Funding available for states, municipalities that have adopted the ISPSC.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission expects to award $1 million in grants in fiscal year 2015 to reduce deaths and injuries from drowning and drain entrapments in pools and spas through education programs for enforcement officials. The grant program is part of the it's national effort to make drowning and drain entrapment prevention a critical public safety priority. Photo credit Stephen Jones

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) expects to award $1 million in grants in fiscal year 2015 to reduce deaths and injuries from drowning and drain entrapments in pools and spas through education programs for enforcement officials. The grant program is part of the CPSC's national effort to make drowning and drain entrapment prevention a critical public safety priority. It is authorized through the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB Act) that was passed by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush in 2007. "I'm thrilled that the grant mechanism of the VGB Act is ready to be implemented, so communities nationwide can bolster their efforts to improve safety and prevent drownings and near-drownings," said U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the original House author of the act. During a webinar, the CPSC stated that adoption and enforcement of the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) "appears to satisfy" all requirements of the VGB Act. Applicants must be state or local jurisdictions that enforce pool and spa safety requirements such as the ISPSC. The deadline for applications is March 19. By adopting the ISPSC, section 305 (or as modified by the jurisdiction) requires barriers to entry on all outdoor residential pools that will effectively prevent small children from gaining unsupervised access to the pool or spa. The section also contains detailed requirements with regard to barrier heights and clearances, self-closing, self-latching features, openings, lack of climbability, use of a structure as part of a barrier and the role of lockable spa safety covers, powered pool safety covers, alarms and other supplemental devices. These requirements address sections 1405 and 1406 of the VGB Act. Prospective applicants can click here and review the grant opportunity CPSC-15-001. CPSC's website PoolSafely.gov also offers information about the VGB Act and has free, downloadable information for the public, state and local officials and the swimming pool and spa community. For more information, email Grants@cpsc.gov or call 301-504-7261. For assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Contact Center by emailing support@grants.gov or by calling 1-800-518-4726.

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