James Lee Witt led FEMA for eight years during the Clinton administration, transforming the agency and elevating disaster recovery and mitigation programs to make communities safer. Witt comes to the International Code Council with direct experience in the impact of building codes on the private sector. At 21, he founded his own commercial and residential construction company in his native state of Arkansas before going on to serve six terms as a county judge in Yell County, Ark.

The ICC, a 50,000-member association with headquarters in Falls Church, Va., is the leading developer of safety codes for construction of residential and commercial buildings adopted by cities, counties and states in the United States.

What attracted you to assume the leadership of the ICC?

Did your experience in leading FEMA give you insight into the importance of building codes?

I deeply believe in the importance of the codes in public safety and the role that strong, well-enforced codes play in the safety of our communities and businesses. My eight years as the director of FEMA gave me the opportunity to see how codes impact communities across America and internationally. I never will forget the devastating earthquake in Turkey. Turkey has excellent building codes, but one of the problems was that they were not enforced. Because of this we saw tragic numbers of Turkish citizens lost.

How does the United States stand with regard to building codes in the international arena?

The Department of Defense references the International Building Code when constructing housing for troops all around the world and other facilities including … just about any structure on a U.S. military base.

ICC has hosted seminars in Latin America, participated in the International Congress for the Prevention of Disasters, met with delegations representing nations interested in improving building safety through code enforcement and initiated the [Code and Safety for the Americas] Act. The CASA Act authorizes the United States Agency for International Development to provide grants or enter contracts with organizations that can help improve building safety in eligible countries. ICC's International Services Division concentrates its resources on building safety and fire prevention worldwide.

Many countries around the world have strong codes and enforcement. Unfortunately, there appears to be a relationship between economics and safety. ICC is working in the international arena to improve building safety and fire prevention where it's most needed.

What effect did the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers have on the world of building codes?

One direct result of Sept. 11 occurred at the ICC code hearings in September in Nashville. In response to concerns about the fire-resistance rating of structural elements in high-rise buildings, ICC members, including fire service officials and fire chiefs, approved a revision to the International Building Code that will require the structural system to be three-hour fire resistance — rated instead of the current two-hour requirement. This change could allow time for more people to escape and be rescued from a high-rise building incident.

For the long term, it might be appropriate to develop a security appendix for building codes aimed at protecting occupants against chemical and biological exposure.

What can you tell us about the new alliance between the ICC and the International Association of Fire Chiefs?

By signing a memorandum of understanding, the two organizations opened the door to increase their commitment to public safety and the safety of first responders. The MOU stipulates active participation of IAFC members on ICC committees and matters of interest to the fire service. ICC recognizes the expertise of the fire service and fire chiefs. We want to make sure that public safety, the safety of first responders and future codes benefit from that experience.

One initiative from this partnership is an inspection checklist, a tool for fire inspectors just now being released. The checklist, with an initial a run of 5,000 copies, was funded by a State Farm Insurance Company grant. The checklists are being distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last. To order a copy, call 800-786-4452, ext. 3264.

Fire chiefs are equal partners in the code development process. They can, and are urged to contribute to code changes, participate in regional and national efforts to influence codes from the fire chief's perspective. If we accomplish only that, the agreement will be prove to very valuable.