What Gets Saved?

[RHB312]

What have you seen homeowners save from a fire? Usually it is the family Bible or a photo album, but I've seen arm loads of clothes and a goldfish bowl carried out. Once the fire is extinguished, we try to bring out valuables or sentimental items-once we were asked to try to retrieve the refrigerator...If it were me, I'd try to grab my father's watch on the way out.

[FF-Andy]

baby beds
chainsaws
framed art
prescription meds
guns

[johnsb]

We only usually worry about things like wallets, purses, medication, and car keys, things people need to have in the next 24 hrs. We don't usually hang around for the other stuff. We leave that to the fire damage clean up companies.

[RFD21C]

We do the same as Johnsb does. I would add we try to recover and guns that are in the property with the help of PD of course. If they specifically ask for something I.E. photos, bible, family member ashes. we will grab it. The important thing to remember is that what appears to be trash to you may not be to them. So it is important to not just toss it.

[tree68]

Pretty much anything they can.

Remember that at one time a prime piece of equipment that firefighters carried was a bed key, so they could save what was probably the prime possession a family had - the bed(s).

After that, from where I sit, it comes down to volatility - That may "only" be a picture album, but it may be the only album that contains pictures of long-lost loved ones. The credit cards, ID, etc, can be replaced in no time, while those photos or other such records may be literally irreplacable.

For your own planning - that's a good reason to scan all those old photos and records and make sure there are copies of the files in other places.