The International Code Council (ICC) has released the 2024 IBC Essential Fire Safety Provisions, published in both Spanish and English, to allow jurisdictions in Latin America to more easily adopt the International Codes (I-Codes). This publication has been specifically developed to support jurisdictions with outdated or limited regulations that have not yet adopted the I-Codes, providing a pathway to progressively strengthen fire safety provisions and facilitate phased code adoption. 

The 2024 IBC Essential Fire Safety Provisions contains excerpts from the fire and life safety provisions in the 2024 International Building Code (IBC) along with commentary prepared by fire protection engineer Jaime A. Moncada, PE, FPE. The commentary further enables jurisdictions to take a significant step towards improved fire and life safety in buildings.  

“It has long been my vision to offer robust fire and life safety provisions together with instructions to facilitate understanding and adoption to help emerging economies, in the simplest of terms, to establish the essential aspects of fire and life safety that should be required in all buildings,” said Moncada.

“Having Spanish language resources that are specifically designed to reach Latin American markets at precisely the right entry point is essential to ICC’s goal in expanding our building safety mission throughout the Americas,” said José Roig, regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, ICC. “I have heard from stakeholders across the region on the demand for stronger fire and life safety provisions that are clear and implementable, so our focus on this area of building safety was a natural response.”

The development of the 2024 IBC Essential Fire Safety Provisions was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration through its Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP).

“Countries without a modern and comprehensive building regulatory system that effectively protects buildings and occupants from fire will benefit from the 2024 IBC Essential Fire Safety Provisions,” said Judy Zakreski, senior vice president for global operations and solutions, ICC. “This resource provides a step-wise approach for jurisdictions worldwide to create a safer built environment.”

Additional information about the 2024 IBC Essential Fire Safety Provisions, including links to view, download and purchase, can be found on the ICC website in both English and Spanish.