Declare Building Safety Month

Senate Resolution No. 5055 BY: Senator LITTLE MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 2018, as Building Safety Month in the State of New York WHEREAS, New York's continuing efforts to address the critical issues of safety, energy efficiency, water conservation and sustainability in the built environment affect its citizens, both in everyday life and in times of natural disaster, and give New Yorkers confidence that its structures are safe and sound; and WHEREAS, Confidence in building safety is achieved through the devotion of vigilant guardians--building safety and fire prevention officials, architects, engineers, builders, laborers and others in the construction industry--who work year-round to ensure the safe construction of buildings; and WHEREAS, Dedicated members of the International Code Council develop and implement the highest-quality codes to protect Americans in the buildings where we live, learn, work, worship, and play; and WHEREAS, The International Codes, the most widely adopted building safety, energy and fire prevention codes in the nation, are used by most United States' cities, counties and states; these modern building codes also include safeguards to protect the public from natural disasters such as hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, wild land fires and earthquakes; and WHEREAS, Building Safety Month is sponsored by the International Code Council and International Code Council Foundation, to remind the public about the critical role of communities' largely unknown guardians of public safety--local code officials--who assure citizens of safe, efficient and livable buildings; and WHEREAS, "Building Codes Save Lives" the theme for Building Safety Month 2018, encourages all Americans to raise awareness of the importance of building safe and resilient construction; fire prevention; disaster mitigation, and new technologies in the construction industry; and WHEREAS, Building Safety Month 2018 encourages appropriate steps everyone can take to ensure that the places where we live, learn, work, worship and play are safe, and recognizes that countless lives have been saved due to the implementation of safety codes by local and state agencies; and WHEREAS, Each year, in observance of Building Safety Month, Americans are asked to consider projects to improve building safety and sustainability at home and in the community, and to acknowledge the essential service provided to all of us by local and state building departments and federal agencies in protecting lives and property; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body reaffirms its commitment to fostering continuing attention to building safety, and encourages all New Yorkers to participate in Building Safety Month; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 2018, as Building Safety Month in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.