Crematory

Selecting a cremation provider and crematory for your loved one is a complex decision. The final decision for disposition of your loved one should be made and agreed upon by all grieving family members because this process is irreversible. We are providing this information on our site to help educate and comfort you about funeral home procedures and the operations of a crematory. We understand that those left behind are overcome by grief. Therefore, making funeral arrangements under duress can be very stressful and confusing. Many people considering cremation have unanswered questions about where and how their loved one will be cremated. The crematory will prepare the decedent’s human remains for final disposition. We want the families we serve to have peace of mind about where their loved one is located and what type of care is involved in preparing their loved one after death has occurred. We hope to ease your mind by offering our website as a tool to better inform you about the cremation process and crematory. Our site offers you a wide variety of funeral merchandise and services which may be selected to better suit your loved for a memorable farewell.

For every crematory in our network, the funeral home utilizes a “due diligence” file for the protection of your loved one. You can rest assured that all funeral homes and crematories associated with Funeral & Cremation Emporium follow the due diligence process to guarantee proper care and respect for your loved one. In this file, the funeral home will place all documentation and reports. This is generated from four important steps that must be initiated by the funeral home.

1. Internal Due Diligence for Funeral Homes: Due diligence begins with a review of the funeral home’s own internal procedures. We examine each of the following areas to ensure that the funeral home and crematory properly handles cremation cases. Your state most likely has a cremation authorization law which dictates the disclosures that will be addressed and signed by authorizing agent(s) prior to the crematory beginning the cremation process. If for some reason your state does not have this law, we will make sure some form of a cremation authorization is completed that requires, at a minimum, the authorizing agent(s) / next of kin(s) to attest to each of the following:

A. The identity of the decedent. A positive identification will be made by the closest kinship before allowing the crematory to begin the cremation process.

B. Identification proving that you are the legal closest kinship to the deceased will be required before making arrangements for cremation. If there is more than one next of kin, all parties must sign the cremation authorization before the crematory will proceed with the process.

C. The closest kinship will sign a written authorization allowing disposal of any medical devices implanted in the human remains or a representation will be signed that no medical devices are present, thus, this information will be forwarded to the crematory.

D. Authorization by signature of the authorized agent(s) must be given after a detailed explanation of the cremation process has been provided.

E. Acknowledgment by signature from the authorized agent(s) will be given that either an alternative container or cremation casket will be used at the crematory for placement and cremation of human remains inside the cremation chamber.

2. Crematory Records Request: An important aspect of due diligence is the review of licenses and operational records of the crematory. A crematory provides copies of its licenses and applicable operational records to each state official/inspector or funeral home it serves. All records obtained from the crematory is maintained in the due diligence file the funeral home keeps about the crematory. In this file, the funeral home maintains a log showing when the records were requested, received and reviewed. The records request is updated once every year.

3. Crematory Interview: The third step of crematory due diligence is to interview the management of the crematory to obtain information about personnel, facilities and operations. This interview will be given to the crematory by a state official/inspector as well as the funeral home that is utilizing the crematory for cremations.

4. Crematory Inspection: The final step in the crematory due diligence process is to conduct an unannounced inspection of the crematory during business hours. This inspection is done annually by a state official/inspector in order for the crematory to keep its state license. A funeral home is permitted to do their own inspection of the facility at any time to ensure that all laws are in accordance.

After the cremation process has taken place at the crematory, the funeral home retrieves the cremated remains and contacts the family immediately. If a cremation urn is selected for placement of the cremated remains, the cremains will be carefully placed inside the urn with proper identification and returned to the family. If an urn is not chosen then the cremated remains with proper identification will be placed in a corrugated or hard plastic temporary receptacle by the crematory. The funeral home will retrieve the cremains and appropriate container from the crematory and return them to the family. One may opt to have a memorial service or gathering with or without the cremated remains present. This allows family and friends to gather, reminisce and gain closure. If you decide to have a gathering without the cremated remains present then you can carry out the ceremony immediately; even before the crematory has completed the cremation process.

You can rest assured that your loved one is in good hands and we will strive to meet all of your needs during this stressful time. For your convenience, our firm is accessible 24 hours daily. For more information on the crematory please contact our courteous staff at any hour or you may complete the “contact us” link. If you are visiting our site during a time of loss, please accept our condolences.