WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) announced today eight awardees of a grant program aimed at preventing pool and spa drownings, as well as drain entrapments. The state and local governments were selected by CPSC, from a group of applicants, to receive more than $2 million in Pool Safely Grant Program (PSGP) grant funds. This funding appropriated by Congress will provide these state and local governments with assistance for education, training, and enforcement of pool safety requirements that are intended to save lives and prevent serious injuries.
Pool Safely Grant Program Awards
| Awardees | State | Award Amount |
| City of North Richland Hills | Texas | $319,485.91 |
| DuPage County Health Department | Illinois | $378,853.67 |
| Florida Department of Health | Florida | $400,000.00 |
| City of Huntington Beach | California | $141,837.00 |
| District of Columbia Health Department | District of Columbia | $64,530.00 |
| Seminole County | Florida | $194,535.00 |
| Harris County | Texas | $394,870.00 |
| City of Amarillo | Texas | $107,853.92 |
“Drowning remains the number one cause of death for children ages one to four,” said CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric. “These grants can make a real difference by providing funding to assist communities in their lifesaving work to reduce the risk of drowning and drain entrapment in pools and spas.”
“We must do more to prevent drownings, the leading killer of America’s youngest children,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. “We can avoid these devastating tragedies by teaching children to swim, ensuring pools have the right safety equipment, and educating parents on the vital importance of supervising children in and near the water – and these grants are critical tools to help us do that.”
The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB Act), which Rep. Wasserman Schultz authored and championed, was passed by Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush in December 2007. The VGB Act authorizes the PSGP, which provides state and local governments with assistance for education, training, and enforcement of pool safety requirements.
CPSC’s website www.PoolSafely.gov has more information on the Pool Safely Grant Program and the VGB Act as well as free, downloadable educational materials available to the public.
Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic. Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.
