First Steps After a Fire Checklist

General information only. This checklist helps you keep track of the usual first steps. It is not professional advice, and it does not replace guidance from firefighters, medical professionals, or the independent provider who assesses your home. If there is an active fire or anyone is in danger, call 911 first.

Work through the list in order. Tick each box as you go — nothing here is saved or sent anywhere; the checkboxes live only in your browser.

1. Safety first

Everyone, including pets, is out of the building and accounted for. Firefighters have declared the property safe to enter before anyone goes back inside. Anyone exposed to heavy smoke has been checked medically, and symptoms are noted. Children and pets are kept away from soot, ash, and damaged areas.

2. People and shelter

A safe place to stay tonight is arranged, if the home is not habitable. A small bag is packed if it can be done safely: identification, medication, phone chargers, a change of clothes. Family, neighbours, or your insurer's emergency line have been told where you are staying.

3. Document and report

The fire is reported to your insurer, and you have noted the name of each person you spoke to, plus the date and time. Damage is photographed room by room before anything is moved or thrown away. Receipts and notes are kept in one folder, physical or digital. Damaged items are kept until they have been documented, unless they are a safety hazard.

4. Secure the property and get help

Broken windows, open roofs, and damaged doors are noted for board-up and tarping. Power, gas, and water are left as firefighters directed — nothing is switched back on early. The HVAC system is left off until it has been checked, so soot is not spread through ductwork. An independent local provider has been contacted for assessment and a quote.

Done with the list?

One call connects you with an independent local provider serving Tarrant County: (817) 285-5098, 24/7. The provider quotes the work directly, and the referral costs you nothing. For more detail, read what to do in the first 24 hours after a house fire.

Fire damage? One call connects you with local help.

This service connects Tarrant County callers with independent local fire damage restoration providers. Independent providers in our network offer 24/7 emergency response.

Call (817) 285-5098

No obligation · Free to call — you pay nothing