Guide for families
Death at home in Madison: the first 24 hours
Who to call first, what the Dane County Medical Examiner does, and when cleanup can start.
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Quick answerIf someone has died at home, call 911 first. Police and the Dane County Medical Examiner will come. Don’t clean or move anything. Once the medical examiner releases the home, the funeral home cares for your loved one and a biohazard cleanup company cares for the home. Insurance often pays for the cleanup. Reviewed by Kevin, who leads our Madison team · Updated November 2026.
First hour
Call 911, then wait
Call 911, even if the death seems expected. Step outside or into another room if you can and wait for police and EMS. Don’t touch, clean or move anything; investigators need to see the scene as it was.
If the person was in hospice care and the death was expected, follow the hospice nurse’s instructions instead. They’ll tell you who to call.
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The first 24 hours after a death at home in Dane County
Who does what, in order
Families tell us the hardest part is not knowing what comes next. This is the usual order, and where we fit in.
Police and EMS come. Don't clean or move anything.
An investigator from Dane County Medical Examiner looks into the death.
You choose one. They care for your loved one.
You're told the home is released. Now cleanup can start.
Your zone's tech comes out and walks through with you.
You approve it. We call your insurer. Nothing up front.
Who does what
Who does what after a death in Madison
Police, the medical examiner, the funeral home and your insurer each handle one part. None of them clean the home.
| Who | What they do | What they don’t do |
|---|---|---|
| 911 and Madison police | Secure the scene and investigate. | Don't clean, and won't recommend one company over another. |
| The Dane County Medical Examiner | Takes care of the person who died, investigates and tells the family when the home is released. | Doesn't clean, remove stains or remove odor. |
| The funeral home | Cares for your loved one and arranges the visitation and service. | Doesn't clean or decontaminate the home. |
| Your insurance company | Pays for covered cleanup and repairs. | Doesn't send a crew. You can choose your own cleanup company. |
| The landlord or property manager | Owns the unit and usually arranges cleanup in a rental. | Can't let anyone in to clean until police and the Dane County Medical Examiner release it. |
| A house cleaner or carpet cleaner | Everyday cleaning. | Usually isn't trained or equipped for bloodborne pathogens or medical waste disposal. |
| MadTown Biohazard | Cleans, disinfects and removes odor in Madison, sends waste to a licensed facility, rebuilds and bills your insurer. | Call 608-974-1788, 24/7. |
The medical examiner
What the Dane County Medical Examiner does
In Dane County, the Medical Examiner’s office investigates sudden, unexpected and unattended deaths. Their investigator decides whether an autopsy is needed and when your loved one can go to the funeral home you choose.
They’ll also tell you when the home is released. Until then, the room should be left alone. In nearby counties, a medical examiner or a coroner does the same job.
The funeral home
Choosing a funeral home
You choose the funeral home, not the police or the medical examiner. If you don’t have one in mind, call one near you; they answer questions any hour and coordinate with the medical examiner.
The funeral home cares for your loved one and the arrangements. They don’t clean the home. That’s a separate job.
Before cleanup
What to do before cleanup starts
Call your homeowners or renters insurer, or let us call for you. Many policies cover cleanup after a death at home.
Turn off the furnace or AC fan if you can, close the door to the room and keep pets out. Make a short list of anything in the room that matters to the family, like jewelry, papers or photos, so we can set it aside.
Cleanup
When and how cleanup happens
Once the home is released, call us. We’ll walk through the room, show you what was affected and give you a written scope and price. Nothing starts until you approve it, and nothing is due up front.
If someone wasn’t found for a while, fluids and odor may have reached the flooring underneath or the room below. That’s not a job for household cleaners. We remove what’s affected, decontaminate the structure and treat the odor at its source.
FAQ
Common questions
911. Police and the medical examiner come first.
After the medical examiner releases the home. Have it professionally cleaned rather than doing it yourself.
No. They care for your loved one. Cleaning the home is a separate job.
Often homeowners or renters insurance. We bill the insurer directly and never ask for money up front.
Sources we checked (reviewed November 2026)
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