The 'new' way of building trusses is less expensive, and
safe---unless there's a fire. The heat and flames can weaken the metal
gusset plates that hold the wood braces together, making a failure (and
collapse) more likely.
This form of construction was involved in a floor collapse 12 years ago in Pompey, that killed two firefighters who were in a burning home on
"When the truss fails, it all falls down," FASNY (Fireman's Association of
the State of NY) member Robert Leonard tells us. "The
challenge for the fire departments is to know the trusses are in the building,
and to change our operation a little bit."
Scott McClurg, a home builder/remodeler and former Syracuse firefighter,
tells us that use of the trusses, including in his own Marcellus work areas, is
financially driven. Contractors are constantly battling costs, he
says, and this along with a modified beam that uses less lumber, help keep the
costs down.
Homebuilders are supportive of the new law, which
requires notification of the truss construction on building permits. That
information is to be passed on to fire departments, and the builders say they
will also put special warning stickers on electrical boxes outside new homes,
to also give arriving firefighters a warning of what's inside.
That warning could help them calculate how safe the inside
of a burning structure is, and get them out safely before it collapses and
traps them.
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