Abbey's Hope Charitable Foundation applauds the Consumer Product Safety Commission who voted Wednesday to reverse its prior, and we believe, misguided interpretation of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act. The new guidance, provided to all public pool and spa operators, requires the use of a secondary anti entrapment system when the public pool or spa has only a single main drain. The Commission with its vote today recognized that a drain cover, even safe ones, can come off which leaves swimmers, especially children, exposed to an unnecessary risk of entrapment. The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act was passed in response to several tragic child entrapment deaths including Abigail Taylor who is the inspiration behind our Foundation. All applicable public pools and spas have until May 28, 2012 to install these systems.

Please take a moment to check out these great articles:

WCCO:
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/09/28/govt-reverses-course-on-pool-sa...

KSTP 45:
http://kstc45.com/article/stories/S2305464.shtml?cat=11512

Star Tribune: http://www.startribune.com/local/west/130753518.html

About Abbey’s Hope Charitable Foundation
Abbey’s Hope Foundation was created as a tribute to 6-year-old Abigail Taylor of Edina, Minn., who was disemboweled in a wading pool on June 29th, 2007. After a triple organ transplant and numerous surgeries, Abbey passed away on March 20, 2008. Six year-old Abbey Taylor’s hope was that no child should ever suffer like she did as the result of an improperly maintained pool. In her name, the Foundation works tirelessly for a world with safer pools by providing education and advocating for comprehensive safety standards for all pools. For more information, please visit www.abbeyshope.org.