When an individual arrives from a funeral home we require that the funeral home already have the individual placed into a combustible container and that the person's full name and the name of the mortuary are clearly placed on the outside of the container. We and a funeral home representative then verify that the documentation, necessary signatures, and corresponding name is on both the cremation container and the cremation permits.

Once the identification has been verified and the applicable permission slips have been checked we weigh the individual in the cremation container. (The scale is preprogrammed to offset the lift device used to move the individual.)

The information is entered into our system, then printed. The printout and a metal identification tab are attached to a magnetic clip; this clip and its contents will later be attached to the retort that the person is placed into. The identification of the individual is once again verified just before the cremation.

The retort is started and a systems check is done prior to beginning the cremation.

Once the retorts system checks ok, the auto loader places the deceased into the retort chamber. The cremation process then begins.

The cremation can take between 2-3 hours. Once the cremation is complete and the retort has cooled down the bone fragments are cleaned from the retort. The calcified bone fragments are then collected into an aluminum tray.

The individual's bone fragments, and identification information are taken to the preparation area for further processing. The cremains are placed onto a stainless steel processing table, still in the aluminum collection tray.

Metal is sometimes found in the bone fragments; this can be from the cremation container used or from medical implants. The metal is removed by passing a magnet over the cremains. This aids the operator in removing metals that can be difficult to identify by vision alone.

Once the bone fragments have been cleaned of all foreign materials they are placed into a special stainless steel bucket with steel blades in the bottom. The bucket is placed onto a processing unit. This reduces the bone fragments and changes them to what we call the cremains. The cremains particulates range in size from a powder to U.S. dime size fragments.

A plastic bag is placed into an urn and opened. The cremains are then poured into the plastic bag.

The Stainless steel tab that has the individual's identification number is attached to the bag that the cremains were placed into.

A label is placed onto the outside of the urn. This label has the name of the individual who is placed in the urn, as well as their identification number, the date they were cremated, and that they were cremated at Southland Crematory.

The cremains are now ready to be returned to the funeral home and on to their final disposition.