ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

There could be some changes in enforcement coming to building and fire codes after some discussion by the Liberal City Commission at a recent work session Tuesday afternoon.

“Historically, with a home of wide-frame construction, floor joists above a basement supporting the first story floor were going to be 2x10, 2x12 or something like that to carry that weight,” Code Enforcement Director Keith Bridenstine said. “If there was a fire that broke out in the basement, it takes quite a while for a fire to burn through a 2x10 or something similar. As construction types have differed throughout the years, certain trusses became more common and the nominal choice while the under the floor joists became less common. It was discovered the trusses are mostly 2x4s with special press-in plates to help hold everything together, so if a fire starts in the basement, those plates pop out, the 2x4s disconnect and burn through quickly, meaning the floor falls in. There was a fire in town 2016 or 2017 where a fire started in the residence’s basement and the fire department got delayed at the railroad tracks. Had the fire department shown up without that delay, the firefighters would have just made it into the house when the entire floor collapsed into the basement. It is a huge safety issue for fire personnel and the residents of that home. In 2012, the International Code Council put in fire protection of floors, but it only qualifies if you’re using those engineered trusses that were mentioned earlier – if the home still has the joists, you don’t have to do that. The City of Liberal was under the 2009 codes when I started back in 2015 and then in 2017, we adopted the 2015 codes. This was in those codes, and after everything got approved and processed, that’s what I started enforcing.”

However, that did not come without some backlash, Bridenstine said. 

“Upon trying to enforce that, however, multiple contractors had very bad problems with it. Multiple contractors went to the building official at the time, and the building official at the time didn’t want to fight with the contractors,” Bridenstine said. “He didn’t confirm with the fire department, he didn’t think about safety, he basically said ‘I don’t want to fight with the contractors, I’m going to take this out.’ It was exempted then by that building official, and we did not enforce it. When we adopted the 2024 codes, I had the rulebook because in discussing this with the fire marshal, fire chief and other building inspectors, we all support any safety measures – we agreed anything to do with life safety shouldn’t be taken out. If it impacts the project by $2,000 or $3,000, I think most people would be okay with that because their lives and the lives of their familes and/or pets is worth more than any dollar amount.”

“What is being proposed is one layer of 0.5-inch sheet rock on residential and commercial properties, and it doesn’t have to be muddied or taped,” Fire Marshal Cody Regier said. “If a homeowner isn’t finishing a basement, they can have either wood structural paneling or 0.5-inch sheet rock. There are some exceptions, like for small mechanical rooms, but otherwise, this would mean homeowners wouldn’t have to do anything but screw sheet rock on the ceiling.”

“And I know some have argued that would be cost-prohibitive, or it would be a pain for the homeowner if they do ultimately decide to finish the basement space because they would have to pull that sheet rock down in order to finish everything,” Bridenstine said. “We’re looking at everything from the life safety standpoint. This was put in the code for a reason, and we’ve seen evidence of it in fires that have been dealt with in town.”

Liberal Mayor Jeff Parsons then spoke.

“I’ve bought multiple houses throughout the years, with finished and unfinished basements, and I never thought aboutg the engineering side of everything,” Parsons said. “Now, however, I can totally see the point of having this in place because as has already been said, it’s about life safety,”

“We’ve had one developer and one general contractor who have come to me and complained heavily and wanted this either taken out or modified, and I’ve let them know in no uncertain terms that’s not happening,” Bridenstine said. “I know commissioners have also gotten calls about this, but it’s important we are all on the same page.”