Cremation Facts – Everything You Need to Know

Cremation uses intense heat to speed up the process of diminishing a body to bone fragments and then to ashes. It has been a choice selected by more families over recent years as the costs are economical and cultural norms have become more accepting of the process.

Cremation opens up many options for memorial services. You may still have a funeral service before or after cremation. Or, you may choose to have a memorial service following cremation.

Options for the Remains

Some families prefer to keep the remains at an outdoor memorial niche or buried traditionally underground. Others prefer to scatter them at a favorite place of rest. There are also options of creating lasting pieces of jewellery with the remains.

The Cremation Process

For many people, cremation is an unknown or unfamiliar process. There are certain cremation laws in the state of Connecticut we must abide by. Please ensure you are familiar with them. Cremation laws vary state by state.

To clarify any misconceptions of cremation here is a general overview of the cremation process at Nutmeg State Cremation Society in Fairfield County, CT:

• We are notified of a death by either a family or a facility in which the death occurred. Once the death is noted on a State of Connecticut Death, we transfer the deceased back to our facility. An ID bracelet is placed on the ankle for tracking at the location of death.
   
• Your loved one is cleaned and bathed according to state laws.
   
• We meet with the family to gather details and sign permits. The death certificate is completed at this point (if not done so already), and the medical examiner is notified.
   
• The medical examiner performs a non-invasive review the next business day and provides a ‘green slip’ or the go-ahead for cremation if the examination is satisfactory.
   
• There is a 48 hour mandatory wait period according to state laws. Your loved one is kept in a secure location at our facility while all necessary paperwork is filed in the city or town in which the death occurred.
   
• Once the 48 hours has passed, the deceased is placed in a secure wooden or cardboard box. We have a policy where two staff members must verify and identify the decedent independently before departure.
   
• For peace of mind, some families request that we assign a staff member to accompany your loved one throughout the cremation process to ensure his or her safe return to you. Other families choose to be present during the cremation process.
   
• The deceased is transported to the certified crematorium, Mountain Grove Crematory. The staff members at the crematorium use a detailed tracking system for accuracy. The cremation process typically takes two to three hours. Cremation is done one by one according to Connecticut state laws.
   
• After the cremation is completed, any remaining metal items from clothing or dental work is removed. The bone fragments are placed into a cremulator to reduce the fragments and then placed into an urn or container of your choice.
   
• The ashes are returned to our facility, and you will be notified to make further arrangements for burial or memorial service.

Cremation is a lower-cost alternative to traditional burial, offers flexibility and also lessens the environmental impact associated with traditional burials.

Nutmeg State Cremation Society welcomes your questions. Please call us at 203-348-0443, or contact us anytime.