Current News about Florida Swimming Pool Safety Laws

Seven years ago Florida became an great example for swimming pool safety.  This caused President Bush to adopt federal laws creating standards for swimming pool safety. The federal legislation encourages states to creat stricter pool standards, examples of which include up to date drains created to prevent kids from being sucked down by the drain.   The federal laws also encourage placing fences around pools.  One of the Representatives of Weston, Florida, who is a Democrat, lead the movement for to take on federal standards. 

The Federal Standards followed Florida's standards passed in 2000.  She beleives that many children will not drown because the safer standards have been passed.  She also beleives that parents will be releived of pain and kids will not lose their lives, or a lifetime of trauma and increased medical bills because of swimming pool injuries from accidents.

Because the weather in Florida is so warm, many kids swim year round.   Florida is #1 in the U.S. in drowning deaths of kids who five and below. The Florida Deparment of Health's Office of Vital Statistics stated that fifty kids died in the year 2005.  Although Florida started the creation of pool safety in the U.S., Florida's safety regulations have been reduced significantly.

This past summer, the swimming pool dealers and manufacturers was able to persuade the Florida Building Commission that pools don't require a safety-vacuum-release part.  The systems are put in the pool to notice when something is blocking a drain, which could be a kid who is being yanked to the cover of the drain.  The release would instantly stop suction to the drain.  The federal law that passed is called the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Act, which remembers the grandchild of past Secretary of States James Baker. Graeme was kept underwater by the suction of a drain in a spa.  Click here to read more.

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