Subject
title
Proclamation Declaring May 2025, as Building Safety Month in Rockville, Maryland
end
Department
Community Planning and Development Services (CPDS)
Recommendation
Staff recommends Mayor and Council read and approve the proclamation and present the proclamation to Kina Campbell, Chief of Inspection Services • Community Planning and Development Services, and Chris Dempwolf, Building Plans Examiner Supervisor • Community Planning and Development Services, and Jenny Snapp • Deputy Director of Community Planning and Development Services.
Discussion
The City of Rockville is proud to be among the many safety-oriented jurisdictions throughout the country in officially recognizing May as Building Safety Month. This is an excellent opportunity to pay tribute to the many design professionals and contractors who design and build with a consciousness of user life safety and sustainability, as well as to local government code professionals in the Inspections Services Division (ISD), and Code Enforcement with the Department of Community Planning and Development Services, whose primary task is to see that safety and code compliance is properly ensured.
Those permitting code professionals include permit technicians and plans examiners, who screen, review, and approve over 5,000 building permit applications and construction plans annually to ensure that designs are safe and code-compliant for permit issuance. They also include the City’s building and fire inspectors, who, after permits have been issued, check construction at various stages of work to make certain that the building’s structural elements, accessibility, means of egress, fire protection, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems are installed in accordance with adopted codes, and comply and conform with approved plans and submittal documents. Collectively, they conduct over 12,000 code compliance permit inspections each year.
Equally important are the Code Enforcement inspectors and officials who are responsible for making sure that all existing buildings and structures, e.g., houses, restaurants, churches, apartments, hotels, schools, City and County facilities, and structures remain just as safe and well-maintained today as they were years ago when they were newly constructed, through proactive enforcement of adopted property maintenance codes.
Building Safety Month continues to serve as critical outreach and a visible means of highlighting and reinforcing the importance of safety, and protection of buildings and the people who use them during design, under construction, and during occupancy.
The International Code Council’s (ICC) theme for Building Safety Month 2025 is "Game On!” This month is dedicated to raising awareness about building safety, promoting the adoption of modern building codes, and highlighting the work of building safety professionals.
Here's a breakdown of the month's activities: :
• Week 1 (May 1-3):
"The Warm Up" - Focuses on how building safety impacts daily life in workplaces, homes, and recreational spaces.
• Week 2 (May 4-10):
"Build Your Offense" - Encourages active participation in building safety programs within communities.
• Week 3 (May 11-17):
"Build Your Defense" - Focuses on disaster preparedness, including severe weather, wildfires, and earthquakes.
• Week 4 (May 18-24):
"The Starting Lineup" - Highlights the careers of building safety professionals.
• Week 5 (May 25-31):
"Going Into Overtime" - Explores future trends in the building safety industry, including global trends and advancements in technology.
Mayor and Council History
The Mayor and Council issue a proclamation for Building Safety Month annually.
Public Notification and Engagement
Staff teams will be engaging in various community outreach activities throughout the month to raise awareness of the themes.