By FireRescue1 Staff
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new law banning the use of plywood to board up vacant or abandoned properties has firefighters concerned.
ArchPaper.com reported that the law, House Bill 463, requires properties to be secured with see-through polycarbonate panels. The panels, similar to aircraft windows, allow for views into abandoned buildings and are more durable than plywood, according to the report.
However, fire departments are concerned the panels, which are difficult to break through, might cause trouble for crews during a fire. Where plywood can readily cut with an ax, the see-through panels can only be cut with a K-12 saw.
“How long does it take us to deploy that saw to cut through that plastic? In the fire service, time is of essence for us. Life and death, not to be dramatic, comes down to minutes,” Lieutenant Matthew Herzfeld, with the Toledo Fire Department, told NPR in a January interview.
Other cities, including Chicago and New York, are also considering adopting similar bans.