Today Show Gives Aquatics Black Eye

[Gary Thill]

A report on the NBC Today Show about VGB noncompliance make the industry look uncaring and unconcerned about safety. What can the industry to counteract this type of report?

[Jim Wheeler]

Wow, talk about one sided journalism. When is the CPSC going to take responsibility for passing a law that left thousands of agencies no way to comply in a timely manner? Didn't they think about enforcement prior to mandating new covers for drains? They needed to start with spas and wading pools then work their way to other potential deep water entrapment hazards. The fact that pools that are 9 or more feet deep with dual main drains are being forced to comply is utter nonsense. I have spent most of my life saving people in pools and teaching people how to save people in pools and I am truly sorry for what happen to young Ms. Baker, but this news cast and the media in general need to focus on shallow spas and wading pools and lousy hotel and apartment pool systems! When are we going to separate "public" pools like motels and condo pools form "commercial" pools like cities and non-profits?

[James Kantorowicz]

Jim,

Well said; especially concerning deep well pools. I don't see the the aviation industry being required to install an independent set of backup engines on all planes just incase of primary engine failure.

The reason I am using this poor excuse of an example is that more people die in plane crashes due to engine failure than people do from drowning in pools from entrapment.

[Gary Thill]

Very well said Jim. Thanks for the great comment!

Jim Wheeler said:

Wow, talk about one sided journalism. When is the CPSC going to take responsibility for passing a law that left thousands of agencies no way to comply in a timely manner? Didn't they think about enforcement prior to mandating new covers for drains? They needed to start with spas and wading pools then work their way to other potential deep water entrapment hazards. The fact that pools that are 9 or more feet deep with dual main drains are being forced to comply is utter nonsense. I have spent most of my life saving people in pools and teaching people how to save people in pools and I am truly sorry for what happen to young Ms. Baker, but this news cast and the media in general need to focus on shallow spas and wading pools and lousy hotel and apartment pool systems! When are we going to separate "public" pools like motels and condo pools form "commercial" pools like cities and non-profits?

[Nick Bacon]

This is a great example of misinformation creating panic. Why weren't there any interviews with pool operators? Why no discussion about how drains that are considered unblockable by their dimensions are still non-compliant because they are not ASME/ANSI stamped? I agree with Jim this is one-sided. And I hope that Chairman Tenebaum understands that recommending immediate closures of pools until they are in complete compliance would close the majority of the swimming pools in the nation; denying millions of Americans access to safe, regulated, guarded swimming venues. With hot summer weather where will these people go to swim? Unguarded pools and beaches seem to me to be a lot more dangerous than a public pool that is working towards compliance but not quite there yet.

[Lisa Phillips]

The massive recall of the drain covers already installed is a perfect example of the results of moving to fast to implement a law, when all the steps are not there to provide proper equipment and mandation.

[Jim Wheeler]

Stop watching sensationalized news broadcasts...