Facts About Funerals and COVID-19
A Notice to Our Families
The families we serve are always our top priority. During confusing and concerning times such as the current COVID-19 event, we want to share our plans with you. We want to assure you that we are all in this together.
First, we are closely monitoring and following guidelines from the CDC as well as all local and New York State emergency services. At this point there has been NO direction from any source that visitations or services should be cancelled. We have set in place new measures to help protect the members of our community. We will make every effort to accommodate families in making arrangements via phone or email; and we are conducting services in any capacity needed to ensure their safety and comfort while honoring their loved one.
We are taking necessary steps in order to avoid compromising the health of our visitors that include all of the following and more:
- Increasing frequency cleaning in all of our public areas as per CDC guidelines.
- Working with families to adjust services to comply with all state and local authorities.
- We have the ability to complete funeral services entirely online, through email or by phone.
- Placing signs in our facilities that remind guests to avoid physical contact and maintain physical distance during a funeral service.
- We have online guestbooks available to share condolences and the option to call our office for us to add you name to the guestbooks.
Furthermore, we have a live streaming service available in our chapels for family and friends that are unable to attend the funeral service. We encourage the use of a live webcast as a means of allowing your loved ones to view the service.
Again, our family and staff are here to serve, protect and honor each family as we have for over 55 years. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call or email any of our locations . We will continue to post updates and follow any new guidelines as they arise.
*CDC Information Copied from NFDA
At this time, the CDC states that decedents with COVID-19 may be buried or cremated according to the family's preference. They state that there is currently no known risk associated with being in the same room at a funeral home with the body of someone who has died of COVID-19. However, the CDC states that people may consider not touching the body of someone who has died of COVID-19.
For more information please call our funeral directors at (716) 668-3122.
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Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home - Cheektowaga
Daniel R. Smolarek Funeral Home - Buffalo