When we leave... what do you do next?

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When we leave...

what do you do next?

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Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service

Creating Safer Communities

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2 Introduction

Fire and flooding can be traumatic and stressful.

You can get free practical help and advice from The British Red Cross Fire and Emergency Support Service (FESS). Your firefighters might request this on your behalf, or you can ring 07834 803018 (24 hours) to request it yourself.

This booklet contains information and advice to help you with some of the issues you may face after the firefighters leave. Some of the advice in this booklet requires that you use the internet or a telephone directory. Your local library will give you free access to both if you are unable to access them in your circumstances.

Help to prevent something like this happening again. Call 0800 0223235 to find out if you qualify for a free home safety check. If you don’t, we will tell you where to find further advice on safety measures you can put in place yourself.

Safety

Accommodation Security

Gas, water and electricity Insurance

Replacing important documents Useful contacts

After a property fire After a chimney fire After a vehicle fire After flooding 3 3 4 4 5 7 8 9 10 10 13

Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service

Creating Safer Communities

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4 First things first

REMEMBER!

Do not use gas, water and electricity supplies until they have been checked by a qualified person.

Safety

Do not re-enter a building until you have been told by your firefighters or emergency planning 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 needed to advise on the safety of the building.

Security

The property becomes your responsibility again when the firefighters leave. If you can’t stay in your home, ensure all the windows and doors are locked, where possible, before leaving. If any doors or windows cannot be locked, arrange for them to be boarded up by a glazier, either using a telephone directory or though your housing office or landlord. Your insurance company will usually pay for this. Let your local police station know that your property will be empty.

Accommodation

Immediately after an incident in your home, the British Red Cross Fire and Emergency Support Service will be able to provide shelter, clothing, food and refreshments amongst other practical things. In the longer term, if you cannot live in your home and you can’t stay with relatives or friends, your local council’s housing department might be able to provide you with temporary

emergency accommodation. Alternatively, your insurance company may cover the cost of bed and breakfast or hotel accommodation. For tenants, your landlord or local housing office may also be able to help.

Gas, water and electricity

The gas, water and electricity supplies to your home may have been turned off. Do not turn them back on until they have been checked by the provider or a qualified person. If you rent your property, this can be arranged by your landlord or housing office, or details of technicians can be found in the telephone directory. Do not use any electrical appliances that have come into contact with fire or water until they have been checked and cleared for use by a qualified electrician.

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6 REMEMBER!

List everything that has been damaged, including brands and where and when they were bought.

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 if you have immediate hardship.

Insurance

If you are insured, contact your insurance company as soon as possible. You can ask them for advice on drying out, clearing and cleaning, and they may have a list of companies they deal with to help you. Although your insurers may suggest companies to carry out any restoration work, you can choose a specialist company to help you. These companies advertise in the telephone directory under ‘Fire and Flood Restoration’ or you can search for them on the internet.

Contents insurance policies cover items that you can easily take with you when you move (furniture, carpets, curtains etc). The buildings policy covers the structure of the building and items fixed to the structure (boilers, fitted kitchens etc).

Most companies will be able to give you an emergency payment to cover everyday items such as clothing. This will be taken off the final settlement.

As soon as you can, make a list of all property, contents and goods that have been damaged. Take photos of the damage, including items taken outside by firefighters. Cheap, disposable cameras are available from most supermarkets.

A loss assessor may offer to represent you in dealing with your insurance company. A percentage charge will be made if you choose to use their services.

Keep in regular contact with your insurance company to make sure the work carried out is covered by your policy.

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8 Replacing important documents

Document needed

Bank/building society books & mortgage documents

Credit cards

Benefits agency documents Birth, marriage & death certificates

Divorce papers

Driving licence & vehicle records

Income tax records

National Savings/Premium Bonds

Passports Stocks & bonds

Warranties / guarantees Wills

Medical records

Business Continuity Plan

Contact

Bank or building society Issuing companies

Local benefits agency office Original office of registration certificates or the general Register Office for advice

The court where the decree was issued

Driver Vehicle and Licensing Agency The Inland Revenue service centre where filed, your accountant or your local district office

Your local Post Office

Passport office. Foreign nationals contact your embassy.

Your broker should have the details of the shares you hold. A solicitor may be needed to legally reconstruct the certificates.

Manfacturers of individual items Your solicitor or the Citizens Advice service for advice

Your doctor www.thebci.org

Useful contacts

National agencies Phone Textphone

Benefits Agency national 0800 882 200 0800 243 355

helpline

British Red Cross 0115 852 8000

(Nottinghamshire HQ)

Central Register of Births 0845 603 7788

Deaths & Marriages

DVLA (vehicle & driver 0870 240 0009 0179 2782 787

documents)

Floodline 0845 988 1188

Health & Safety Executive 0870 154 5500 information line

National Insurance 0845 302 1479

National Savings & Premium 0500 007 0007 0800 056 0585 Bonds

Passport Agency 0300 222 0000

24hr utilities & health advice

Electricity Your own

supplier

Gas leaks - Transco 0800 111 999

Water - Severn Trent 0800 783 4444

Health - NHS Direct 0845 4647

Police - emergencies always 101 or

dial 999 0115 967 0999

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10 REMEMBER!

Do not use contaminated food - if in doubt, throw it out!

After a property fire

Firefighters need to determine the cause of the fire and if it looks like it was caused deliberately, the police may seal off part of your property. Do not enter sealed off areas.

Your firefighters might have opened up walls to make sure that no hidden fires were still burning and also to vent smoke and gasses. The damage may appear serious but the fire crews must make sure there is no further risk of fire.

Some firefighting equipment may be left behind, such as plastic sheets to cover gaps in the roof. These are only a temporary measure and your firefighters will contact you to arrange

collection. You will need to make arrangements for replacement or alternative items where necessary.

Building materials cool down at different rates and strange noises may be heard after a fire has been put out.

After a chimney fire

To prevent further damage, put a metal bucket or large metal pan half filled with water in the fireplace or hearth or catch and cool any falling debris. Put a fire guard in front of the fire and allow the chimney to cool for at least 24 hours before you use it again. Have the chimney swept before you use it and on a regular basis afterwards – contact the National Association of Chimney Sweeps, www.nacs.org.uk

After a vehicle fire

If your own vehicle has been involved in a fire, you should contact your insurance company and follow their advice. If it is safe to do so, remove any salvageable valuables, including the tax disc, insurance documents and the vehicle’s MOT certificate. It is not necessary to report a car fire to the police unless the cause was arson or a road traffic collision, if people are injured or if the vehicle obstructs the highway. Your damaged vehicle cannot remain in a public place or on a highway. If it is in an unsafe condition, a recovery company can move it for you. If you suspect a crime, consult the police before it is moved.

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do not walk mud upstairs - change footwear to keep carpets clean

Do not leave books, magazines or other coloured items on wet carpets

do not walk mud upstairs - change footwear to keep carpets clean

Do not leave books, magazines or other coloured items on wet carpets

do not walk mud upstairs - change footwear to keep carpets clean

Do not leave books, magazines or other coloured items on wet carpets

You can:

• Lightly remove soot from fabrics and surfaces using a vacuum cleaner – use an open pipe, not a brush.

• Open doors and windows to clear the air in your home (but don’t leave them open when you’re not there).

• Rinse leather and suede items in cold water and dry naturally.

• Carefully clean fixtures, fittings, towel rails and chrome trim with a light coating of petroleum jelly (e.g. Vaseline) or other oil. • Take locks apart, wipe with paraffin and

oil. If you can’t do this, you can squirt machine oil through the opening and move the handle to spread the oil.

• Thoroughly clean and oil hinges on doors and windows.

• Keep your freezer closed if the electricity will be back on within 24 hours. Make sure the freezer is not affected by water, heat or smoke.

• Pour undiluted antifreeze into toilet bowls, sinks and baths to prevent freezing if the heating is off in the winter.

• Call a plumber to drain the heating system if it is unable to be used in the winter. • Spray plants with water on both sides of

leaves. Take pets, including fish, to a clean place.

• Use dehumidifiers to remove water from

the atmosphere – you can hire these from tool hire companies.

But don’t:

• Don’t wipe or try to wash absorbent wall surfaces or ceilings as the dirt will soak into the surface.

• Do not use contaminated upholstered

furniture.

• Do not use food or canned goods that

have been affected by heat or smoke and do not refreeze thawed food – IF IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT!

• Do not use TVs, stereos or any other electrical appliances until they have been cleaned and checked by a qualified

person.

• Find a cleaners that specialises in cleaning smoke-damaged garments as the wrong cleaning method may make smoke and odour impossible to remove. • Do not use LPG (liquefied petroleum gas)

heaters to dry out your property as they create water vapour.

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Do not leave books, magazines or other coloured items on wet carpets do not walk mud upstairs - change footwear to keep carpets clean

After flooding

Your firefighters will be able to pump out most of the water in your property and carry out some salvage work, but the drying and clearing up is your responsibility.

The cost of the work may be covered by your insurance so check your policy or contact your provider to find out. If the damage is serious, a company that specialises in salvage from water damage will be able to help. You should also consult a plumber to check if any water pipes have been damaged. Flood water may be hazardous to your health. If you think any food or medical supplies have been contaminated by flood water, throw it away. IF IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT!

You can:

• Keep your freezer closed if the electricity will be back on within 24 hours and the freezer has not been affected by water.

• Remove as much water as possible by

mopping or using a vacuum cleaner that is made to take up water. Blot small areas with clean, white towels to avoid any colour transfer.

• Wipe water from wood.

• Remove and prop up upholstery cushions

for even drying. Check that the dye doesn’t run on to other surfaces.

• Place aluminium foil, china saucers or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpet to prevent the legs from absorbing water and swelling.

• Open drawers and cabinet doors to air dry but don’t force them open.

• Remove valuable objects to a safe, dry place.

• Make small holes into sagging plaster ceilings to release trapped water and place buckets beneath.

• Note: Artex used in the 1990s may contain Asbestos – contact your local council’s environmental health department for advice.

• Keep out of rooms where ceilings are weakened or wet – older ceilings may not sag but can be very heavy and fall suddenly.

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Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service

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• Open windows and turn on heating to

assist drying, but only after your gas and electricalmains supplies have been checked by qualified people.

• Place damaged photos and documents

in plastic bags and freeze for later inspection. Wrap books in cling film to maintain the binding before freezing.

• Stuff purses and shoes with newspapers

to make sure they keep their shape. • Use dehumidifiers to remove water from

the atmosphere – you can hire these from tool hire companies.

Your feedback

We appreciate that you are very busy at this time, but as you are now someone who has experienced a fire or other emergency, we are very interested in your opinion of how we operate. If you could take a few moments to answer the following few questions and post this page back to us we’d be very grateful. The postage is already paid. Your comments will help us improve our services. When we were dealing with the incident, were we: (tick all that apply)

Comments:

Do you consider the fire and rescue service to be: (tick all that apply)

Comments:

Can you remember ever seeing any fire safety information in the past?

If so, what was it, and was it useful?

Professional Quick to respond Informative

Approachable

Good at listening to your views Good value for money

Representative of your local community

Yes No

But don’t:

• Do not walk mud upstairs – change

footwear to keep carpets clean.

• Do not leave books, magazines or other

coloured items on wet carpets.

• Do not use your normal ‘dry’ vacuum

cleaner to remove water.

• Do not use your TV or other electrical appliances while standing on a wet • carpet or floor. A qualified electrician

must check them first if they are water-damaged.

• Do not turn on switches or other electrical items if wet.

• Do not use LPG (liquefied petroleum gas heaters as they create water vapour.

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Creating Safer Communities

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18 Your feedback

How did you find the information in this leaflet?

Comments:

Were you visited by the Red Cross Fire and Emergency Support Service?

If so, did you find the service helpful?

Comments:

How could we improve the services offered by the fire and rescue service and / or the Red Cross Fire and Emergency Support Service?

Please send your completed feedback to: FREEPOST Corporate Services,

Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service HQ, Bestwood Lodge, Arnold, Nottingham, NG5 8PD.

Your notes

Very useful Fairly useful Satisfactory Yes No Yes No

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Help us to help you

If you have any questions about fire safety or would like to discuss anything in this leaflet, please contact us on 0115 967 0880 for general fire safety advice. You can also visit www.notts-fire.gov.uk or www.gov.uk