The U.S. Consumer Product Safely Commission (CPSC) has announced a 90-day solicitation seeking applications for a special Pool Safely Grant Program (PSGP) offered to state and local governments.
This program provides state and local governments with assistance to help implement enforcement and education programs, with the goal of preventing drownings and drain entrapments in pools and spas.
CPSC expects to award $1.1 million in two-year grants to assist jurisdictions in reducing deaths and injuries from drowning and drain entrapment incidents in pools and spas. The Pool Safely grant program is a part of CPSC’s national effort to make drowning and drain entrapment prevention a critical public safety priority.
According to the World Health Organization, drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7 percent of all injury-related deaths. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that, in 2016, the most recent year for which numbers were available, there were two drowning deaths of children younger than 15. Drowning is much higher in warm weather states, such as Texas and Florida (which both had 40 fatal drowning in 2016).
The grant program is made possible through the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB Act), legislation that was authored and advanced by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) Florida. Congress passed the VGB Act, and President George W. Bush signed the measure into law, in December 2007.
Applicants must be a state or local government or U.S. Territory that has an enacted or amended state and/or local law(s) that meet the requirements in Sections 1405 and 1406 of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act
The application narrative for the FY 15 Pool Safely Grant Program (Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) CPSC-16-001) are:
- Introduction: This section should help reviewers understand the community that will be helped by the proposed project. Applicants must describe the community population and enforcement and education needs as they relate to protecting children from drowning and entrapment in pools and spas. Describe successful current or past efforts to address these needs, and explain how they were determined to be successful. Show how these needs relate to the project aims. Relevant demographic and other data related to child drowning and entrapment in swimming pools and spas in the community should be used and cited, whenever possible, to support the information provided.
- Work Plan: This section provides a framework and describes all aspects of the proposed project. It should be succinct, self-explanatory, and well organized so that reviewers can understand the proposed project.
- Resources and Capabilities: This section corresponds with Review Criterion 3 under Section V. Applicants must provide information such as Staffing Plan and Budget Narrative
- Project Evaluation Plan: This section provides a brief project evaluation plan including performance measures.
CPSC’s website: www.PoolSafely.gov, has supplemental information about the Pool Safely Grant Program. PoolSafely.gov has a broad range of free, downloadable information for the general public, state and local officials, the swimming pool and spa community and the media.
