Announcing Fire Safety Week of Building Safety Month, May 16 - 23

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Residential smoke detectors saves lives, but prior to the early 1970s they were not required in building safety codes. In 2009, residential fire sprinklers were added to the codes. Codes also contains provisions that address fire spread, accessibility, defensible space and water supply for homes constructed near wildland areas.

Every three years the International Code Council updates its building safety and fire prevention codes to save lives and reduce property damage from manmade or naturally occurring fires. That's why week three of Building Safety Month (May) is designated as Fire Safety Week.  Code Council members throughout the country will use the occasion to share important, life-saving facts with the public.

"In the first model building code developed more than 80 years ago, fire prevention was a critical element for safe buildings," ICC CEO Richard P. Weiland said. "Developing comprehensive fire prevention codes to protect consumers and firefighters continues to be a primary focus of the International Code Council."

"We are proud to partner with the ICCF in bringing valuable information about fire safety and risks to consumers and building owners," said Brett Brewster, CEO of BuildingReports. "We are committed to building safety and fire prevention and this initiative is a great opportunity to remind everyone that annual inspections of their fire & life safety systems can help save lives by ensuring that all devices for these systems are in proper working condition." Fire Safety Week is being sponsored by BuildingReports, the industry leader in web-based inspection reporting for the fire and life safety systems of buildings.

During Fire Safety Week, consumers will be reminded of the basic fire safety rules they and their families should follow:

• Never leave the house with candles burning and never leave burning candles unattended or within reach of pets and children.
• Routinely check your electrical appliances and wiring.
• When lighting a gas fireplace or gas space heater, strike your match first, then turn on the gas. Never use a gas range as a substitute for a furnace or space heater.
• Purchase an ABC type extinguisher for extinguishing all types of fires. Fire extinguishers should be mounted in the kitchen, garage, and workshop and should only be used on small fires. If there is a large fire, get out immediately and call 911.
• Smoke alarms should be installed in each sleeping room/bedroom, outside of sleeping rooms/bedrooms and on each level of your house. Make sure to test your smoke alarms each month and change the batteries at least once a year.
• Cooking equipment is also the leading cause of unreported fires and associated injuries. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• Plug microwave ovens and other cooking appliances directly into an outlet. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance, as it can overload the circuit and cause a fire.

First observed in 1980 as Building Safety Week, Building Safety Month is a program of the International Code Council Foundation. The International Code Council Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the mission to promote public awareness of ideas‚ methods and technologies that encourage the construction of safe, durable and sustainable buildings and homes, reducing the devastating effects of building damages due to natural disasters and other tragedies.      

For more information visit:

Building Safety Month

BASF

National Center for Healthy Housing

Propane Education and Research Council

SOURCE International Code Council Foundation