A house fire can be devastating. While recovering from the disaster might feel overwhelming, help is available for you and your loved ones. From securing temporary accommodation to professional fire damage cleaning services, it’s all about knowing where to look for help after a house fire.

Whether your property has recently experienced a fire, or you’re simply curious to know the steps to take should the worst happen, check out the advice below for guidance on how to react.

Trust in the Emergency Services

Once all flames have been extinguished, the emergency services will ensure the property is structurally safe to prevent further injuries. For example, they may inform the local building control officer of the fire or fence off the building from the public until building repairs are complete. If they believe the property poses a danger to the public, they may choose to either demolish or shore up your home.

Accept Help from the Fire and Emergency Support Service

The Fire and Emergency Support Service will arrive at the scene of a fire within 90 minutes of your call. Run by a passionate team of British Red Cross volunteers, they can provide exceptional assistance and emotional support.

The volunteers can help you:

• Find temporary accommodation
• Source essential toiletries, clothing and refreshments
• Receive support for childcare and pets
• Gain access to a phone and camera to make an insurance claim

Look for Temporary Accommodation Options

If you cannot return to your home, you may need to organise a place to stay at a friend or a relative’s home. Alternatively, you can contact your local council’s housing office for assistance, or the Fire and Emergency Support Service can provide accommodation help and support.

Secure the Property

Once the emergency services leave your property, you are legally responsible for its security. If you are allowed to return to your home, you must remove all valuable possessions and lock all windows and doors.

If you are a council tenant, you can contact your local council if your windows and doors need boarding up for security. However, if you own the property, you should contact a local glazier. Remember to keep all receipts and paperwork to claim back security costs from your home insurance provider.

Organise Fire Damage Cleaning

As your property will be filled with soot and dirt, you would be wise to organise an experienced fire damage cleaning service. ICE Cleaning will visit within 60 minutes of your call to survey your home and plan remediation. The professional team can also provide full restoration or smaller fire damage services, such as the removal of smoke odours, helping to return to your property as close to its original condition as possible.

Replace Valuable Documents

If the fire has damaged various rooms within your home, you may need to replace a number of valuable documents, such as your:

• Passport
• Driver’s licence
• Birth and marriage certificates
• Property title and deeds
• Vehicle registration
• Income tax records

If you’re not sure how to source the above papers, visit gov.uk for more information. Knowing where to find advice can be helpful when feeling overwhelmed by the entire process.