Cremation Facts 101

Knowing what Blaine, WA cremation services are available and what is involved in cremations can assist you when you're preplanning your own funeral or you are making funeral arrangements for a loved one who has died. 

Cremations are done at very high temperatures – over 1400 degrees Fahrenheit! No metal can be in the crematorium, so if the body has assistive devices like pacemakers, they're removed before the cremation (pacemakers can be donated and they will be refurbished to help people who may not be able to afford them otherwise). The body is placed in a fully-combustible container, such as a casket or a sturdy cardboard box. 

What you get back from cremations is called cremains. Despite popular belief, these cremains are not ashes. The cremation process burns everything except bones. The bones are cooled down after cremation, then they are placed in a processing machine. The processing machine pulverizes the bones until they are a fine, grainy consistency, which is white and gray in color, which is why they're often referred to as ashes. 

Only one body at a time is cremated. There is very a careful process to correctly identify the deceased (usually a family member is present or the crematorium uses a photo), tag the body with the name (the tag doesn't burn, so it goes with the remains all the way through the process), and then the body is placed in the cremation chamber. Cremation chambers are designed for a single body. If families request that two people be cremated together, they will be cremated in separate chambers that are side by side. 

Cremation is a fast process. It normally takes between two to three hours for a body to be cremated, which is a whole lot faster than the natural decomposition process. 

Cremations do violate religious beliefs for most faiths. The original religious opposition to cremations came when modern Christianity was instituted by Constantine. Cremations were considered something the pagans did, so Christianity rejected it. That stigma lasted about 1600 years. But, finally, logic prevailed. People die in accidental fires all the time – in essence, they're cremated whether it was their choice or not – and that doesn't change their faith or their fate. It just took a while to get here. 

Cremation is not new as a way of disposition. It was used in many cultures as far back as people have existed on the earth. In times of widespread highly-infectious disease outbreaks, cremations were the only way to stop the spread of the diseases. 

Crematoria are extremely conscientious about making sure you get your loved one's cremains back. With the identification and tagging process that follows the deceased all the way through cremation, you can be confident that the cremains you receive from the funeral home are those of your loved one. 

You can have a funeral and a cremation. Very often, funeral services are held before the deceased is cremated and they can even include a viewing beforehand. If you choose a viewing, you can either use the cremation casket or rent a casket from the funeral home. If you choose not to do a viewing, then you can still have a visitation without the body present, and a funeral service with readings, eulogies, and music. 

For additional information about Blaine, WA cremation services, our compassionate and experienced team at Moles Farewell Tributes & Crematory – Greenacres Memorial Park is here to help. You can visit our funeral home at 5700 Northwest Dr., Ferndale, WA 98248, or you can call us today at (360) 384-3401.