Florida Family Cremations

Proudly Serving the Tri-County Area​

Choosing Cremation: What Is the Cremation Process?

After the loss of a loved one, you’ll want to find the perfect way to give the deceased a deserving send-off. Today, cremation is rapidly becoming a popular choice for a range of reasons. This process not only offers you a ton of flexibility, but it’s also economical.

So, what is the cremation process? In this excerpt, we look at the steps involved to help you understand the procedure.

What Is the Cremation Process?

Cremation is the practice of reducing a deceased body to its basic elements by incinerating it at high temperatures. How high are we exactly talking about? Typically, the temperatures range from 1,600 to 1,800 degrees. As a standard procedure, this process occurs in retort, a specially designed chamber for human cremation.

How Does Cremation Work?

Now that you know the definition let’s dive deeper into the process itself. The cremation process generally involves 5 basic steps.

Step 1. Identifying the Deceased

Identification regulations vary depending on your state. Many crematories define their specific procedures in line with industry recommendations. Primarily, identification normally involves confirming the identity of the deceased.

Upon confirming, the specialists put a metal ID tag on the body. This tag will remain untouched throughout the process for final verification of identity.

Step 2. Authorizing the Procedure

The crematorium must acquire an official permit before proceeding with the process. In most cases, the people involved in the final arrangements need to complete paperwork that allows the crematory to move forward.

Here, you’ll find questions such as the type of container the cremation technician should use and the person responsible for taking the remains. Keep in mind that each state has its guidelines about the person who can legally make these decisions.

Step 3: Preparing the Body

Before the process begins, the technicians check for any medical devices or metals present on the body.

Because of the high temperatures, some implants may lead to dangerous reactions. These items include battery-oriented devices, such as watches and pacemakers. Finally, the specialists place the body in a cardboard vessel that’s strong enough to support the weight.

Step 4: Moving into the Cremation Chamber

The next step is to put the deceased body into a container. The chamber is then preheated, and the technician inserts the body. During the process, the body combusts and finally turns into cremated remains.

This process takes 3 to 4 hours, depending on the retort’s power and the body’s mass. Following the procedure, the remains should cool before they can be handled.

Step 5: Finalizing the Remains

After cremation, the specialists inspect the remains for metal remnants. They remove these metal parts after the process.

The remains are then placed in a processor where they’re crushed into a fine, sand-like powder. Finally, the ashes are placed into an urn or a container and returned to you.

Contact Florida Family Cremation for Cremation Services

At Florida Family Cremations, we aim at helping you cope with the loss of your loved one. You can be sure we will accord the deceased the most respectable cremation service while taking the load off your shoulders. If you have an immediate need for cremation services in Clearwater, don’t hesitate to drop us a line for affordable cremation services. Apart from offering cremation services for veterans, our cremation services in Florida also include cremation preplanning. Do you need information about our unmatched cremation prices? Please get in touch with our team today at (727) 223-5911 to schedule a no-cost consultation.