May is Building Safety Month

May is Building Safety Month, and the City of Bryan is joining communities around the world in recognizing this international campaign led by the International Code Council to raise awareness about building safety.

Building Safety Month highlights the importance of modern, regularly updated building codes and helps individuals, families and businesses understand what it takes to create safe and sustainable structures.

This year’s theme, “Game On,” emphasizes the importance of building safety through five weekly topics:

• The Warm-Up
• Build Your Offense
• Build Your Defense
• The Starting Lineup
• Going into Overtime

Preparing for natural disasters, building and maintaining sustainable neighborhoods and communities, and promoting safe and healthy environments is a top priority. Disaster mitigation through the adoption and enforcement of building codes is one of the best ways for communities to prepare for and protect against future disasters. Homes and buildings that are built in compliance with building safety codes — and the officials who enforce the codes — are essential to helping communities minimize the risks of death, injury and property damage in the event of a disaster.

• Learn more about Building Safety Month

In Bryan, the city has seven full-time building inspectors and four plan examiners who work to ensure that new construction and building renovations follow the city’s adopted building codes for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, energy conservation, fuel gas and fire safety.

Over the last two decades, Bryan has experienced substantial growth and development. The primary goal during this period has been to expedite the issuance of permits, usually within one to two weeks, and ensure that requested inspections are promptly conducted, either on the same day or the next business day.

This work could not be done without the following Development Services staff:

• Chris Mushinski, plumbing inspector
• Derrick Williams, plumbing/mechanical inspector
• Jerry Fagan, building inspector
• James Tinsley, combination building inspector
• Mike Olivarez, electrical inspector
• Peter Michelena, combination building inspector
• Gus Heinze, combination building inspector
• Greg Cox, chief building official

To assist with ensuring that building plans are code compliant before structures are built or improvements are made, the city has four plans examiners:

• Craig Tepera, plans examiner
• Karen Lahde, plans examiner
• Kenny Johnson, plans examiner
• Greg Duits, plans examiner

Permits and inspections would not be possible without the assistance of the following support staff:

• Charmaine McKinzie – building services staff assistant
• Megan Hancock – development services permit center supervisor
• Paige Jackson – development services technician
• Lauren Hovde – development administrator
• Karen Rudasill – development services representative
• Cheree Peters – development services representative
• Aniki Blanchard – development services representative
• Caleb Phillips – development services staff assistant
• Deilight Brooks – development services representative
• Leticia Serna – development services representative

Building Codes

• Learn more about the city’s currently adopted codes.

Share This: