Council here has endorsed a private members bill aimed at improving safety for firefighters across the province.
Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece is working on a bill that would require most commercial and industrial buildings, as well as apartment complexes of three or more units, to display an emblem alerting fire crews if the building was erected using truss and lightweight construction.
A press release from the MPP’s office indicates truss and lightweight-type construction is used in almost every new home and in building renovations. The term generally refers to construction using building components that bear the weight of the building with a minimum amount of materials, rather than “overbuilding.”
The release states tests conducted by the National Research Council Canada show the times to reach structural failure during a fire in a building with truss and lightweight construction are 35 to 60% shorter than for solid wood joist assembly. Structural failure can happen in as little as six minutes.
Pettapiece cites the construction style as a factor in the 2011 deaths of North Perth Fire firefighters Ken Rea and Ray Walter. Rea and Walter, who were the first Perth County volunteer firefighters to ever die in the line of duty, perished when the roof of the Dollar Stop in Listowel collapsed during a fire on March 17, 2011.
Mapleton Fire Chief Rick Richardson told council at the Aug. 23 meeting he supports the initiative, “having been involved with that particular fire plus having some close calls ourselves with roof trusses and truss floors.”
Councillor Marlene Ottens asked how many buildings in Mapleton would be built with truss and lightweight construction.
“Way more than 200,” Richardson estimated.
“We’ve been getting more and more applications (for this type of construction), particularly on floor systems,” noted chief building official Patty Wright.
“There’s a significant number within this municipality.”
Pettapiece modeled his bill after a bylaw passed in the City of Stratford, which requires buildings using truss and lightweight construction to post an emblem by their door. Other municipalities including West Perth, Perth East and Perth South have passed similar bylaws.
Mayor Neil Driscoll wondered if the bill would make the alert system mandatory for all buildings or only new construction.
“That’s part of what the province will figure out,” said Richardson.
Council voted to support the bill, as recommended by the Mapleton fire and building departments.
