WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 6, 2014 – (RealEstateRama) — Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and County Council President Craig Rice today proclaimed May as Building Safety Month in Montgomery County. A joint proclamation was presented to Department of Fire Rescue Services Chief Steve Lohr and Department of Permitting Services (DPS) Director Diane Schwartz Jones.
“We are committed to keeping our buildings safe,” said Jones. “As we have done in previous years, we are offering free deck inspections throughout the month of May to help avoid injuries from faulty deck construction. We are also entering storm season when tree limbs can damage homes in a storm. If a home is damaged during a storm, the homeowner should call 311 so we can inspect the damage to determine if it is safe for occupancy.”
This year’s Building Safety Month theme is “Maximizing Resilience, Minimizing Risks.” Each week in the month, DPS will provide information and displays that highlight different topics, includint: Keeping Fire in its Place; Helping Homeowners Weather the Storm; Surrounding Your Home with Safety; and Building a Brighter, More Efficient Tomorrow.
Building safety and fire prevention codes address all aspects of construction, such as structural soundness of buildings, reliability of fire prevention and suppression systems, mechanical systems, and energy efficiency and sustainability. Ensuring that buildings are safe requires the active participation of building safety and fire prevention officials, architects, builders, engineers and others in the construction industry, as well as property owners.
Chief Lohr emphasized the importance of not waiting to report a fire. “Reporting a fire immediately gets assistance there quicker and helps keep fire damage contained,” he said.
The free deck inspections are available to all County residents in single-family detached homes, townhouses and duplex dwellings, with the exception of those in the cities of Rockville and Gaithersburg. The inspection includes a checklist for homeowners to help them maintain a safe and sound structure. Residents interested in scheduling a deck inspection should call 3-1-1, or send a fax to 240-777-6258. Homeowners will be contacted before the inspection is performed. All requests will be honored as the inspectors’ workloads permit.
For more information about Building Safety Month, visit the DPS website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/permittingservices.
Media Contact: Sue Tucker 240-777-6507
