O'Meilia retires after 26 years at North Palm Beach 1994♦M'rj,. ay..v,
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OWeilia Retires After 26
Years at North Palm Beach
Charles O'Meilia, P. E., North Palm
Beach, Florida Public Services Director,
retired July 29, 1994, after 26 years of ser-
vice.
No stranger to code -enforcement and
SBCCI, O'Meilia is not only known for
speaking out on issues he believes in,
but also in making people listen. Marvin
"Pete" Clark said, "Charlie has always
done his homework. He can nitpick an
amendment until one just becomes exas-
perated with the issue and Charlie.
However, time and again.we've seen the
man from North Palm Beach raise con-
cerns that no one else had considered.
Those were the times when we've all
had to rethink and reconsider our posi-
tion."
O'Meilia served North Palm Beach
County well throughout his 26-year
tenor. As a result of 1992's Hurricane
Andrew, he helped make code improve-
ments to help structures withstand high
winds. SBCCI Chief Executive Officer
William J. Tangye said that O'Meilia
steadfastly faced intense opposition in
1987 while first serving as chairman of
the committee to write standards to
improve the ability of structures to with-
stand high winds.
Since 1980, he has served on various
SBCCI committees, including Building
Code Interpretation, Hurricane Ad Hoc,
Mechanical Code Revision, Fire
Prevention Code, and most recently the
Wind Load Ad Hoc Committee. He has
also been chairman of many of these com-
mittees, including the Wind Load Deemed
to Comply Ad Hoc (1987-1993).
.While O'Meilia may no longer be
with the North Palm Beach, Florida
Public Services, SBCCI hopes Charlie
O'Meilia continues to join us in our
code enforcement endeavors for many
years to comer
® -a
FEMA Hosts Natural
Hazard Mitigation Forums
The Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency hosted a series of
Mitigation Forums. in ten U.S. cities in
September and October. The purpose of
the forums, titled "Reducing the Impact
of Natural Hazards," is to develop a
comprehensive national mitigation strat-
egy that will cut America's life and
property losses from natural disasters in
half within the next 25 years.
In designing a national mitigation
strategy, FEMA is using these forums to
get input from its partners, other federal
agencies, state and local governments,
private institutions and associations, and
the technological and environmental
community. Invitations include a survey
for those unable to attend. The forums
will help FEMA develop an action
agenda that will include hazard mitiga-
tion goals for local, county and state
officials as well as the federal govern-
ment, the private sector, and individual.
citizens. For more information, contact
FEMA at 202-646-4600.
AIA Supports FEMA
Natural Hazard Loss
Reduction Strategy
The American Institute of Architects
has announced its support and participa-
tion in a series of mitigation forums,
"Reducing the Impact ol Natural
Hazards," presented by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency.
AIA believes that disaster mitigation
will present new opportunities for archi-
tects to educate the public and clients
about vulnerability to natural hazards as
well as strategies and tools for mitigat-
ing the consequences of natural disas-
ters. To inform the public better, the
AIA advocates an education program,
including actions that individuals and
government can take to protect property
and health. AIA says that architects will
be able to secure and share realistic
information on building damage and the
benefits and limitations of strict,
enforceable codes.
, According to the AIA, the FEMA
strategy is related to the AIA-supported
legislation now before Congress to
establish a multi -level national disaster
mitigation program. This would accom-
pany a federal reinsurance program to
protect insurance companies against
catastrophic disaster losses that could
adversely affect the national economy.
For more information regarding AIA
support of the FEMA Mitigation
Strategy, contact AIA at 202-626-7300.
SBCCI Aids in
Texas Mitigation Effort
The Division of Emergency
Management of Texas, in cooperation
with the Texas Department of
Insurance, Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission and the
Southern Building Code Congress
International, Inc., has sponsored five 4-
hour mitigation workshops in Texas,
August 31 through September 9.
The Coastal Hazard Mitigation
Workshops were presented to promote
awareness of mitigation —loss prevention
and activities which reduce or even elimi-
nate the severity of natural disaster.
Topics included learning how to help
your citizens prevent loss of their homes
through wind resistant construction,
learning the proper flood resistant.con-
struction practices in the floodplain,
how to help your citizens protect their
property through insurance, and how to
get financial help to pay for mitigation.
Kerosene Heaters
To Carry NKHA Seal
Safe use of portable kerosene
heaters, as well as other heating appli-
ances, depend on effective consumer
education. Therefore, SBCCI adopted
Southern_ Building Code Congress International, Inc_