Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and Montgomery County Council today proclaimed May as Building Safety Month.
Building Safety Month celebrates the 2017 theme “Code Officials – Partners in Community Safety and Economic Growth.” An avoidable tragedy occurred in Oakland, California last December when the Ghost Ship warehouse caught fire and 36 people died. Noted architect and writer Roger Lewis wrote that “the 36 deaths in the Dec. 2 (2016) Ghost Ship warehouse fire ..., are a grim reminder of why cities need not only effective building codes but also diligent building-codes enforcement.”
Building Safety Month is a reminder of the importance of ensuring that commercial facilities and homes are constructed with high quality code enforcement to keep everyone safe. County code enforcement officials in the Departments of Permitting Services, Community and Housing Affairs, Fire and Rescue Services and others play a critical role every day to ensure our buildings are built to ensure a safe working or living environment.
The Department of Permitting Services (DPS) is offering Free Home Deck Inspections throughout May. Call 311 or 240-777-0311 to schedule an inspection. DPS invites everyone to the Design for Life Showcase on May 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Building to meet building professionals who are building and designing homes accessible for all ages and stages of life. Bring your family and discover home accessible to all! DPS has a major role increasing the stock of existing and new residences usable by people of diverse abilities.
For more information, see press release.
