U.S. Congressman recognizes the 38th annual Building Safety Month
Week 3 of the campaign, May 13-19, focuses on “Protecting Communities from Disasters”
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Peter Welch of Vermont recognized the 38th annual Building Safety Month in the U.S. House of Representatives. He joins 35 U.S. governors and 337 local jurisdictions, International Code Council chapters and associations in proclaiming the importance of building safety, building codes and the role of code officials. Building Safety Month is a public awareness campaign presented by the Code Council and its 64,000 members worldwide each May.
“Building safety and fire prevention officials, architects, engineers, builders, tradespeople, design professionals, laborers and others in the construction industry work year-round to ensure the safe construction and maintenance of buildings. It is through their efforts that our nation continues to address critical safety issues in the built environment that affect our citizens in both everyday life and in times of natural disaster,” said Congressman Welch.
Week 3 of the international campaign, May 13-19, focuses on “Protecting Communities from Disasters.” Last year’s devastating hurricane season and rampant wildfires highlight the necessity of focusing on building safety and building codes to protect our homes and communities. Disaster mitigation efforts such as building code adoption and enforcement is one of the strongest strategies jurisdictions can take to protect a community against the effects of natural hazards. Mitigation increases occupant health and safety during a disaster, protects the local tax base, ensures continuity of essential services, and supports more rapid recovery from disasters.
The Code Council’s International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (WUI) is a supplement to the building and fire code that provides additional safety in areas determined to be highly susceptible to wildland fires. Consisting of tools to determine the fire hazard severity based on topography and vegetation types, the WUI provides minimum requirements that protect public health, safety and welfare. Click here to explore the week 3 interactive digital poster about the WUI.
Join the Code Council on Twitter on Monday, May 14, at noon ET, to discuss disaster preparedness and mitigation with Executive Director for the Alliance for National & Community Resilience and ICC Government Relations Regional Manager Bryan Soukup. Use the hashtag #CODEversation and share your questions, tips and thoughts about building safety and disaster mitigation.
To learn more about the importance of building codes in protecting communities from disasters, click below.
- Interactive poster – Wildfire Prevention
- Podcast – Disaster mitigation with two FEMA experts
- Digital toolkits – Earthquakes, Floods, Hurricanes, Tornados, Wildfires, Winter Weather
- Brochure – Flood Cleanup: Safety and Salvaging
- Safety First — Disaster Preparedness: Tips for Your Home and Family
- 10 Important Tips for Disaster Safety and Mitigation
- 10 Fire Safety and Awareness Tips
Visit www.buildingsafetymonth.org for more information, and join the online conversation using the hashtag #ICCBSM18.
About the Author
The International Code Council is a nonprofit association that provides a wide range of building safety solutions, including product evaluation, accreditation, certification, codification and training. It develops model codes and standards used worldwide to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures.
