What happens during cremation?

• The family of the deceased has to make and/ or complete the arrangements, including signing the Cremation Authorization Form. Without this, no cremation can take place. This can sometimes cause controversy between family members, if one sibling wants cremation and another doesn't. By making sure the next of kin signs the form, there can be no legal argument.
  
• The body is placed in a casket, or at least an Alternative Container (heavy duty corrugated cardboard). This must be done for a few reasons, to easily slide the body into the retort chamber, for protective health reasons and overall respect for the decedent and family of.

• In with the body goes a small metal disk. This disk is placed on the floor of the chamber and stays with the human remains at all times for identification purposes. It will have a number and sometimes a name, engraved in the metal (or ceramic) disk.
  
• The cremation chamber heats up, most funeral homes using gas powered, to an average range of 1500 to 2000 degrees.
• Cremation can take from one hour, up to several hours depending on the weight of the body, size and material of the container and efficiency of the cremation chamber. The cremation is monitored throughout the entire process by a trained professional for each decedent.
  
• Sometimes the crematory operator has to reposition the remains throughout the process to ensure proper cremation takes place.
• After the heat process is complete there is a much needed cooling off span, as the remains are extremely hot. This can take anywhere from two to four hours.
• As you can imagine, a good percentage of cremations are done on the elderly, therefore sometimes come out of the chamber with more than bones. There can be gold teeth, joint replacements, pacemakers, etc. Also, from their final outfit, there can be frames from glasses, belt buckles, etc. Once the remains are cooled, a strong magnet is run across the remains to attract any of the materials that aren't human, and disposed of by the operator. None of these things are of any value anymore due to the high heat.
• The next step is to crush the fragments down to a very fine ash, using a device called the Pulverizer. The remains are passed through this machine several times until there are ground down so fine, like beach sand.
• The now ash-like remains are placed in a temporary container, this can be metal, a heavy plastic bag, etc, and yes the small metal ID disk goes right along with them still. The family is now required to choose an urn and make arrangements for the Final Disposition. Cremation is not the Final Disposition.
• The family may choose an urn to take home, scatter or even purchase a cremation bench and have the remains inurned.
• Pre-arrangement is always an option throughout our lives. We buy car, house, fire, theft, etc insurance, but most people do not want to pre-purchase the type of insurance that everyone will inevitably need.

Story by: Valerie Gollier
Photo by: Gilbert Arias