Angie Wiese Honored for Excellence in Fire and Life Safety
The Excellence in Fire & Life Safety Award honors individuals who have dedicated themselves to saving lives and property through their work on code development, fire prevention practices and fire service leadership.
During the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Fire-Rescue International Conference in Kansas City, Mo., the International Code Council, in partnership with the IAFC Fire & Life Safety Section (FLSS), presented the 2023 Excellence in Fire & Life Safety Award to Angie Wiese, Director of the Department of Safety and Inspections for the City of St. Paul, Minn.
The Excellence in Fire & Life Safety Award honors individuals who have dedicated themselves to saving lives and property through their work on code development, fire prevention practices and fire service leadership.
Wiese’s Leadership in Fire and Life Safety
Wiese was hired by the City of Saint Paul in 2005 as a fire protection engineer. She became Fire Safety Manager in 2016 and was promoted to her current position as Director of the Department of Safety and Inspections in 2022.
Under Wiese’s leadership, the St. Paul Department of Safety and Inspections received the Innovation Award from the Kennedy School for Fire Safety Inspection Program. Her commitment to health, safety and housing stability for Saint Paul’s unsheltered residents resulted in the creation of the city’s Homeless Action Response Team, which serves as a model for other cities.
A 10-year member of the IAFC Fire and Life Safety Section, Wiese served on the FLSS Board of Directors from 2013 to 2022. She credits her mentors for introducing her to the many facets of community risk reduction and helping her to become involved in the fire and life safety code process.
“Angie is a national fire service leader who deeply values the FLSS mission. We applaud her drive and determination to make a difference by making the built environment safer for its occupants and public safety personnel alike”, said Deputy Fire Chief Robert Marshall, Vice Chair of the IAFC Fire and Life Safety Section and Chair of the Code Council’s Fire Code Action Committee.
Through her years of experience, her passion for the importance of building safety codes and standards grew. This passion led her to participate in local and national code adoption. Following her time on the FLSS board, Wiese was elected to the Code Council’s Board of Directors in 2018 and currently serves as the serves as Section B Director.
Through her strong leadership and representation of the nation’s fire service on the Code Council Board of Directors, Wiese brings a unique perspective on fire and life safety while raising the bar for those who will follow her.
Learn more and get involved with the Fire Code Action Committee, here.
About the Author
Karl Fippinger, CEM, PMP is Vice President, Fire and Disaster Mitigation for the International Code Council. He is a 30-year veteran of the fire and emergency services having served as an Assistant Fire Chief with the Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton Volunteer Fire Department in Prince William County, VA as well as an adjunct fire and rescue instructor for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department in Fairfax County, VA. Karl is also a Certified Emergency Manager with the International Association of Emergency Managers and serves as a member of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Advisory Council. He brings more than 25 years of public and private sector experience in federal, state, and local disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.
