[psmacleod]

I'd guess most municipalities in the US still use unencrypted analog radio, so all you need is a guy with a scanner. You don't even need a scanner where I live, they have a live feed available on the county website. When we had a house fire about 20 years ago, guys showed up to sell "board up" and restoration services before the fire trucks had left. It's a sleazy business. We went with the restoration company our insurance co. recommended, they were clear we could go with whoever we wanted but their preferred one guaranteed the insurance payout would fully cover the work. They were fine to work with and did a good job. There are also companies (at least in California where we lived at the time) that offer to take a cut of your payout to catalog your stuff and negotiate a claim with your insurance company. They make grand promises and seemed super sketchy.