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ICC Heartland Region IV Coalition

WICED Holds Annual Business Meeting in Minneapolis

Women in Code Enforcement and Development (WICED), a new International Code Council professional chapter, held its annual business meeting on September 17 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during the Code Council’s Annual Conference. Code Council Board member John Darnall addressed the group and installed the 2009 officers. Darnall also presented the group with a plaque and banner to welcome them as a Code Council chapter. WICED President Shirley Muns announced that Code Council Congressional Relations Vice President Mark Dinneen and Darnall will receive the honor of becoming the first and second associate members of WICED. During the meeting, the chapter passed a motion to submit a resolution for the Community Building Code Administrative Grant Act. A total of 28 were in attendance, including Code Council Board members Barbara Koffron and Cindy Davis, Government Relations Senior Vice President Sara Yerkes, Publishing and Multimedia Vice President Margi Leddin, Government Relations Regional Manager Rita Swearingen, and Chapter Programs Manager Patty Bond.

WICED’s next meeting is slated for the Code Council’s 2009 Codes Forum on March 23-25, 2009, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Since WICED covers the entire U.S., the chapter plans to hold meetings each year during the Code Council's Codes Forum and Annual Conference, being careful to avoid code hearing time slots. The group is considering options for holding additional meetings, including via conference call. The chapter also plans to begin publishing a quarterly newsletter.

The purpose of Women in Code Enforcement and Development is to provide mentoring, advocacy and education to women working in the areas of code enforcement and development. Anyone, man or woman, can become a member.

WICED’s newly elected officers display their plaque and banner with Code Council Board member John Darnall. From left is WICED President Shirley Muns, Secretary/Treasurer Eirene Oliphant and Vice President Sarah Rice.

Illinois Council of Code Administrators, Code Council Remember 9/11

Illinois Council of Code Administrators (ICCA) President Steve Witt (left), and ICCA Delegate Dan Jakes (center), recite the Pledge of Allegiance led by Code Council Senior Vice President of Technical Services Tom Frost to mark the seventh anniversary of 9/11. Chapter members and Code Council staff observed a moment of silence as part of the memorial. The chapter held its board meeting in the Code Council's Chicago District office staff.

SSBOA Mutual Aid System Responds to Illinois House Explosion

In the early morning hours of September 6, an explosion due to a gas leak destroyed eight homes and killed two residents in the city of Frankfort, Illinois, located about 25 miles southwest of Chicago. Forty other homes in the vicinity incurred some degree of damage. Authorities immediately evacuated the area and began searching for victims.

Suzy Turnbull, a disaster team coordinator with the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, said the scene of the blast resembled the destruction sometimes wrought by a tornado. "Rooftops surrounding the explosion site are covered with debris," Turnbull said. "The house looks like a tornado tore through it."

Craig Eyer, Building Official for Frankfort, is a member of the South Suburban Building Officials Association (SSBOA). The chapter has a “mutual aid” system—organized by SSBOA Immediate Past President Steve Wydeveld—which is designed to help fellow chapter members respond to disasters. Eyer called his mutual aid contact for the area and within a few hours several SSBOA members dropped their weekend plans and responded quickly onsite to perform inspections and provide damage assessments on the homes that were damaged.