The Cremation Process
The Cremation Process
People often have many misconceptions about how cremation actually works. Many people think cremation is done by simply lighting the body on fire and burning it. However, the cremation process is completed with a lot more care and is much more technical in nature.
Cremation is the process of reducing a body to ash by exposing it to very high temperatures. First, the family or next of kin must authorize the body to be cremated. The crematorium operator prepares the body and removes any jewelry, medical devices (i.e. pacemakers), prostheses, and implants. The corpse is placed in a container made of wood or heavy cardboard. The container is then placed into the crematory chamber which is essentially a large furnace. The heat ignites the container and the body begins to dry out. The temperature in the chamber can rise to about 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. It usually takes 2 to 3 hours to fully cremate a body. What’s left is a grey coarse material that feels like a fine gravel. On average, 3 to 9 pounds of ash is produced
(Kim, 2018).
Steps of Our Cremation Services
1) Plan Online or Call Us
You can start planning for a cremation service with our online platform.
However, if you have questions or need assistance immediately, please give us a call.
2) Making the Agreement Official
After we receive your online cremation request, we will reach out to you to finalize the agreement and make an official record on our database.
3) Removal from Place of Death
Upon death, we will remove the body from the place of death. After all paperwork has been completed and the medical examiner has given approval, the body is transported to the crematory.
4) Viewing & Funeral
If you have chosen to have a visitation or funeral or both, we will begin making the preparations for these services.
5) Cremation
By law, cremation can only occur after we wait 48 hours from death. Once scheduled, the cremation must be performed within 48 hours. It occurs on appointment and is performed at our locally, contracted crematory.
6) Ashes Returned
After cremation is completed, your loved one's ashes are safeguarded and promptly returned to you.
7) Other Considerations
If the doctor provides the cause of death and signs the death certificate within 3 days of receipt and no other issues occur, then the full cremation process usually takes 10-14 business days to finish.
Sources:
Kim, M. (2018). How cremation works. Retrieved from https://science.howstuffworks.com/cremation1.htm