Blue Ribbon Wild Fire Panel meets to make recommendations to feds
Representatives from more than 40 organizations participated in a Blue Ribbon Panel on wildfires to assess existing programs and recommend solutions to Congress and federal agencies. During the panel's meetings in Washington, D.C., hosted by the International Code Council, experts called for a renewed emphasis on strong adherence to code enforcement and public education to break the cycle of fires that regularly plague California and other areas of the nation.
With a focus on collaboration, the Blue Ribbon Panel will appraise current guidelines and look at the effectiveness of the current efforts among governmental and non-governmental organizations to combat wildfires. The panel will assess the availability and quality of community preparedness and emergency planning codes and standards; existing community wildfire protection planning methodologies; and effectiveness of public education campaigns. The results of Blue Ribbon Panel/Summit findings will be a report providing key recommendations and actions for the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Department of the Interior to best address the national issue of wildland-urban interface fire.
Media Contacts:
Senior Regional Manager of Fire Service Activities, California Field Office,
International Code Council
Phone: (888) 422-7233, ext. 7273; Cell: (661) 472-2100.
Director of Wildland Fire Programs, International Code Council
Phone: (888) 422-7233, ext. 6275; Cell: (406) 546-9978.
Deputy Senior Vice President of Government Relations, International Code Council
Phone: (888) 422-7233, ext. 6233; Cell: (817) 715-8881.
Blue Ribbon Panel Participating Organizations: The Blue Ribbon Panel is made up of traditional fire service organizations and others interested in resolving wildland fire issues, especially those where the forest and people meet (known as wildland urban interface). More than 40 organizations are involved in the Blue Ribbon Panel.
Support from Capitol Hill: The International Code Council received several letters from Capitol Hill in support of the Blue Ribbon Panel.
