Assemblyman is one of Only Three Elected Officials Nationwide to be Honored With This First Time Award
Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) today received the first-ever Elected Official of the Year Award from the International Code Council (ICC) in honor of his legislative work to enhance building safety.
Wisniewski was one of three nationwide recipients of the first-time award, along with South Carolina Senator Phil P. Leventis and New Mexico Senator Bernadette M. Sanchez.
“Without the support of government officials, codes could not be developed, adopted or enforced,” ICC CEO Richard P. Weiland said. “There are many elected, public officials who play an important role in the process. We are honored during Building Safety Month to recognize State Senator Leventis, State Senator Sanchez and Assemblyman Wisniewski for their contributions to public safety in the construction industry.”
The award was presented to the Assemblyman at the state Fire Safety Commission meeting held at the Department of Community Affairs.
“Workplace and fire safety have always been issues of paramount importance to me so this is a tremendous honor,” said Wisniewski. “One of the greatest contributions we can make as elected officials is to protect and promote the safety of our residents. As long as I’m in office this will be something I remain committed to.”
When announcing the award recipients earlier this month, the ICC praised Wisniewski for being a staunch supporter of code enforcement professionals and sponsoring legislation to enhance building safety, including a bill to mandate the installation of fire sprinklers in college dormitories, a measure that was sparked, in part, by the tragic Seton Hall dormitory fire.
The ICC used the following criteria in selecting this year’s award recipients:
– Demonstrating a commitment to building code adoption and enforcement;
– Encouraging adoption of codes to improve building department administration and safer construction;
– Documenting an increase in code enforcement during an official’s tenure;
– Speaking publicly about the importance of adopting and enforcing the most recent building codes; and
– Standing up to lobbying efforts that oppose code adoption, enforcement and standardization.
The International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety, fire prevention and energy efficiency, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most U.S. cities, counties and states choose the International Codes, building safety codes developed by the International Code Council. The International Codes also serve as the basis for construction of federal properties around the world, and as a reference for many nations outside the United States.