No one ever plans for tragedy. We all hope it will never happen to us, especially in our own backyard. However, Florida State Legislature finds that drowning is the leading cause of death of young children in this state and is also a significant cause of death for medically frail elderly persons in this state.
A pool bottom drain (main drain) with a cover missing, broken, or not properly secured presents a serious safety hazard. Drain entrapment occurs when a person (or an object attached to a person) is sucked onto a pool or spa drain and becomes stuck by the drain’s force: hair becomes entangled in a drain cover, limbs (arms, legs, feet or fingers) are stuck in a drain opening, a body part (often the torso or bottom) covers a drain and is held down by suction, jewelry, bathing suits or other materials are entangled in a drain cover or pipe, organs or intestines are pulled from the body due to suction of a drain causing evisceration or disembowelment. This force of suction—hundreds of pounds per square inch—is so powerful that the strongest adult cannot free the victim. Even good swimmers can drown or suffer catastrophic injuries.
The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (Act) promotes the safe use of pools, spas, and hot tubs by imposing mandatory federal requirements for suction entrapment avoidance. The Act requires each existing swimming pool or spa drain to be equipped with compliant safety drain cover. Additional requirements exist for pools and spas with a single main drain.
You can prevent a suction entrapment tragedy by replacing a missing, broken, or out-dated cover with a new VGB compliant cover today!