ICC Foundation presents at World Bank Hazard Management Brown Bag Lunch
ICC
Foundation President Paul Myers (standing) addresses World
Bank staff at a Hazard Management Brown Bag Lunch during
Building Safety Week. Pictured from left: Francis Ghesquiere,
World Bank; Rick Okawa, Vice President, International
Services, International Code Council; Alberto Hererra,
International Services Representative, International Code
Council and Margaret Arnold, World Bank.
An important part of the job for employees in the Hazard
Management Unit at the World Bank, is educating people to
demand for safer communities. The World Bank's Margaret Arnold
said, "Poor people don't think they have a right to demand
for safer hospitals."
Constructing safer buildings was a key part of the presentation
ICC Foundation President Paul Myers made to members of the
Hazard Management Unit and other employees of the World Bank.
Myers gave the presentation as part of the World Bank's ongoing
Hazard Management Brown Bag Lunch series. International Code
Council Board Members Bill Dupler and Tim Ryan, who both serve
on the Disaster Response Committee, also attended. Rick Okawa,
Vice President, International Services and Alberto Hererra,
International Services Representative, were present to answer
questions regarding the International Program.
Tim Ryan explained the value of volunteer inspectors after
natural disasters. Codes Administrator for the City of Overland
Park, Kan., Ryan said, "After the disaster and damage
assessment, we need to ask, why did these buildings come apart
like they did?" By incorporating lessons learned, fatalities
can be minimized in the future.
Improving communities is part of the World Bank's work. The
World Bank employees at the lunch cover different regions
including Europe, Central Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean,
but primarily they focus on Latin America.
They asked about how to take a model code, such as the International
Residential Code, and adapt it to a specific region, where
lack of funding, government corruption, and even cultural
heritage are concerns.
Bill Dupler, Building Official for the County of Chesterfield,
Va., explained that code officials in the United States experience
many of these same issues in poor, urban and suburban areas.
Jurisdictions can incorporate amendments to the codes as needed.
"For international efforts, it's important to find a
way that meets the values of the other countries," said
Dupler, "But offer our experience."
