| Middletown's Sunset Pool Upgrades To Meet New Federal Law |
| Thursday, May 28, 2009 9:34:25 AM - Middletown Ohio |
 By: Randy Lewis
To meet the new federal law requirements regarding the safety of pools and spas, Sunset pool has installed a new draining system. The law known as the, Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, ensures all public pools and spas have compliant drain covers installed and a second anti-entrapment system installed, when there is a single main drain other than an unblockable drain.
The law is named for the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James A. Baker, III, who joined Graeme's mother, Nancy Baker, and Safe Kids USA in a three-year advocacy campaign for the legislation. In 2002 at the age of 7, Graeme Baker died in a spa after the powerful suction of a drain entrapped her under water.
• Specifically, the law will: Prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of drain covers that do not meet anti-entrapment safety standards established by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The legislation includes a directive for the CPSC to establish a safety standard for anti-entrapment drain covers. This would ensure that all drain covers available in the marketplace would conform to certain safety criteria.
• Create an incentive grant program for states to adopt comprehensive pool and spa safety laws requiring certain safety devices in swimming pools and spas to protect children. The legislation would provide grants to states that pass a comprehensive swimming pool and spa safety law. The bill would require states to use funds, if awarded, to hire and train personnel for the proper enforcement of state law; and educate pool owners and operators, pool construction and installation companies, pool service companies and the public about the state law and about drowning prevention practices.
• Establish a national drowning prevention education program within the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The bill would require the CPSC to create and administer an educational program to inform the public about ways to prevent drowning and entrapment in swimming pools and spas and execute a national media campaign to promote awareness of pool and spa safety .
• Require public pools to incorporate anti-entrapment drain covers and other layers of protection. The legislation would require that each public pool and spa must be equipped with anti-entrapment drain covers and other layers of protection, such as safety vacuum release systems.
The repairs Sunset made cost the public pool just under $ 6,000 and was funded by the Sink Or Swim organization and the AK Steel Foundation. Sunset pool is scheduled to be filled with water this week and will begin to train its staff on June 7th.
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