1. Facts from the CPSC
Nearly 650 hundred children under 5 years old
drown in swimming pools every year.
Hospital emergency room treatment is required
for more than 3,100 children under 5 years old
who were submerged in residential pools.
US –Consumer Product Safety
Commission
2. Facts from the CPSC
• Drowning is the
number one cause of
accidental death for
children under the
age of 6 in Florida,
California, Arizona
and Oregon
3. Facts from the CPSC
• Individuals in the 5-9
year-old category had
the highest frequency
of entrapment reports
4. However…
• Many adults have died
after getting trapped at
uncovered pool drains
• Several entrapments
are not being reported
to the CSPC
5. Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and
Spa Safety Act
• Law enacted by Congress and signed by
President Bush on December 19, 2007, to
prevent the hidden hazard of drain
entrapments and eviscerations in pools
and spas.
• The law became effective on December
19, 2008.
6. Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and
Spa Safety Act
• Law applies only to Public Pools.
• Why not to residential pools?
80% of the children drownings
occur at residential pools!!
14. Our neighbor, 5
year old Miguel
Marin, survived
after being trapped
at an in-ground spa
for about 5 minutes
under water
15. Unfortunately many others have
not been that lucky
14 year old –
British
Boy died at
7 year old Virginia Graeme
Thailand
Baker Secretary of State
Water Park
Bakers' granddaughter
16. Are Kids Out of Sight? They Shouldn’t Be!
• Children must be
supervised and within
your sight AT ALL
TIMES while in the
pool.
• A telephone must be
available in the pool
area to call 911, in
case of any
emergency
17. Entrapments can be prevented
• US Consumer Product Safety Commission
recommend pool owners to have many
layers of protection to prevent drownings
