FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 No. However, you would need to select some type of container for the final disposition of the cremated remains.   

 The cremated remains are placed in a processor where bone fragments are reduced to fine granule consistency before being placed in a sealed container. At this point an identifying label is attached and the remains are kept until instructions are provided by the family.   

 The practice of cremation has been held throughout human history and is an alternative to earth burial or entombment. Just as with a funeral our professional staff will arrange for the collection of the deceased and the subsequent cremation. This is held in private and is not open to families.   

Yes. If you choose to have a public viewing this is referred to as a “traditional cremation” is allows for the flexibility of cremation as a service. You and your family choose the details that suit you best.   

Unless you select a public viewing (traditional cremation) prior to cremation there is no need to embalm the body.  

The benefits for choosing cremation over traditional funeral services are many and can vary from the flexibility of having services at a future time that may be more convenient for the family to environmental issues with concerns to land use and the affordability it provides.   

Services can be held before or after cremation in accordance to the wishes of the family. However, a direct cremation allows for the services to be held after the cremation at a place and time that best suits the family.   

Cremators will usually comprise two chambers and a separate cooling tray. The casket is cremated in the first chamber according to Health Department Regulations. Following this initial process the remains are relocated to the second chamber where the ash is removed from the casket itself. The remnants are then placed in a cooling tray where metallic content such as casket nails are removed.

The time it takes to cremate a deceased person depends on a number of factors from body mass to what type of casket is being used. That being said, the average time for a cremation is approximately 90 minutes. However, when the cooling process is factored in the entire process may take as much as four hours to complete.

A cremator is generally made out of heat resistant bricks and is fueled by natural gas. 

A casket is always placed into the cremator feet first.

Cremation is approved by most Christian denominations and is preferred among Hindus and many Buddhists. It is not acceptable within the Orthodox Judaism, Islam and Eastern Orthodox religions. 

With cremation the family has many options in which to dispose of the remains. The remains can be buried in a cemetery, displayed in a home or other location in an urn or they can be scattered at  allocation pre-determined by the deceased.   

Also known as alkaline hydrolysis, aquamation is an environmentally friendly alternative to direct cremation. It uses 90% less energy than direct cremation and consumes no carbon emissions. 
Other common terms include water-based cremation, aqua cremation, flameless cremation, dissolution, bio-cremation, and resomation.   

This technology is the preferred sterilization method in the scientific industries. The first system for human bodies was installed 22 years ago in Florida. MAYO Clinic has used the technology for over a decade as part of their willed body program (bodies donated to medical science).   

 The deceased is placed inside a stainless steel vessel, or chamber. The system fills with a solution of 95% water and 5% alkali. This solution is heated, and continuously flows through the system (similar to the slow flow of a stream). This process takes longer than a flame cremation; the length of time depends on the temperature of the process.   

The remains after alkaline hydrolysis are sterile, 100% safe to handle immediately after the process and are returned as a nice consistent powder.   

Using aquamation, families tend to receive up to 20% more remains.