• GR held its Forum at the ABM in Phoenix. It was well attended. The agenda included presentations on the ICC High School Technical Training Program, an update from DOE on energy issues, a presentation from FEMA on areas of mutual partnership with ICC, and an overview of state/local and federal issues.
• The GR staff has been actively involved in the National Wildfire Cohesive Strategy, as well as working with local, state and federal wildland fire organizations this year. GR staff has participated in a number of wildfire reviews in the states of Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Washington. As a result of this year’s devastating wildfires, GR staff has been working closely with State Forestry and State Fire Marshals offices in the states of OR, WA, ID, MT, CA, WY, CO, GA, ND, SD, OK, TX, FL on community wildfire planning and IWUI Code adoptions.
• The last comments GR submitted in response to rulemaking, was to the Department of Energy’s Request for Information on the cost-effectiveness of new energy code adoptions and enforcement marking the ninth formal comment submitted in 2011.
• Mississippi Governor Haley Barber reorganized the Mississippi Building Code Council. The council met September 19th and elected Bill Rogers (past president of the Code Officials of Mississippi and Chief Building Official in Hattiesburg, MS) as their new chairman. The council affirmed that the 2006 suite of ICC codes are the minimum codes that can be adopted in the state of Mississippi.
• GR staff member Kraig Stevenson met with Hawaii Senators Gabbard and Dela Cruz to discuss the IgCC. Both Senators plan to submit IgCC legislation in 2012.
• In October, District of Columbia Code Officials Association held its first meeting as an ICC chartered chapter. With the Board of Directors recognition of DCCOA as a Code Council chapter, ICC has chapter coverage in all 50 states and now the District of Columbia. Guy Tomberlin from the ICC Board of Directors was on hand conducting the installation of DCCOA officers, and Justin Wiley, GR’s Director of External Relations, provided a brief ICC overview to the 40 attendees. Mayor Vincent Gray sent regards to the new chapter through Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Director, Nicholas Majett.
• The Building Officials Association of Palm Beach County, Florida, presented GR staff member Phil McMahan with a Certificate of Appreciation for his “valuable service to the Chapter and Association during the BOAPBC Combined Meeting” on October 13, 2011.
• GR staff member Bruce Johnson’s presentation on adopting the latest codes and standards has been selected by the International Association of Fire Chiefs to be presented at the annual Fire-Rescue International conference in August, 2012.
• Bruce Johnson attended and presented at the November Public Meeting of the Chemical Safety Board, where they released their draft investigation report on several fatal accidents at the Hoeganaes Faculty. He also represented ICC on an Expert Panel that included Guy Colonna from NFPA.
• Sara Yerkes was a guest speaker at the invitation of Mike Armstrong, former SVP with ICC at his class on emergency management at the George Washington University.