Cremation is the burning of the body of a deceased person and reducing it to ashes, as opposed to a traditional burial in which the body decomposes over several years. Cremation takes place at crematoriums, which are typically found in cemeteries.
Preparation and transportation of the body for cremation
To ensure the body is cremated safely, it is important to remove any items that may endanger the cremation. These items include watches, rings, as well as pacemakers and other electrical or mechanical objects that are prone to exploding and causing damage or injury to staff.
Following the removal of these objects, the body is placed in a coffin. Flowers on the coffin are removed if the cremation is performed after a funeral. You should let the funeral director know in case you want to keep the funeral flowers after the funeral service. You can have the flowers dried to keep them as a memento to be taken home or placed at the memorial site.
Funeral directors offering cremation services in Brisbane are usually responsible for transporting the coffin to the site of cremation. Transportation can either be done from the mortuary facility or the funeral director or it can be arranged by the church or chapel. It mostly depends on the location of the funeral service. As soon as the coffin arrives at the crematorium, it remains sealed throughout the process of creation.
Before cremation commences, it is imperative that crematorium staff verify the body’s identity. This is done by matching the name on the application for cremation documents, the nameplate on the coffin, and the coroner’s cremation permit or medical certificates obtained from the funeral director.
Usually, cremation is performed the day following the funeral service. However, it is required by law that it takes place within two days of the service. In case cremation is not performed immediately after the funeral service, the coffin is placed in a holding room that is refrigerated.
The cremation process
When it is time for the cremation process to begin, the crematorium staff place the coffin on a conveyer belt or insertion trolley. All the metal parts of the coffin, such as the handle, are removed and a staff member places the nameplate of the deceased outside of the cremator for the body to be identified during the process of cremation.
Thereafter, a staff member places the body in the cremator feet first. Only one person is cremated at any one time.
There are different types of cremators, but most of them have a cooling tray and two chambers. The first chamber is constructed using heat-resistant bricks and is powered by natural gas. Before the coffin is inserted, it is heated to a temperature of between 800°C to 1000°C. Cremation occurs due to the heat from the bricks. The body is moved removed after being moved to the second chamber.
Finally, a cremulator is used to finely grind the remains into a sand-like ash which is placed in a sealed container or an urn that the family of the deceased has purchased.
