By Hal Stevens
Not many people want to dwell on the technicalities of death but we do need to be educated about it so that we are fully conscious of the choices we've made and what they mean.
In this section, I will talk about the basic steps of a cremation which I have divided into five distinct phases.
1. Let's begin at the moment of death. This is the time when a professional staff person (either an agent of a funeral home or a cremation provider itself) will arrive either at the home, hospital or holding facility to transport the deceased to the cremation facility or funeral home (depending on what sorts of services will be required). This will take place after a death certificate is signed and processed and all legal permits and paperwork are filled out. In some places, there is a 24 to 48 hour "waiting period" which is enforced before the cremation can be performed. During this period, the deceased is protected in a temperature controlled refrigeration unit until the cremation can be performed.
2. The actual cremation will take place following any sort of services that the family has planned (if any). When that time comes, if the laws in the area require that the deceased is placed in a container prior to cremation then that is carried out. If the deceased was displayed in a rented casket for the purposes of services, he or she will already have been removed from that casket prior to delivery at the cremation facility. Once the deceased has been placed in the container (if required), then, the remains are placed into the cremation chamber where they will stay for approximately 2-3 hours depending on the weight of the individual.
3. Once the process of cremation has successfully concluded, the cremains are removed from the chamber. All foreign objects, such as metal from prosthetic devises or bridgework are removed so that they may be respectfully discarded.
4. The next step finds the cremated remains processed by means of a grinder into a consistent and regular size and shape. During this phase, larger fragments are ground down. When this is complete, the processed cremains are put in a container so that they may be returned to the family. If a permanent container (such as an urn or other vessel) has not been selected, then the cremains will be returned in a temporary container of plastic, cardboard or metal.
5. The cremated remains are placed in a container and returned either to the family, to a funeral home, cemetery or other facility depending on the family's plans and desires.
Hal is the author of several critically acclaimed eBooks specifically written to help people deal with end of life issues. His eBooks include topics such as: cremation, writing and delivering a eulogy, eco-friendly green funerals, funeral planning, organ donation, and buying and selling cemetery plots. To find out more about his CemeterySpot family of free services and resources, to learn more about his books, and to get a free gift, please visit: http://www.cemeteryspot.com.
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