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, “Built to Last,” emphasizes the importance of building safety through four weekly topics:
- Week 1: Safe Homes, Strong Communities (May 1–10) focuses on simple actions homeowners can take to improve safety at home
- Week 2: Voices of the Built Environment (May 11–17) spotlights building safety professionals and the roles they play in keeping communities safe
- Week 3: Prepared to Protect (May 18–24) encourages community preparedness and highlights how disaster-resilient building codes protect people and property
- Week 4: Communities Without Limits (May 25–31) showcases the importance of accessibility in building construction and design
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.
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
- Gus Heinze, combination building inspector
- Shane Fehrenkamp, 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
- Lauren Hovde – development administrator
- Karen Rudasill – development services representative
- Aniki Blanchard – development services representative
- Caleb Phillips – development services staff assistant
- Leticia Serna – development services representative
- Heather Littleton – development services representative
- Maria Martinez – development services technician
Building Codes