Updated October 6, 2026. By Will Tygart. Field and claims file for sewage, overland flood, and other grossly contaminated water. Not a fire pack-out reprint. Not legal advice.
Direct answer. Category 3 contents leave only after PPE, containment, inventory with condition codes, photos, and chain-of-custody that treats the load as potentially infectious — contamination control before cleaning.
Category 3 contents leave the structure only after PPE and contamination controls are up, a room-by-room inventory with condition codes, photos in place, and a chain-of-custody that treats the load as potentially infectious — not as a moving job.
The live fire contents pack-out is a sibling. Do not stretch it to Cat 3. Cat 3 is contamination control first, cleaning second. Category language: S500 categories and classes plus the 2026 weather position (wind-driven rain is not automatically Cat 3).
When pack-out is indicated on Cat 3
- Porous contents in the water line that cannot be cleaned in place without spreading contamination
- Occupied housing where ALE depends on removing the reservoir
- Reconstruction / demo that would destroy the inventory trail
- Specialty items that need a controlled facility after decontamination decisions
Do not pack-out unsavable porous goods “to clean later” as a storage play. That is a second contaminated site.
Sequence (S500-aligned)
- Preliminary determination of category is already in the file. If disputed, stop and write why you are treating as Cat 3.
- Containment / path: dirty to decon to clean. No dirty boxes through the living room.
- PPE: gloves, eye, boot covers, N95 or better; splash protection where aerosol is likely. This is not fire-soot PPE.
- In-place photos, then inventory: salvageable hard goods / questionable / non-salvageable porous. Occupant sign-off on non-salvage before dumpsters move.
- Pack salvageable items in labeled, closed containers. Do not reuse dirty cartons as “clean return” boxes.
- Transport as contaminated cargo per the company’s infectious-materials SOP and local waste rules.
- Facility: hard goods — clean, then inspect. Soft goods in sewage: default non-salvageable unless a documented textile protocol and occupant/carrier agreement say otherwise. Do not run Cat 3 textiles through the same line as a kitchen fire without a written decon break.
- Pack-back only into a dried, cleaned structure. Chain of custody closes on signature.
| Item class | Typical Cat 3 call | File note the carrier will ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Mattress, carpet pad, stuffed toys, untreated upholstery | Dispose | Photo in place + contamination contact |
| Clothing / linens in the water line | Dispose unless a documented textile protocol is authorized | Written authorization; do not “try the washer” |
| Hard plastics, sealed metal tools, some ceramics | Clean if not damaged | Chemistry, dwell, rinse, dry log |
| Electronics | Usually replace; do not energize | Why restoration is not attempted |
| Documents / photos | Specialty freeze-dry / vendor — only if authorized | Chain of custody to the vendor |
If mold is amplifying, add S520 — do not pretend Cat 3 water is only a drying job. Clocks for TPA contents assignments: contents cleaning SLAs by category.