BlueReady guide · Reviewed by Josh · Updated October 2026
What to do after a death at home in Chattanooga
Call 911 first. Police and the medical examiner will come, take care of your loved one, and release the home. After that, cleaning is up to the family or property owner, and you can call a professional team like ours.
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Step by step
The first hours and days
Call 911
Even if the death was expected, call 911. In Chattanooga, police respond. Elsewhere in Hamilton County it may be the Sheriff’s Office or your town’s police. In Georgia, the county coroner is involved.
The medical examiner or coroner
In Hamilton County, the Hamilton County Medical Examiner investigates deaths outside a hospital or hospice care. The office moved this year into the new Regional Forensic Center at 3rd Street and Holtzclaw Avenue. In Walker County, Georgia, it’s the Walker County Coroner.
Choose a funeral home
The funeral home coordinates with the medical examiner or coroner to bring your loved one into their care. You don’t need to have everything decided right away.
Call for cleanup when the home is released
Please don’t try to clean it yourself. Call us, and a local tech will explain the plan and cost before anything starts. We bill insurance directly.
Secure the home and notify family
Lock up, pause mail if needed, and let close family know. If the home is a rental, notify the landlord or property manager.
Important
Why you shouldn't clean it yourself
When a death isn’t discovered right away, bodily fluids can soak deep into flooring, subfloor and furniture. They can carry bloodborne pathogens, and the odor will keep coming back unless the source is removed.
Professional cleanup protects your family’s health, helps your insurance claim, and spares you from seeing things no one should have to see.
Techs on standby now
Need help now?
If cleanup is what you need next, call and we’ll explain everything. No pressure, no money up front.
- Answered 24/7 by our own team, not a call center
- No deposit. We bill your insurance directly
- Unmarked vehicles and complete discretion
Who to call
Local numbers in one place
Checked October 2026. In an emergency, always call 911.
Regional Forensic Center, 3rd St & Holtzclaw Ave, Chattanooga
Call or text 988, any time
FAQ
Questions families ask us
Still have a question? Call 423-954-0185 any time. You’ll talk to someone local.
Not the police, the medical examiner, or the funeral home. Once your loved one is removed and the home is released, cleanup falls to the family or property owner. A trained biohazard team like ours handles it so you don’t have to.
Often, yes. Many homeowners and renters policies cover sudden, accidental events, but every policy is different. We review your coverage with you and bill your insurance company directly, so you’re not dealing with the adjuster alone.
We save and set aside personal items, photos, jewelry and documents whenever they can be safely cleaned, and we always ask you before anything is thrown away.
Many jobs take one to a few days. Cases where time passed before discovery can take longer because of material removal and odor treatment. We’ll give you a clear plan on the first visit.
Keep reading
Related help
Professional recommendations
Tips from our techs
Practical advice from the people who do this work every week.
Call 911 even if expected
Unless your loved one was under hospice care, police and the medical examiner need to be called.
Find important papers
Look for a will, insurance policies and any prepaid funeral plan. Funeral homes will ask.
Know your funeral rights
Under the FTC Funeral Rule, funeral homes must give you an itemized price list. You can choose only what you want.
Protect the home
Lock up, stop mail and remove valuables if the home will be empty.
Don't clean it yourself
If the death wasn’t found right away, call a professional. It protects your health and the insurance claim.
Lean on people
Let friends handle meals, calls and errands. You don’t have to do this alone.
Helpful links
Trusted outside resources
Official agencies and organizations we point families to. We have no paid relationship with any of them.
7454 East Brainerd Rd · (423) 894-2010 · carriageservices.com
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