Building Safety in Alexandria? Yes, Please

Code officials often don’t see immediate rewards from their work. They work behind the scenes. Hence there’s Building Safety Month, in May, an annual public awareness campaign to help individuals, families and businesses understand what it takes to create and sustain safe and sustainable structures.

Between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday, the city will mark the beginning of Building Safety Month with an event in Market Square, 301 King St. The event will begin with a proclamation by Mayor Bill Euille and will include food and speeches by city staff members and the building community. This year’s theme is “Building Safety Month: Code Officials Keep You Safe.”

Each week during the month, a specific area of building safety will be spotlighted: Fire Safety and Awareness, May 6‐12; Disaster Safety and Mitigation, May 13‐19; Backyard and Pool Safety, May 20‐26; and Energy and Green Building, May 27‐31.

Founded by the International Code Council, Building Safety Month is celebrated by jurisdictions worldwide during May. 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.