Edmond’s Department of Building & Safety is in the business of making sure the homes and buildings in the city are up to snuff, not just standing up but standing strong against whatever the world, or weather, throws their way. Last year, the folks over in Edmond got busy; they reviewed a whole lot of permits — we’re talking 1,503 building-related and a whopping 5,181 trade permits, as outlined by the City of Edmond. That’s not just a bunch of paperwork gathering dust, either; it translated into 25,593 building and trade inspections that had inspectors pounding the pavement and making sure everything was tip-top from foundation to roof.
But it’s not only about what goes up—it’s also about keeping dangerous hazards out, such as fires and other unexpected threats. In support of this mission, the department issued 226 fire code permits and conducted 1,719 fire code inspections to help protect homes, businesses, and the firefighters who respond to emergencies. Kirsten Ledington, director of Building & Safety, said that a key part of their strategy is educating the community on the fundamentals of building safety, ensuring residents understand the hows and whys behind regulations. “Education, engagement, and expert review,” she said in a city release, are central to the department’s efforts to build a safer city.
There’s no mistaking that when it comes to building something sturdy — be it a new abode or giving the old family haunt some much-needed TLC — Edmond’s Building & Safety is there to hand out the roadmap. They strive to ensure that the promise of safety is not just a handshake deal but something built to last, made solid by sticking to a plan that’s been thought out, grounded properly, and above all, checked every which way, “to protect people in the built environment,” which is a reflection of Ledington’s vision. It’s about more than just ticking off boxes; it’s about making sure the city of Edmond remains a place where safety isn’t just an afterthought, but the thought that comes first, according to the City of Edmond…