ARS RAPID-RESPONSE GUIDE

First 60 Minutes After Property Damage

A safety-first sequence for the first hour after water, fire, smoke, storm, sewage, or another sudden property-loss event.

Updated September 2026 · Technical review: ARS Restoration & Reconstruction

Leave and call 911 for fire, smoke, gas odor, sparking, structural movement, serious injury, or any unsafe condition. Do not re-enter until the appropriate authority clears the property. The clock below starts only when you are in a safe location.

Minutes 0–10: protect people

Account for occupants, visitors, pets, and people who may need assistance.
Move to a safe meeting point and keep everyone away from the affected area.
Call emergency services, the utility, or building management when the event requires it.
Do not touch wet electrical devices, enter standing water, breathe smoke, disturb soot, or contact sewage.
Write down the time you first observed the problem and what you directly saw, heard, or smelled.

Minutes 10–20: limit additional damage—only if safe

For a plumbing release, shut off the closest valve or main water supply if you can reach it without electrical, structural, or contamination risk.
For roof or exterior openings, move valuables away from active dripping from a safe interior location; do not climb onto a damaged roof.
Do not start household fans if water may be contaminated, visible mold is present, or smoke and soot may enter HVAC pathways.
Do not attempt structural bracing, electrical work, gas service, or hazardous-material cleanup.
Contact a qualified restoration provider when water is spreading, materials are heavily affected, or the source or safety condition is uncertain.

Minutes 20–40: document the unchanged condition

Photograph the address or unit number and a wide view of the affected area.
Move room by room: doorway view, each wall, ceiling, floor, and major contents.
Capture the apparent source and visible path of travel without entering unsafe areas.
Take close views of staining, swelling, residue, standing water, openings, and damaged contents.
Record temporary actions already taken and who performed them.
Keep original files. Avoid filters, annotations, or deletion of “bad” photos; make edited copies separately.

Minutes 40–60: make notifications and open a loss log

Notify the owner or property manager if you are an occupant or tenant.
Contact the insurer or agent if you intend to report a claim; record the date, time, name, and claim number.
Ask what immediate mitigation and documentation the insurer wants, but do not delay necessary safety work while waiting for an adjuster.
Record every vendor’s company name, representative, arrival time, scope discussed, and authorization requested.
Save receipts for emergency protection, lodging, transportation, supplies, and other loss-related expenses.
Create an open-questions list: safety clearance, source correction, access, contents, temporary housing, restoration scope, and next inspection.

Event-specific cautions

Water or sewage

Keep out of standing or contaminated water. Moisture can travel behind finishes and into lower levels even when the surface looks dry.

Fire or smoke

Follow fire-department re-entry instructions. Avoid touching soot; oily residues can smear and spread with improper cleaning.

Storm or tree impact

Stay clear of downed lines, unstable trees, damaged roofs, broken glass, and sagging ceilings.

Visible mold

Avoid disturbing growth or directing fans across it. Correct the moisture source and choose cleanup methods appropriate to the extent and occupants.

Next: preserve the record

Use the printable documentation checklist to organize photos, contents, contacts, authorizations, and expenses.

Sources, scope, and review

Review note: Prepared September 2026. This resource is educational and does not replace instructions from emergency services, your insurer, medical professionals, building officials, engineers, environmental professionals, or legal counsel. ARS does not determine insurance coverage.