President George W. Bush signed into law the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act on Dec. 18, 2007, which requires public pools and spas to be equipped with safety devices to prevent such accidents.
The drain covers are designed to prevent someone from covering the entire drain and becoming entrapped. Suction-limiting devices are installed in the pool’s plumbing system and cause the pool’s motor to shut off if pressure rises in the piping, as it does in the case of a blocked drain.
(From an RRStar.com article)Â In June 2002, a 7-year-old Virginia Graeme Baker found herself trapped against a hot tub floor drain. She was held under water until she drowned.
The suction created by the hot tub motor was so strong it required two men to free her from the bottom of the pool.
President George W. Bush signed into law the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act on Dec. 18, 2007, which requires public pools and spas to be equipped with safety devices to prevent such accidents.
After May 1, swimming pools and whirlpools that do not meet the new safety standards will not be permitted to operate. The law applies to pools operated by the Rockford Park District, the YMCA, the school districts and community centers — most of which are or soon will be in compliance.
The federal mandate is being enforced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Illinois Department of Public Health, which regulates and renews licensing for swimming pools and whirlpool operations.
The law, named for the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker, requires all pool drains to be equipped with anti-entanglement drain covers or suction-limiting devices.
