Year: 2025

Catastrophic Washington State Flooding 

Catastrophic Washington State Flooding

State and local authorities in Washington have declared a state of emergency and issued evacuation orders for all residents living in the Skagit Valley’s 100-year floodplain as unprecedented floodwaters from heavy rainfall continue to rise in Washington rivers. Evacuation orders were also issued for people living in Pierce, Snohomish, and Whatcom Counties. Even with drier weather on the way, the National Weather Service has warned that catastrophic flooding is expected to continue over the weekend. State officials anticipate that up to 100,000 people are under evacuation orders. The heavy rainfall also brings the risk of landslides to the region.

The International Code Council offers its support to all those affected by this tragic event. We are actively engaged and working with our Washington chapters and with local officials to support response and recovery efforts.

The Code Council and the Association of State Floodplain Managers support post-disaster utilization of building officials and floodplain managers through mutual aid agreements and other disaster aid networks to assist impacted jurisdictions and communities in need.

If you are a building official located in the affected areas and need assistance with post-disaster building safety assessments or building code related issues, please reach out directly to us through your regional Government Relations representative for Washington, Bryan Imai or Karl Fippinger, Vice President Fire and Disaster Mitigation.

Disaster Resources

The International Code Council Delivers the First Cayman Islands Custom Building Code

George Town, Grand Cayman – On December 5, 2025, the International Code Council (ICC) and its Board of Directors presented representatives from the Cayman Islands Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing & Infrastructure with the islands’ first custom building code.

While the Ministry has adopted previous versions of the International Codes® (I-Codes®), the Cayman Islands Building Code is the first to be published under its name, signifying the islands’ ownership of the code.

The new code is based on the 2021 International Building Code® and is designed to align with modern global standards while accommodating local needs. It is anticipated that the code will be officially adopted in 2026. The Cayman Islands will also be adopting the 2021 versions of the International Residential Code®, International Mechanical Code®, International Plumbing Code® and the International Fuel Gas Code®.  

The first printed copy of the Cayman Islands Building Code was presented to Hon. Johany S. “Jay” Ebanks, Minister of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing & Infrastructure, by ICC Board of Directors President, Mike Boso.  

This building code is a result of the long-standing, collaborative relationship between the ICC and the Cayman Islands and marks the culmination of more than three decades of efforts to strengthen building safety and resiliency across the islands.

“We are proud to support the Cayman Islands and deeply value the collaboration that made this advancement possible,” said Boso. “It was an honor for our Board and leadership team to meet with the Ministry and to participate in the presentation of the first branded Cayman Islands Building Code. We look forward to continuing our work together to strengthen codes, enhance capacity, and ensure safe, sustainable communities for generations to come.”

“This first branded Cayman Islands Building Code represents a significant step forward for our islands,” Minister Ebanks said. “It reflects years of collaboration, technical work and a shared commitment to building a safe and strong Cayman Islands. We are grateful to the ICC for its continued guidance as we prepare our islands for the future.”

ICC will continue to work alongside the Cayman Islands Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing & Infrastructure to assist with training, implementation, integration and ongoing development of the code.

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About the International Code Council
The International Code Council is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions. Code Council codes, standards and solutions are used to ensure safe, affordable and sustainable communities and buildings worldwide.