Identification of Truss Construction

At Monday’s Coatesville City Council Meeting Coatesville Firefighter Jim Lentz brought up the ordinance of the Coatesville City Code proposed by former Coatesville Chief Francis Pilotti regarding the identification of truss construction in buildings.

It could save the lives of firefighters.

That ordinance has not yet been implemented.

“There are currently no occupancies in the City that are identified with a truss placard.

The system would be used to identify roof or floor trusses with a metal sign that costs about $8 each. If applied correctly, the builders would be responsible for these in the future.

The ordinance which is on-line under section 115 of the code needs to be amended to include language to post a residential development or subdivision in a manner that does not take away from the appearance of someone’s home. Street signs at the entrance/exits would work well.

We need to get this in place while we still have personnel that have been around long enough to remember where we might find this type of construction. The longer we wait, the harder it will be to identify where these features exist.”

Jim Lentz, Coatesville Firefighters Union

SEE:
Huge Safety Issue

http://coatesvilledems.blogspot.com/2010/02/huge-safety-issue-for-firefighters.html

“fire-resistive buildings will withstand an intense fire for a considerable time, while non-combustible buildings with truss roof construction can fail in just a few minutes once the fire attacks the truss space.”

Truss Issues
NFPA Journal, Mar/Apr 2009 by Klaene, Ben, Sanders, Russ
A modern building technique can mean greater risk for firefighters.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3737/is_200903/ai_n31513712/

§ 115-8.1 Identification of truss construction.
http://www.ecode360.com/?custId=CO0344
[Added 7-22-2002 by Ord. No. 1198-2002]
A.
Except as provided in Subsection C below, the owner of a building or structure containing truss construction in any form or manner shall install and maintain a truss emblem in a location so specified by the Fire Department. The location will be designated as close to the main entrance as possible and at a height not more than five feet above the floor level. These emblems will be provided by the Fire Department at a cost determined by resolution by City Council and listed in Chapter 108 of the City Code.
B.
The owner and/or developer of a residential subdivision or multifamily occupancy shall install and maintain a truss emblem within the public right-of-way or within the common elements areas as so determined by the Fire Department.
C.
Single-family dwelling units or semidetached dwelling units containing not more than two dwelling units shall be exempt from installing and maintaining the truss emblem.
D.
The Fire Department, with approval of the Fire Chief, shall determine the exact location for the designated location of such truss emblem and keep such record on file in the Fire Department along with the application being filed in the property file in the Codes Department at City Hall.
E.
The provisions of this section shall apply to the owners of existing buildings or structures having truss construction but such owners shall have six months from the effective date of this section to comply.
F.
The truss emblem will be a triangle in design with a white background with the following letters marked in red in the inside: (F) floor truss construction, (R) roof truss construction, (FR) floor and roof truss construction.