The death of a loved one will inevitably take a toll on the family members. However, one of the essential tasks that follow the death of a person is the cremation procedure.
In the cremation procedure, the dead body is placed in a cremation chamber and exposed to high heat. The heat breaks down the organic matter and the bone until reduced to tiny fragments.
These fragments are then allowed to cool before they can be pulverized into a final consistency with the help of a cremulator. The ashes are then carefully collected and placed in a cremation urn and then given to the family members. The steps in detail are as follows:
The Body is First Identified
The identification procedure is essential so that you receive the correct ashes by the end of the procedure. Different facilities use various methods for this process to ensure proper confirmation of Identity. They generally place a metal identification tag by the end of the identification process.
The Paperwork Is Then Completed
Before moving the body to the crematorium, the authorized personnel must complete all the associated paperwork. The family members given over the dead body need to complete this process. Once complete, the procedure can be continued.
The Body Is Then Prepared
Preparation of the body is carried out by the individual facility and varies from one place to another. However, it generally includes appropriately cleaning and dressing the body. For cremation purposes, the body is not generally embalmed unless specifically requested by the family members.
During this procedure, medical devices, jewelry, or other mechanical devices are separated from the body to reduce the chances of unwanted reactions. The body is then finally placed in a combustible vessel.
Entering the Cremation Chamber
Once the body is ready, it is transferred to a cremation chamber which is the special furnace. It is where the body is exposed to high heat to break down the organic matter. By the end of this process, only ashes are left behind. The remains are then cooled entirely before being handled.
Besides direct cremation, the process of liquid cremation is also gaining traction. It uses alkali and other liquids to speed up the decomposition process. It uses much less energy as it is flameless. However, this is not accepted everywhere in the US.
Preparing the Remains
Once the body turns to ashes, it is further inspected to ensure that no metals or other such substances are left behind. It can be left from pins or prosthetics that were previously attached to the body. The metal remains are handpicked one by one to make sure that nothing remains. You may use strong magnets to get hold of any small metal fragments. These are then sent to be recycled.
Once purified, the ashes are further processed and pulverized. It leads to finer grains of ashes that are ready to be placed into a cremation urn.
Once the ashes are pulverized, they are ready to be returned to the family members. However, if some specific requests are there, that might also be considered depending on the particular crematorium.
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