Fire Runner Best Practices: The Complete Guide for Restoration Contractors

A fire runner is the first face a homeowner sees after a fire. The role is 70% empathy and 30% sales. This guide is the complete playbook for running that role well — what to do in the first 60 minutes, how to open the conversation, how to coordinate with adjusters, and which KPIs actually matter.

What is a fire runner?

A fire runner is the restoration industry's term for a field salesperson whose only job is to reach fire-damaged property owners immediately after an incident and secure a signed authorization-to-proceed. The role originated in New York and Chicago restoration companies in the 1990s and has since become standard practice at every high-performing restoration contractor.

The fire runner is distinct from a project manager, an estimator, or a production lead. The runner does not scope the job in detail, does not price the job, and does not manage the work. The runner does one thing: arrive first, earn trust, and secure the signed authorization so a competitor cannot take the job tomorrow. Once the authorization is signed, the runner hands the homeowner off to production and the project manager takes over.

What should a fire runner do in the first 60 minutes?

The first 60 minutes after a fire dispatch determine whether your runner wins or loses the job. Here is the minute-by-minute target cadence that top runners follow.

• 0-5 minutes: Acknowledge the FirstLeads alert. Pull up the incident in the dashboard. Confirm address, property type, and owner contact info.
• 5-15 minutes: Text or call the owner. Lead with empathy. Do not pitch. Ask permission to come by.
• 15-30 minutes: Load the vehicle with the emergency kit. Head toward the scene.
• 30-60 minutes: Arrive on scene. Check in with the fire marshal. Confirm scene is safe. Find the owner.

The on-scene playbook (step-by-step)

Every fire runner should follow the same six-step playbook from alert to handoff. Documented, drilled, and reviewed weekly.

How to open a homeowner conversation without sounding like a vulture

The single biggest mistake new fire runners make is leading with the pitch. Homeowners just watched their house burn. They are in shock, exhausted, and already fielding calls from insurance, family, and public adjusters. Your runner's opening line is the difference between a closed door and a signed authorization.

The right opener does three things: identifies the runner, acknowledges the situation, and asks permission. Here is a template that works across every scenario.

Note what this opener does not do: it does not mention restoration, does not mention price, does not mention insurance, does not offer to scope the job. It opens a door, nothing more. Once the homeowner says yes, the runner listens — and only pivots to logistics when the homeowner asks.

For the full set of scripts across insured, owner-occupied, commercial, and voicemail scenarios, see our conversation starters guide or download the free Fire Runner Playbook.

Coordinating with public adjusters and carrier adjusters

Within 24 hours of a fire, at least one adjuster will be on scene — often more. The runner's job is to coordinate, not to compete. Fire runners who try to lock out the adjuster lose the relationship and the job. Fire runners who position themselves as the adjuster's partner win repeat referrals.

Public adjusters work for the homeowner. They negotiate the claim against the carrier. Your runner should introduce themselves, hand over business cards, and explicitly offer to provide accurate Xactimate estimates that support the adjuster's position. Public adjusters remember contractors who make their job easier — and they send deals your way for years.

Carrier adjusters work for the insurance company. They scrutinize scope and pricing. Your runner should be deferential, professional, and never bad-mouth the homeowner or the carrier. Carrier adjusters who trust you add you to their preferred-vendor list — and direct referrals from a carrier are worth more than ten cold runs.

Fire runner KPIs that matter

Track four KPIs weekly. If any one of them drifts, the runner is off-target.

• Alert-to-contact time: minutes from the FirstLeads alert to the first outbound call or text. Target: under 30 minutes.
• Contact-to-scene time: minutes from first contact to physical arrival. Target: under 2 hours.
• Signed authorizations per day: a ramped runner averages 1+ per day. New runners ramp to this over 30 days.
• Authorization-to-billed-job conversion: at least 80% of signed authorizations should become billed production jobs. Anything below 80% means the runner is over-promising or production is dropping the ball.

Five mistakes that kill fire runner conversion

1. Leading with a pitch. The homeowner didn't ask for a quote. Empathy first. Always.
2. Arriving without the authorization form. If the homeowner is ready to sign, you need the paper (or tablet) in hand right then.
3. Trying to lock out the public adjuster. Public adjusters drive repeat business. Treat them as partners, not threats.
4. Over-promising timelines. If production is booked, say so. A runner who over-promises tanks the company's reputation.
5. Relying on aggregator lists instead of real-time alerts. By the time a 30-day-old list surfaces an incident, three competitors have already signed the job.