet Ave.	Burnsville	952-435-2100
Reside Apartments, 13958 Edgewood Ave.	Savage	952-649-6420
Springs at Egan Drive, 14125 Louisiana Ave.	Savage	952-204-9358
TRIO at Southbridge, 1331 Crossings Blvd.	Shakopee	612-564-4176

 

Rentals

Service	Location	Contact
Cort Furniture Rental	Bloomington	952-884-5622
Prior Lake Rental Center	Prior Lake	952-447-7000

 

Pet Boarding/Veterinary Clinics

Service	Location	Contact
Gentle Doctor Veterinary Clinic	Savage	952-895-8486
South Lake Veterinary Center	Prior Lake	952-447-4171
Total Pet Wellness	Savage	952-440-9060
Bluff High Kennels	Savage	952-890-6010
Camp Bow Wow	Burnsville	952-736-9919
WoofDah! Inc.	Burnsville	952-895-1700
Paws & Pals Pet Resort	Prior Lake	952-447-3644