The Story Behind the Baker Act

You might not know this but drowning is the leading cause of death among children between the ages of 1 and 14. The vast majority of these deaths could have been prevented through proper education and supervision. This is, of course, is precisely what we are committed to stopping here at SwimJim.  And while our mission to provide children and adults with the skills necessary to become safe and successful swimmers is one that does much to prevent unnecessary drownings and injuries. Yet, there is a danger in swimming pools that falls, sadly, beyond the scope of swimming lessons. And that is the condition of the pools themselves. You can never be sure that everyone who might have access to your pool will be a safe swimmer and a fence goes a long way to mitigate that danger. However, a problem that has recently come to prominence is the issue of unsafe drains.

In 2002, Virginia Graeme Baker, the grand-daughter of the Texas statesman and former Secretary of State James Baker, drowned at the bottom of a spa in what is known as a suction-pump entrapment death.  In the past, drains were not properly regulated and thus had a suction power far greater than they needed to be.  Every year children die because of unsafe drains, which is why James Baker pushed this bill through in order to save these lives. Many of you will recall pools shutting down throughout the city and, indeed, the country. And while it is a great inconvenience we should all be grateful that our pools and spas (hot tubs) are safer. The pools are being emptied and the drains replaced or redesigned so that nothing can obstruct them and thus create a suction stop.

Just a short little post to keep you all in the loop. Thanks for reading and see you in the water

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