Recent Fire Damage Posts

What to Do During a Fire

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

Photo showing how to use a fire extinguisher SERVPRO of Cienega Fire Restoration. Call now at (323) 400-3400.

Here are some tips from Redcross.org on what to do during a fire:

- Know how to use a fire extinguisher.

- Remember to GET OUT, STAY OUT, and CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency phone number.

- Yell "Fire!" several times and go outside right away. If you live in a building with elevators, use the stairs. Leave all your things where they are and save yourself.

- If closed doors or handles are warm or smoke blocks your primary escape route, use your second way out. Never open doors that are warm to the touch.

- If you must escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your exit. Close doors behind you.

- If smoke, heat, or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with doors closed. Place a wet towel under the door and call the fire department or 9-1-1. Open a window and wave a brightly colored cloth or flashlight to signal for help.

- Once you are outside, go to your meeting place and then send one person to call the fire department. If you cannot get to your meeting place, follow your family emergency communication plan.

Fascinating Fire Facts

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

Diagram showing how a fire is made SERVPRO of Cienega Fire Restoration. Call now at (323) 400-3400.

Fire can be scary and devastating. However, it is essential and can be fascinating when in a controlled environment. Here are some fascinating fire facts: 

- For as far as we know, fire can only burn on earth. Other planets do not have enough oxygen to allow a fire to keep burning. 

- During wildfires, trees explode. 

- You can start a fire with ice. 

- Fires are caused by humans 85% of the time. 

- There were 1,291,500 fires in 2019. This resulted in 14.8 billion dollars worth of loss. 

- The 2018 Woolsey fire burned 97,00 acres. Woolsey totaled an estimated $4.2 billion. 

- Good burn: The 1666 Great Fire of London destroyed 80 percent of the city but also ended an outbreak of bubonic plague that had killed more than 65,000 people the previous year. The fire fried the rats and fleas that carried Yersinia pestis, the plague-causing bacterium.

What To Do After a Fire

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

House on fire SERVPRO of Cienega Commercial Fire Restoration. Call now at (323) 400-3400.

Everything that is done before, during, and after a fire is very important. Here are some tips from State Farm on what can be done after a fire: 

- Find a safe place to stay 

   - Don't enter back into your home until it has been deemed safe for re-entrance. 

- Contact your insurance agent

   - Contact your agent and file a claim. 

- Protect your home 

   - Protect your home from any weather events or illegal entrances. Board ups, fencing, tarp ups might be needed to secure the property. 

- Take care of your pets

   - Have the pets be checked by a veterinarian. 

- Get a copy of the fire report

   - LAFD can provide a fire report. Your insurance can use this to determine the coverage of the claim. 

- Address your finances

   - Rent and all other bills will still need to be paid. 

- Recover your possessions 

   - Get your contents replaced or restored. 

- Take care of your family's mental health 

   - Look out for different coping mechanisms for yourself and your entire family. 

Fire Contents Restoration

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

Kitchen Fire SERVPRO of Cienega Fire Restoration. Call now (323) 400-3400.

LAFD works hard to make sure a fire is put out as soon as it starts. Many homes, neighborhoods, and commercial buildings are saved every day because of our hard-working first responders. Although the fire can be put out very fast, the odor and soot travels almost instantly and can cause a lot of damage in a very short period of time. During fire jobs with less severe damage, we perform a full structure HEPA vacuum cleaning and a wet wipe of the entire structure. The contents that are salvageable are all packed out and moved to our storage facility. Any unsalvageable items will be disposed of. We clean every single item and strip away any lingering odor. Once the structure is clean, the contents will be packed back in. 

Fire Preparation

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

Fire alarm SERVPRO of Cienega Fire Restoration. Call now (323) 400-3400.

Being prepared for a fire can save a lot of devastation and money. Here are some tips on how to prepare your home against a fire: 

- Install smoke alarms on each floor and inside and outside of bedrooms. Test out the batteries once a month.

- Teach children what a fire alarm sound means and what they should do if they hear it. Practice STOP, DROP and ROLL with all family members in the scenario their clothes catch on fire.  

- Prepare fire escape plans. Multiple escape routes should be practiced with different scenarios of the location of the fire.

- Keep fire extinguishers in multiple areas of the house, especially the kitchen. 

- Digitalize any sentimental photos. 

- Pack an emergency bag and keep it in the car. An emergency bag is great for all emergencies. 

- Research your community fire plans or discuss evacuation options with family and friends. 

Ozone Generator

7/10/2023 (Permalink)

Ozone Machine SERVPRO of Cienega Fire Restoration. Call today at (323) 400-3400

The ozone machine is tiny but very powerful. We use our ozone machine for any jobs that are odor-related and fire restoration jobs. Ozone is 3 oxygen atoms. The machine creates a silent corona discharge which causes the oxygen (02) molecule to separate and turn into single atoms. Later these single atoms attach themselves to the oxygen (02) molecules and form ozone (03).

In summary, when the oxygen molecule changes into the ozone, the molecular compound is no longer the same and the odor molecules can't be present in the ozone (03) molecule. An ozone machine is a great tool that is used to treat odor issues. It is best to do extended research on ozone machines or contact a professional to make sure the machine is used in a safe manner.