Obama and Christie Praise New Jersey Rebuilding Efforts;
Atlantic City Convention Center Awaits the ICC

Although they weren’t just a couple of guys on a boardwalk in New Jersey, President Obama and Governor Chris Christie recently toured shops and arcades that have been rebuilt in the seven months after Superstorm Sandy tore through the state's coastline. "The Jersey Shore is back and it is open for business," Obama also told residents in Asbury Park, adding, "We all understand there's still a lot of work to be done."

Christie told constituents he's "thrilled" with the progress that's been made since Sandy, but added that he reminded Obama that many homes and businesses have not been rebuilt. For his part, Obama said that "we're going to keep on going until we finish," and he doesn't want people thinking "that somehow we've checked a box and we've moved on." Read more from USA Today

Atlantic City casinos were forced to shut their doors on Oct. 28, 2012, during Hurricane Sandy, but protected by the dunes, the infrastructure of Atlantic City's tourist district was barely harmed by Sandy, and the casinos reopened within a week. The Atlantic City Convention Center, site of the Code Council's 2013 Annual Conference and Group B Public Comment Hearings and Expo, will host plenty of events from September 29–October 2 when the Code Council conducts its Annual Conference, including the Annual Business Meeting, comprehensive education sessions, awards presentations and a special tribute to ICC's 10th Anniversary celebration this year. Registration is open for the conference. Make plans now to join the ICC in Atlantic City!

Promote Building Safety Month throughout the Year

Building Safety Month is a public awareness campaign offered each year to help individuals, families and businesses understand what it takes to create safe and sustainable structures. The campaign reinforces the need for adoption of modern, model building codes, a strong and efficient system of code enforcement and a well-trained, professional workforce to maintain the system.

This year's theme was Building Safety Month: Code Officials Keep You Safe. Each week of Building Safety Month spotlighted a specific area of building safety:

Week four BSM: Demand Rises for Sustainable and Safe Structures
Week three BSM: Building Safety Month Raises Awareness of Backyard Safety
Week two BSM: Code Officials Keep You Safe Where You Live, Work and Play
Week one BSM: ICC Commemorates Milestone in Construction Codes

Although Building Safety Month is observed in May, supporters are encouraged to promote safe and sustainable structures throughout the year. Consider these tips to promote Building Safety Month in your community:

• Promote BSM through your Chapter activities.
• Set up an information booth at city hall or a local hardware store.
• Visit a school and give a presentation about building safety.
• Post local information on your website.
• Send a news release to newspapers, and radio and television stations.
• Encourage local media to cover Building Safety Month activities and send public service announcements to local radio and television stations.
• Public information officers, city managers, or mayors could also arrange to appear on a talk/community information show through your local television or radio stations.
• Include a call-in, question-and-answer session as part of the program to generate even more interest.
• Be sure to also invite your local media to any scheduled events you plan during the month and post on your social media websites.

Click here for more information on Building Safety Month 2013.

10 Reasons to Use ICC Training for Your Chapter Education

What do the Idaho Association of Building Officials have in common with the Code Administrators of Kentucky? Both use ICC Training for their chapter education.

Both Frank Wallace, Education Chair of the Code Administrators of Kentucky, and Bob Ankersmit, Education Committee Chair for the Idaho Association of Building Officials state chapter, spoke highly of ICC’s Training & Education classes, specifically the contract courses offered through the Hire ICC to Teach program.

Top 10 things the Idaho Association of Building Officials and the Code Administrators of Kentucky have in common:

1. They’ve hired ICC to teach chapter training since I-Codes were adopted in their jurisdictions
2. Both regularly contract with ICC Training’s Hire ICC to Teach
3. They find the course workbooks full of valuable information; and attendees can keep them for ongoing reference
4. Both think ICC’s instructors are “top-notch” and help members better understand the intent of the codes
5. They book their ICC training early (up to a year in advance)
6. Favorite courses include Accessibility, Means of Egress, and “anything related to safety in the IBC”
7. Both would “absolutely” recommend ICC Training to colleagues
8. They like that ICC Training helps members maintain credentialing
9. Both think that Hire ICC to Teach courses provide participants with correct interpretations of the codes
10. Both feel that ICC knows the codes best, since they wrote the books

Share Your Chapter News with Us

Have a recent meeting you'd like to share with your fellow Chapters? Did you start a new program, elect new officers, have a successful training session or recognize a fellow Chapter member? Let's show our Chapter pride by sharing all the great things chapters do throughout the year in the name of public safety. Send your photos, captions and Chapter news items to chapters@iccsafe.org. We'll see that they are published in an upcoming edition of ICC eNews.

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Building on a Relationship of Innovations

ICC-ES and Washington state-based Weyerhaeuser Company have built a strong relationship over three decades based on technical excellence shared between the two organizations. With an emphasis on quality and innovation, Weyerhaeuser relies on ICC-ES evaluation reports produced by knowledgeable engineers to introduce innovative products to the construction industry.

“As we continue to develop products, we are always thinking of what will benefit the builder, owner, industry, and whether these products remain with Weyerhaeuser or are better suited with other companies,” said Glen Robak, P.E., Weyerhaeuser Senior Engineering. “We will continue to look to ICC-ES for evaluations. This will further benefit the industry, as ICC-ES reviews and helps ensure the reliability and safety of our products.” Continue reading story