The agreement will enhance the relationship between to the two Councils and is the result of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed during the Code Council's Annual Conference and Code Hearings this month in Baltimore.
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Executive Director of the National Volunteer Fire Council Heather Shafer and International Code Council CEO Richard P. Weiland sign a memorandum of understanding to improve firefighter safety through building and fire prevention codes, cooperative work on joint grant applications, federal legislation and other partnership opportunities. |
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The NVFC and Code Council have collaborated and submitted a Department of Homeland Security Fire Prevention and Safety Grant application for a program called "Sounding the Alarm," aimed at reducing rural community fire hazards and other potential dangers in residential homes. This program will create volunteer teams of firefighters and building officials who visit homes to replace outdated smoke alarms and conduct a home safety inspection focused on building, fire and property maintenance code requirements, and occupant education.
"The two organizations have been working together to advance legislation such as the Community Building Code Administration Grant Act," says Heather Shafer, Executive Director of the NVCF. "We believe that signing the MOU will allow us to better coordinate federal lobbying efforts on other issues of mutual interest."
U.S. Fire Administration statistics show that approximately 72 percent of the nation's 1.1 million firefighters are volunteers.