WDMA: Partners in Building Safety -- Only Online DWM May 2006

Only Online -Door and Window Manufacturer May 2006

WDMA: Partners in Building Safety
by Mike Fischer

May 7-13, 2006 marked "Building Safety Week," sponsored by the International Code Council Foundation (ICCF). First observed in 1980, this year's Building Safety Week centered on the theme: "Building a Safer World Together." This is designed to help focus attention on safe and secure building practices designed to improve building safety in homes and businesses by removing hazardous conditions.

The ICCF, a subsidiary of the International Code Council (ICC), promotes strong and safe communities through the use of educational programs. The ICCF mission is worldwide.

The ICCF maintains a library of materials and aids to assist and encourage local communities to participate in Building Safety Week. The materials provide information to be distributed within the community to raise awareness about the many facets of safety, including disaster preparedness tips, and to help citizens find ways to reduce the likelihood of damage to homes as well as keep their families safer. The disaster preparedness tips include measures aimed at floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires. The ICCF takes a three-pronged approach in its advice; recommending that families have three important elements in place. Plans for evacuation, communication and emergency supplies are included in the tip sheets.

The Building Safety Week materials also include promotional materials aimed at helping communities spread the word by implementing local programs. Samples of news releases, strategy tips, and other communications pieces, as well as instructions regarding specific hazards are all available from the ICCF website.

The ICCF is particularly concerned with child safety. CODiE the Cougar, the ICCF building safety mascot, is featured in a series of activity sheets aimed at educating children about home safety. Some of the topics covered in CODiE the Cougar materials include information about emergency escape, smoke alarms, stairway safety, electrical outlets, swimming pool safety and hot water hazards.

On Thursday, May 11, the ICCF hosted the "Silent Defender" awards dinner in Washington, D.C. The dinner highlighted the ICC's activities during Building Safety Week and was held to increase public awareness of the ICCF and its activities as well as raise funds important to the ICCF mission. During the awards dinner, the ICCF recognized Silent Defender honorees who have made significant contributions to improve public safety, health and welfare. James Lee Witt, CEO of the ICC and chairperson and CEO of James Lee Witt and Associates in Washington, D.C., presented awards to the following recipients: The Honorable Ted Stevens (R-AK); Inter-American Development Bank; The Home Depot; Representative Jo Ann Davis (VA); and Prof. Dr. Omaima Ahmad Salah El-din (Egypt).

The Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) is pleased to partner with the ICCF and other supporters of building safety. WDMA acting president Jeff Lowinski is a member of the ICCF Board of Governors and WDMA has worked with the ICCF on several fronts to help promote the ICCF mission and its public safety programs.

Another of the ICCF activities--an important part of WDMA's outreach is Project Hero, an ICCF program to assist disabled American veterans with specific housing needs, whether it be renovations to provide accessible features or additional living space.

WDMA believes that through partnerships with other stakeholders in promoting business and home safety, the building industry will have a positive effect on the quality of life for our citizens. As a member of the ICCF Technical Advisory Council, I believe in the work of the ICCF and encourage all members of the building products community to follow the theme of "Building a Safer World Together."

For more information on the ICCF and Building Safety Week, visit the ICCF website at: www.icc-foundation.org/

Michael Fischer, with the Kellen Company, serves as director of codes and regulatory compliance for the Window and Door Manufacturers Association. He may be reached at MFischer@wdma.com.

Window Safety Week Observed Last Month
The National Safety Council's (NSC) Window Safety Week was observed the last week in April. Designed to raise awareness about window safety and help reduce the incidence of child falls through open windows, the NSC designates the last week in April each yer to emphasize this important aspect of home safety. Since many child falls occur in the spring and summer when the climate allows for open windows, this is the time of year to focus on awareness of the potential hazard.

The Window Safety Task Force, comprised of industry representatives, works in conjunction with the NSC to promote window safety. The fact that Window Safety Week was last month doesn't mean that we cannot continue to promote child safety and increase awareness of the role windows play in emergency escape while educating caregivers about the hazards of child falls.

For more information about Window Safety Week, including downloadable brochures, safety tips and child activity books, visit the NSC website at: www.nsc.org/aware/window/