WASHINGTON, D.C. – THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION (CPSC) ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THE VIRGINIA GRAEME BAKER POOL AND SPA SAFETY ACT’S (P&SSACT) STATE GRANT PROGRAM IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING FROM ELIGIBLE STATES. THE P&SSACT INTENDS TO ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF POOLS AND SPAS BY REDUCING CHILD DROWNINGS AND SUCTION ENTRAPMENT INCIDENTS AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY DEVICES AND CONSTANT SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN IN AND AROUND WATER. CPSC IS THE LEAD AGENCY IN IMPLEMENTING AND ENFORCING THE ACT, WHICH WAS SIGNED INTO LAW IN DECEMBER 2007.
THE P&SSACT REQUIRES THAT ALL PUBLIC POOLS AND SPAS HAVE ANTI-ENTRAPMENT DRAIN COVERS, AND IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AN ADDITIONAL ANTI-ENTRAPMENT DEVICE. TO BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR A GRANT, THE STATE STATUTE MUST INCLUDE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC POOLS AND SPAS; IN ADDITION, IT MUST REQUIRE ALL RESIDENTIAL POOLS TO HAVE A BARRIER COMPLETELY SURROUNDING THE POOL SUCH AS A 4-FOOT FENCE AND, WHERE THE HOUSE SERVES AS THE FOURTH SIDE OF THE BARRIER, A POOL SAFETY COVER OR DOOR ALARMS. MOST OF THE NEARLY 300 ANNUAL REPORTED DROWNINGS THAT INVOLVE CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN FIVE OCCUR IN RESIDENTIAL POOLS.
“CPSC’S GOAL IS TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE AND TO PREVENT DROWNINGS AND NONFATAL SUBMERSIONS AND ENTRAPMENT INCIDENTS. THE STATE GRANT PROGRAM CAN EXPAND OUR REACH AND ALLOWS US TO PARTNER WITH ELIGIBLE STATES,” SAID CPSC CHAIRMAN INEZ TENENBAUM. “CPSC HAS PREPARED GUIDANCE AND MODEL LEGISLATION TO ASSIST ALL STATES AND HELP THEM BECOME ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE ENFORCEMENT AND EDUCATION OF THIS CHILD SAFETY LAW. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SHOULD VIEW CPSC’S GUIDANCE AS A FLOOR FROM WHICH THEY CAN ADD ADDITIONAL LAYERS OF PROTECTION TO THEIR LEGISLATION.”
THE MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE STATES TO APPLY FOR A VGB GRANT REQUIRES STATES TO HAVE A STATUTE MANDATING ALL POOLS AND SPAS TO BE EQUIPPED WITH ENTRAPMENT PREVENTION DEVICES AND RESIDENTIAL POOLS TO HAVE SAFETY BARRIERS. TWO DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE WWW.POOLSAFETY.GOV WEBSITE FOR ASSISTING STATES IN APPLYING FOR A GRANT. THESE ARE:
THE TECHNICAL GUIDANCE FOR SECTION 1406 OF THE ACT: HTTP://WWW.POOLSAFETY.GOV/GRANT.PDF AND MODEL LEGISLATION: HTTP://WWW.POOLSAFETY.GOV/MODELVGB.PDF
THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) IS ADMINISTERING THE GRANT PROGRAM AND WILL BE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS UNTIL THE MAY 28, 2010 DEADLINE. A LINK TO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT APPLYING FOR A GRANT CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.POOLSAFETY.GOV/OFFICIALS.HTML
“WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO ENJOY THE HEALTHY BENEFITS OF
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