Does your Building comply with the Aldridge-Benge Firefighters Safety Act?

When conducting real estate inspections at condominium associations, homeowner’s associations and commercial buildings for an insurance appraisal, I realize that a lot of these buildings do not comply with the Aldridge-Benge Firefighters Safety Act, which was enacted in 2009. The original wordage can be found in Florida Statutes 633.027.

The law requires commercial, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings (over three units) to be marked with an emblem, which warns firefighters when the building is constructed with lightweight floor or roof trusses.

The law was named in the memory of two firefighters from Orange County who were killed in the collapse of a building which was constructed with lightweight trusses.

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The meaning of the signs is as follows:

R Lightweight Truss Roof
F Lightweight Truss Floor
RF Both Lightweight Truss Roof and Floor

If you are not sure, if your building is constructed with lightweight trusses, contact an engineer or your local fire department.

I think it is very important to comply with this law to help protect our firefighters when they try to protect us. You can find more information about Aldridge-Benge Firefighter Safety Act on YouTube.

Please spread the word among condominium associations, homeowner’s associations, Community Association Managers, commercial real estate owners, and other professionals who are decision makers.