Have you heard of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (VGB Act)? It was enacted in 2007 after a 7-year-old girl named Vigrinia Graeme Baker died due to suction from a malfunctioning drain. The powerful suction was even too much for her mother to pull her away from the drain. It took two additional people to finally pull her away, pulling with so much force that the drain cover broke. But it was too late.
It’s important to note that Virginia was a strong swimmer. She was even a member of the local swimming and diving team. But this couldn’t save her against the strength of the suction from the drain.
After this tragic incident, Virginia’s mother worked tirelessly to lobby the government to make sure other families didn’t have the same experience. As a result, in 2007 the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (VGB Act) was enacted. This Act requires all public pools and hot tubs to have safety measures in place, including anti-entrapment drain covers.
Video: https://youtu.be/oRLG0iICT4w
The VGB Act only requires public pools and hot tubs to have safety measures in place. That means if your child is swimming at a friend’s house or other private pool, it’s vital to make sure it has safe drains. Even more, teach children to simply avoid drains.
At Texas Swim Academy, our focus is on drowning prevention. Letting parents know about the dangers of drains in pools and hot tubs is an important part of that. It’s often an overlooked danger that doesn’t discriminate based on swimming ability. So, please, before you let your kids go swimming make sure they know to stay away from drains and make sure the pool has anti-entrapment drain covers. It’s one more vital key to keeping kids safe.
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Our Stroke Development Program offers six different levels to help students progress in their swimming skills at his or her own pace. Our Adaptive Aquatics Program was created specifically for children with special abilities. Find swimming class registration information here. By subscribing to Texas Swim Academy’s blog , you can stay current on valuable water safety resources such as survival swim, health and wellness, Texas Swim Academy news and more. Follow our Facebook , Twitter, and YouTube pages for even more news, updates, and tips!
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