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Pacific Northwest Region II

OPTA Hosts Successful Building Safety Week

Pictured here is Sara, who received an ICC Codie the Cougar Building Safety Activity Book and sticker when she arrived at the Milwaukie building department with her mother to apply for a permit.

In an effort to support Building Safety Week, the Oregon Permit Technician Association (OPTA) asked its members to concentrate on water quality and the importance of backflow prevention for any events they coordinated. In response to that initiative, OPTA Past President Bonnie Lanz and Building Official Tom Larsen, both from the City of Milwaukie, Oregon, hosted a successful Building Safety Week.

They educated the public on water quality, the importance of backflow protection and how to protect drinking water from contamination. Larsen and Lanz organized an informative display case in their building department lobby that included the 2008 International Code Council's Building Safety Week Kit, a variety of informative building safety handouts, and code-related brochures, including information on backflow devices. Tina Alexander, from Tualatin Valley Water District, also provided brochures on how to prevent water contamination in the home.

Learning about Building Safety where you live, work and play is not just for adults. It is essential for children of all ages to be educated on building safety.

The city was also proud to promote two homegrown Oregon programs: Think Permit and Permits Protect. The two programs feature websites dedicated to educating the public on the importance of permits and inspections, and provide information to help demystify the permit process.

WSAPT Holds Fall Conference

The Washington State Association of Permit Technicians held their Fall Conference on October 16-17 at the Sun Mountain Lodge in Winthrop, Washington. Chapter Relations VP Laura Scott presented 2006 IPMC Fundamentals and installed the chapter’s new officers: President Judy Pozarich, 1st Vice President Nettie Wagner, 2nd Vice President Lauri Jackson, Recorder Win Slota, Treasurer Ellena Hazen and Immediate Past President Cindi Somers. Pictured l-r are Hazen, Slota, Wagner, Outgoing Recorder Rose Ann Carroll and Pozarich.