# What is this emblem on buildings? (Florida) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 8, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-emblem-on-buildings-florida/685608 "2014-04-08T02:16:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-emblem-on-buildings-florida/685608/1 "2014-04-08T02:16:20Z")
On a recent house-hunting trip, I spotted this oddball emblem on most of the buildings in a particular development. I saw the same or very similar emblem on a restaurant a few days later. The condos were in Delray Beach; the restaurant was in Boynton Beach - both in Palm Beach County. Any clue what it was? On the condo, it’s visible above the shutters on the righthand part of the building. [Linky](https://picasaweb.google.com/113854553490322277283/WeirdEmblemOnDoors?authkey=Gv1sRgCPrv2vqXz--ONA) ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-emblem-on-buildings-florida/685608/2 "2014-04-08T02:23:47Z")
Forgive the link to a very ugly [site](http://www.diamondsign.com/Fire.html), but it appears to be a warning about structural design required for firefighter safety. ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-emblem-on-buildings-florida/685608/3 "2014-04-08T02:47:39Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > Forgive the link to a very ugly [site](http://www.diamondsign.com/Fire.html), but it appears to be a warning about structural design required for firefighter safety. Yep. It is an emblem that tells firefighters that the construction of the building is truss based. The trusses can burn and collapse with little warning so it is meant to help determine how to fight the fire with as little risk to the firefighters as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-emblem-on-buildings-florida/685608/4 "2014-04-08T03:36:14Z")
Interesting - thanks! I guess I should be glad that the place we wound up bidding on does NOT have those signs! Is that kind of construction less safe in, say, a hurricane as well? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-emblem-on-buildings-florida/685608/5 "2014-04-08T14:02:33Z")
Funny, I’ve lived in the area since 1987 and never noticed those signs. Of course, now I’m going to see them everywhere! > [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > Forgive the link to a very ugly [site](http://www.diamondsign.com/Fire.html), but it appears to be a warning about structural design required for firefighter safety. Sweet Jesus, that site is ugly for even early-web Geocities standards. Not just hard to read, but literally _impossible_ to read without highlighting the white-on-yellow text. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-emblem-on-buildings-florida/685608/6 "2014-04-09T02:38:15Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Funny, I’ve lived in the area since 1987 and never noticed those signs. Of course, now I’m going to see them everywhere! My thought exactly. Except I’ve been here since 1978. I wonder if building code changes make it less common? I don’t spend much time near really old buildings here. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-emblem-on-buildings-florida/685608/7 "2014-04-10T05:06:57Z")
A fire-fighting symbol located on the only flammable part of the structure. Yes, must be within 24" of the door horizontally - but how much more would it cost to put another on the stone column beside the walkway? I hope it is a no-brainer in this case - the building looks like a standard 2x4 stud frame and I would expect the usual cheap truss roof - or does that sign indicate it is even less sturdy than a cheap tract house?