CPSC Awards More than $860,000 in Pool Safely Grants to Five State and Local Governments to Combat Pool and Spa Drownings and Drain Entrapments

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Acting Chairman Robert Adler and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) announced today five awardees of a grant program aimed at preventing pool and spa drownings and drain entrapments. The state and local governments, selected by CPSC, will receive more than $860,000 in Pool Safely Grant Program (PSGP) grant funds. This funding will provide the awardees financial assistance for education, training, and enforcement of pool safety requirements that are intended to save lives and prevent serious injuries.

FY 2021 Pool Safely Grant Program Awards

'Unfortunately, drowning remains the number one cause of unintentional death to children ages one to four,' said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. 'These grants will help states and local governments reach consumers with lifesaving information to prevent pool and spa drownings and entrapments, and will help them to enforce pool safety requirements.'

'Throughout my career I have been a passionate advocate for pool and spa safety. We must do more to stop these preventable tragedies, and I know that these grants are one of the key steps we can take to help save more children's lives,' said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. 'My overall goal is to reduce the number of child drownings across the country, and we can accomplish that by teaching children to swim, ensuring pools have the right safety equipment, and educating parents on the critical importance of supervising children in and near the water.'

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB Act), which Rep. Wasserman Schultz authored and led, 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.