The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the
Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP) are partnering for the
agency's Pool Safely: Simple Steps Save Lives public safety campaign.
The partnership, announced at the International Pool, Spa,
& Patio Expo in Las Vegas, includes APSP working with CPSC in 2010 and into
2011 to promote the Pool Safely campaign to the pool and spa industry. The
campaign is designed to reduce the number of drowning, near-drowning, and
entrapment incidents each year by.
APSP will work with its members and customers to make
compliance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act and
education priorities. This campaign is part of CPSC's national information and
education program associated with the Act.
"The industry will be an important partner in
delivering the campaign's safety message through its national network of pool
and spa professionals," said Kathleen Reilly, CPSC's Pool Safely Campaign
Leader. "We appreciate that APSP will use its role as an industry leader
to help promote the Pool Safely campaign and make campaign materials and other
resources available to its members and their customers."
Educational materials
APSP will provide Pool Safely materials at industry events,
in publications, on industry videos, on its Website, and through social media
channels, such as Facebook and Twitter. In addition, the group will develop a
specific Pool Safely page within the "safety" section of its Website, where visitors can find information on the campaign and order
campaign materials. Finally, it will incorporate Pool Safely messaging and
materials into new safety videos for its industry members.
"The safe use of pools and spas is a priority for
everyone, from companies that build and service pools, to facility management,
to parents and individuals who enjoy the benefits of aquatic activities,"
said Bill Weber, President and CEO of APSP. "We're proud to partner with
CPSC on the Pool Safely campaign and hope the combined efforts of CPSC with the
Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, along with other organizations,
will serve to focus attention on the importance of water safety to all
stakeholders."
In the months leading up to the partnership announcement,
the Pool Safely campaign released a series of print and broadcast Public
Service Announcements (PSA) and a new educational video. The PSA and the video
can be viewed YouTube. The campaign also debuted a new
parent-child activity with tips about pooling safely; the activity can be
played on the Pool Safely Website.
The Pool Safely campaign has partnered with other leading organizations, including American Red Cross, The YMCA of the USA, Safe Kids USA, National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA), Home Safety Council, World Waterpark Association (WWA), Abbey's Hope, and the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP).
