ANCHOR LEAD IN:
Source: The CPSC hosted the first meeting to work on voluntary standards for inflatable pools on June 28, 2005.
ONE OF THE HOTTEST ITEMS ON STORE SHELVES THIS SUMMER IS THE INFLATABLE BACKYARD POOL. AMERICANS BUY ABOUT 40-THOUSAND OF THESE POOLS EVERY YEAR.
THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION JUST HOSTED THE FIRST EVER MEETING TO WORK ON VOLUNTARY STANDARDS FOR THESE POOLS - AFTER FINDING THAT AT LEAST TEN CHILDREN UNDER TEN HAVE DIED IN THEM SINCE 2001.
ARE MOST AMERICANS IN OVER THEIR HEADS WHEN IT COMES TO INFLATABLE POOL SAFETY? _________________ WITH THIS IMPORTANT HEADS UP!

TRACK ONE Length: 10
SUMMERTIME... AND THE LIVING IS EASY. THE ONLY THING MISSING IS A DIP IN THE WATER... BUT THIS SUMMER, RENEE SANTELLA IS LITERALLY 'ON THE FENCE' ABOUT LETTING HER KIDS USE THEIR INFLATABLE POOL...

SOT
KEY@: 11 Renee Santella, Inflatable Pool Owner
"We decided, well, we'll put the pool on the asphalt in the driveway. However the driveway is obviously completely open to the street."

TRACK TWO Length: 07
RENEE IS WORRIED THAT WITHOUT A FENCE, A NEIGHBORHOOD CHILD MIGHT GET HURT. BUT THERE ARE NO TOWN ORDINANCES FOR INFLATABLE POOLS...

SOT
KEY @ : 28 Renee Santella, Inflatable Pool Owner
"I think they need to take a good close look at making some regulations, some rules, some guidelines."

TRACK THREE Length: 13
ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT BY THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION, FEW COMMUNITIES REQUIRE FENCES OR REGULATE INFLATABLE POOLS AT ALL - THOUGH THEY CAN HOLD THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF WATER! SAFETY EXPERTS SAY THAT'S A HUGE MISTAKE.

SOT
KEY @ : 47 Alan Korn, Director of Public Policy, National Safe Kids Campaign
"The same barriers should be applied to above-ground pools as they do in-ground pools."

TRACK FOUR Length: 06
MANUFACTURERS SUGGEST PUTTING THE POOL AWAY WHEN NOT IN USE...BUT WITH SO MUCH WATER, INVOLVED, DUMPING IT OUT ISN'T PRACTICAL...

SOT
NO KEY
"They're less convenient to empty each time after a use, like wading pools."

TRACK FIVE Length: 13
THAT MEANS THE WATER CAN ALSO BECOME CONTAMINATED. IN FACT, EXPERTS SAY ALL LARGE POOLS SHOULD HAVE FILTERS THAT RECIRCULATE WATER EVERY SIX HOURS - AND ACCORDING TO THE SAFE KIDS CAMPAIGN, MANY OF THE INFLATABLES DON'T MEET THESE STANDARDS.

SOT:
KEY @ : 1:21 ( QUICK) Alan Korn, Director of Public Policy, National Safe Kids Campaign
"Debris, dirt, germs, with heated water as the water gets warmer can be a breeding ground for things that aren't healthy for kids."

TRACK SIX Length: 10
STILL, EXPERTS SAY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT JUST BECAUSE IT'S INFLATABLE, DOESN'T MEAN IT'S A TOY. POOLS NEED ACTIVE SUPERVISION AT ALL TIMES.

ANCHOR TAG:
ONE OTHER NOTE - THE C-P-S-C FOUND, REGARDLESS OF FENCES AND SUPERVISION, THE COLLAPSIBLE SIDES OF THE POOL ARE ALSO A DANGER...ONE CHILD WAS REPORTED INJURED WHEN THE SIDES COLLAPSED AND SHE WAS PULLED OUT BY THE WATER, LANDING ON HER HEAD. THE CONSUMER GROUP SAYS IT IS CONTINUING TO MONITOR THE POOLS, AND WILL BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING VOLUNTARY STANDARDS AND OTHER SAFETY ALERTS.

SOURCE INFORMATION

Alan Korn
Director of Public Policy
National Safe Kids Campaign
Contact: Mike Livingston,
National Safe Kids Campaign
202-662-0600
http://www.safekids.org/
Alan Korn has been with The National SAFE KIDS Campaign for 11 years. The organization was officially launched in 1988 as the only nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing Accidental childhood injuries. Former U.S. Surgeon General Koop became chairman in 1988, retiring in 2003. Now known as Safe Kids Worldwide, the National SAFE KIDS Campaign was founded by Children's National Medical Center with support from Johnson & Johnson. Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury, a leading killer of children 14 and under. More than 450 coalitions in 16 countries bring together health and safety experts, educators, corporations, foundations, governments and volunteers to educate and protect families.

For more information: www.cpsc.gov.