Building back better: Metal’s role in fire-resistant recovery

By Jesse Sanchez.  

Metal construction is leading bold, innovative, fire-resilient community rebuilding efforts. 

As wildfires continue to devastate regions across the U.S., a renewed push is emerging to rebuild smarter, stronger and more sustainably. One of the voices calling for that shift is Frank A. Stasiowski, founder of PSMJ Resources and the METALCON trade show. In this MetalCast™, Frank laid out a vision for how metal construction can be central to rebuilding efforts in wildfire-ravaged communities, especially in Altadena, California, a city hard hit by recent fires. 

“We're going to seek a project there, such as a community center or a library or recreation building to help rebuild,” Frank said. “And what I would really like to personally do is engage metal contractors to help out, because if half the roofs in California were constructed of metal, the buildings would not have burned.” 

Frank isn’t just advocating, he’s organizing. Through the Professional Services Management Journal (PSMJ) Disaster Rebuilding Fund, a nonprofit established after Hurricane Katrina, his team is actively fundraising and scouting potential partners in California. The goal is to launch a cornerstone project that can demonstrate how metal materials, roofing, siding and framing, can dramatically improve fire resistance and reduce community vulnerability in future disasters. 

“Our plan in California is to wait a little while until we collect some money and until things settle down, and then hop on a plane and go to Altadena,” he said. “And with the power of our mailing list and our donations, we're able to connect with those people.” 

The strategy doesn’t end with materials. Frank and his team are also exploring partnerships with other organizations to co-finance and co-develop the project. “Let’s say we find a project in Altadena and the project cost is going to be $50 million and we only have raised $10 million. Well, we need $40 million more. So what we try to do is find other organizations that are looking to partner and put them together in a coalition to try to get the project done,” he explained. 

This boots-on-the-ground approach has been PSMJ’s hallmark for nearly two decades, but the focus on metal’s fire-resistant properties marks a distinct evolution. As climate-fueled disasters grow more intense, Frank believes the metal construction industry has both a moral obligation and a strategic opportunity to lead. If half the roofs in California were constructed of metal,” he said, “the buildings would not have burned.” 

Read the transcript, Listen to the episode or Watch the full recording to learn more about how metal construction is transforming the way communities rebuild after natural disasters!