May is Building Safety Month

Building Safety focuses on issues that impact our everyday lives - building safety, fire safety, water, weather-related events, and disasters. These safety issues are our top priority and a constant concern for our homes, schools, businesses, and communities.

Each May, the Building Safety Month campaign helps to improve the public health, safety, and welfare of our residents by increasing awareness about how building codes and code officials improve and protect the places where we live, learn, work, worship, and play.

“We all should feel safe in our neighborhood buildings, whether it is the local convenience store, neighborhood schools, or the homes we live in,” said Mandi Spina, Director, Department of Development Services. “With a commitment to the highest quality standards and latest code regulations, we strive to safeguard our community's buildings and recognize those that help the County achieve that mission.”

Join us as we celebrate this year’s theme “Mission Possible”, share special weekly themes, and ways to keep you and your family safe. Make it your “Mission Possible” to share important building safety messages by following #BuildingSafety365 and #BuildingSafetyMonth2024 on social media and spreading the word.

It takes everyone in a community to keep our homes, schools, businesses, and other buildings safe for public use. Your safe practices help protect you, your family, your friends, and your investment.

Building Safety Month “Mission Possible” campaign features these special weekly themes:

Week 1: Understanding the Mission
Includes an introduction of building safety, what Building Safety Month is, and how building safety affects us all.

Week 2: Preparing a Building Safety Plan
Highlights available educational resources (water/fire, sustainability & resiliency/disaster preparedness), including downloadable brochures, for building safety tips and best practices at home and in your community.

Week 3: Learning from the Pros
Shines a spotlight on building safety professionals, including what they do, how to work with them and how to become one yourself.

Week 4: Engaging Your Community
Includes information on how to advocate for building safety in your community, including actionable tips on how to be a proponent of building safety and ways to get kids involved.

Week 5: Celebrating Success in Building Safety
Highlighting individuals and communities who are making a difference in building safety (editorial spotlights), including sharing the current year's Building Safety Month celebrations and events.

The Department of Development Services, Building Development Division, Fire Marshal’s Office, Department of Public Works, Neighborhood Services Division, and the Health Department are proud to support the International Code Council in observing Building Safety Month 2024. Advocating the need for the adoption of modern, regularly updated building codes helps residents, businesses and visitors understand what it takes to create safe and sustainable structures.

Expect more information on this important worldwide collaborative initiative throughout the month of May. For more information on Development Services visit the Development Services homepage at www.pwcva.gov, email: [email protected] or call (703) 792-6930. To stay up-to-date E-Sign Up to Customer Service Bulletins, find us on X (formerly Twitter) @PWCDDS, on Facebook, and LinkedIn.