When the fire is all burned out and you see the last of the fire trucks leaving your property, the realization will then begin to sink in that, yes, you are a victim of fire damage. Once the initial shock and trauma subside however, it is time to start thinking about the immense challenge facing you at that moment: coping with the damage left by fire.

First and foremost, safety should still be the top priority. Even with the most devastating components of the fire now gone, many fire-related health hazards still lurk in the form of smoke and dust particles. As much as possible, keep the family together in a safe place away from the remains of the disaster, while the fire damage is still being assessed.

Next, check if your house or building is still structurally safe. Do this with utmost caution, as many of the surrounding trees or power poles in the area may also have lost their structural stability due to the fire damage. Watch out also for downed power lines or electrical wires; these may give out electric shocks. Be alert for any signs of sparks or embers and immediately douse these with water to prevent from reigniting.

If you are confident or if a professional has determined that your property is safe to live in, walk in carefully, and check indoors for any fire damage that might cause the house or building to lose stability. As before, proceed with extreme caution.

Check if utilities like light and power are still functioning in the house. More often than not, the Fire Department will have utilities shut off as a safety precaution. If power still out despite having turned on the circuit breaker, chances are, the fire may have caused circuit breaker failure. In that case, call the utility company.

Dispose of hazardous materials properly. Cleaning materials, paints, and other flammable materials pose a risk to safety as these can easily catch embers not completely extinguished.

When doing clean up after a fire, be sure to wear protective clothing such as: leather or disposable plastic gloves, goggles, coveralls or disposable body clothing, headgear, rubber boots, and a respirator with filter. Always remember to disinfect hands after every clean up job.

After reducing the risks of safety and health hazards after fire damage, take action in securing your property and belongings from more destruction and possible loss. Looting from fire damaged properties does happen when steps are not taken to ensure security around the area. While ventilation of one's property after fire damage is also necessary, do so without compromising the safety of your material possessions. Whenever necessary, board up windows, cover damaged roofing, and reinstall latches or safety locks, to keep looters and vandals out.

If it is not quite possible to secure your belongings given the condition of one's house, remove all valuables and important possessions from the damaged property and temporarily store these in a safe place, perhaps in the home of a friend or family member.

Lastly, do damage assessment of your property. It is important to do a thorough and accurate assessment of the damage to also ensure the smooth processing of your insurance claim. If possible, hire a professional to handle this for a speedy and correct assessment, and therefore a prompt restoration of your home.

Fire damage can indeed destroy our homes and temporarily create chaos in our otherwise normal day to day living. But take heart. The situation is not utterly hopeless because there are steps that can be taken to enable us to cope with fire damage.