Building Safety Month

WHEREAS, Alabama’s continuing efforts to address the critical issues of safety, energy efficiency and resilience in the built environment that affect our citizens, both in everyday life and in times of natural disaster, give us confidence that our structures are safe and sound; and

WHEREAS, our confidence is achieved through the devotion of vigilant guardians, building safety and fire prevention officials, architects, engineers, builders, tradespeople, laborers and others in the construction industry who work year-round to ensure the safe construction of buildings; and

WHEREAS, these guardians, dedicated members of the International Code Council, use a governmental consensus process that brings together local, state and federal officials with expertise in the built environment to create and implement the highest-quality codes to protect Americans in the buildings where we live, learn, work, worship and play; and

WHEREAS, the International Codes, the most widely adopted building safety, energy and fire prevention codes in the nation, are used by most United States cities, counties and states. These modern building codes also include safeguards to protect the public from natural disasters such as hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, wildland fires and earthquakes; and

WHEREAS, Building Safety Month is sponsored by the International Code Council, to remind the public about the critical role of our communities’ largely unknown guardians of public safety, our local code officials, who assure us of safe, efficient and livable buildings; and

WHEREAS, “Resilient Communities Start with Building Codes,” the theme for Building Safety Month 2015, encourages all Americans to raise awareness of the importance of building safe and resilient construction, fire prevention, disaster migration, backyard safety, energy efficiency and new technologies it the construction industry; and

WHEREAS, Building Safety Month 2015 encourages appropriate steps everyone can take to ensure that the places where we live, learn, work, worship and play are safe and sustainable, and recognizes that countless lives have been saved due to the implementation of safety codes by local and state agencies; and

WHEREAS, each year, in observance of Building Safety Month, Americans are asked to consider projects to improve building safety and sustainability at home and in the community, and to acknowledge the essential service provided to all of us by local and state building departments, fire prevention bureaus and federal agencies in protecting lives and property:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of the State of Alabama, do hereby proclaim May 2015, as

Building Safety Month

in the state of the Alabama, and encourage all citizens to join with their communities in participation in Building Safety Month activities.