Fire service honored, International Code Council hosts delegation at annual event
International Code Council
CEO James Lee Witt applauds Secretary of Homeland Security
Michael Chertoff's keynote address during the CFSI dinner.
International Code Council
President Frank Hodge (left) and Regional Fire Service
Activities Director Mel Cosgrove, former Fire Marshal
for Mobile (Ala.), discuss fire safety issues.
Cong. Curt Weldon, founder
of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, makes a point
during his address to the CFSI dinner. He is credited
with coining the term, "Silent Defender," during
the ICC Annual Conference in Nashville, Tenn.
The fire service is well
represented on the ICC Board. Left to right: Immediate
Past President Anne vonWeller, ICC Board Director Adolf
Zubia, CEO James Lee Witt, Director Kevin Scott and Vice
President Henry Green.
Julia Holt (left), Dickson
(Tenn.) Fire Department Public Education Officer, accepts
the Home Education Hero Award medal from Home Safety Council
President Meri-K Appy. The ICC Fire Service Activities
Program is working with fire departments across the country
to increase their involvement in the ICC code development
process.
Following the CFSI dinner,
Ronny Coleman (left), former Calif. State Fire Marshal,
and Joe Pierce, Deputy Chief Fire, Prevention Dallas (Texas)
Fire-Rescue attended the International Code Council reception.
Coleman is partnering with ICC and other organizations
on a virtual reality training program. Pierce, served
on the 2003 International Existing Building Code Committee.
The fire service plays a key role in making communities safer
places to live, work and play. That is one reason the International
Code Council and International Association of Fire Chiefs,
signed a memorandum of understanding two years ago that opened
the door to more active participation of IAFC members on ICC
committees and matters of interest to the fire service. The
agreement also provides opportunities for building and fire
officials to cooperatively develop building safety codes.
The International Code Council Fire Service Activities Team
and International Fire Code Council were well represented
when fire officials, legislators, code officials and others
paid tribute to the nation's fire service at the 17th Annual
National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner in Washington,
D.C. This year's theme was "Protecting Our Communities…and
Everyone Goes Home."
"The fire service is an integral part of our nation's
building safety and fire prevention team," said International
Code Council CEO James Lee Witt. "This event is an opportunity
to honor the fire service for all they do for public safety
in communities across America, including the work they do
in code development and enforcement."
Organized by the Congressional Fire Services Institute, the
dinner serves as a fundraiser. The institute works to educate
Congress about fire and life safety issues. The International
Code Council, a supporter of the event since 1992, hosted
three tables at this year's dinner.
Speakers included Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff,
Congressional Fire Services Caucus Chairman Sen. Joseph Biden,
D-Del., and Co-Chairs Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes, D-Md., Reps.
Curt Weldon, R-Pa., and Robert Andrews, D-N.J. Congressmen
Christopher Cox, R-Calif., and William Pascrell, Jr., D-N.J.,
each received CFSI Legislator of the Year Awards.
Hosting the International Code Council delegation were Board
President Frank Hodge, Jr.; Vice President Henry Green; Immediate
Past President Anne vonWeller; and Directors Kevin Scott and
Adolf Zubia. In addition to Witt, staff included COO Rick
Weiland, Deputy COO Dominic Sims, Senior Vice President of
Government Relations Sara C. Yerkes, V. P. Congressional Relations
Mark Dinneen, V. P. State Government Relations Vaughn Wicker,
Congressional Relations Associate Christine Lebo and Administrative
Assistant Rhonda Lynn.
Members of the International Code Council Fire Service Activities
Team at the event were Regional Fire Service Directors Mel
Cosgrove, Page Dougherty and Daniel Lane, Wildland Fire Program
Director Dan Bailey and National Director Jim Tidwell.
Members of the International Fire Code Council and other
fire service guests included: Darrel Fournier, Chief, Freeport
(Maine) Fire and Rescue; Howard Hill, Assistant Chief of Fire
Prevention, New York City Fire Department; Dwayne M. Garris,
Georgia Assistant State Fire Marshal; Tom Lariviere, Fire
Chief, Madison (Miss.) Fire Department; Fred Cowper, Chief
of Meridian Township, Mich.; Brian Maltby, Division Chief,
Brampton (Ontario) Fire and Emergency Services; George McCall,
Fire Marshal, Wade Hampton (S.C.) Fire Department; Joe Pierce,
Deputy Chief, Fire Prevention, Dallas (Texas) Fire-Rescue;
Robert G. Stahl, Jr., Southampton (Pa.) Fire Chief; Robert
J. Weitzel, Fire Chief, Green Township Fire Department, Cincinnati,
Ohio; Lee Wheeler, Fire Chief, Renton (Wash.) Fire Department;
and Doug Williams, Fire Chief, Rincon Valley (Cal.) Fire District.
