What type of legislation, if any, should be required for new-pool construction to prevent entrapment?
“I’m not 100 percent sold on the [safety vacuum release systems] yet, but I think requiring dual main drains is a good thing, especially in commercial spas.
“I hate to have the government come in and tell me more of what to do, but I think it’s probably for the best. [Suction entrapment] seems to happen to young people because they are curious — they like to play with things.”
— Bob Foutz
Owner, Purity Pools
Huntington Beach, Calif.
“I think dual main drains or dual suction devices that are of the appropriate size and distance from each other is what should be required. I don’t think there currently is any law [requiring builders to meet that standard on new construction], so I would be in favor of legislation that would enforce that requirement.”
— Ian Fyffe
Chairman, NSPI Service Council
President, Harbor Hot Tubs Inc.
Sag Harbor, N.Y.
“I basically agree with our law in Florida, which requires dual main drains for every suction source, set a minimum of 3 feet apart, and either a vent line or safety vacuum release system.
“In general, I think we’re over-legislated, that they go too far in some areas. But on this issue, I don’t think it’s that big a deal to adhere to the [Florida] requirements. … The costs aren’t that great, it’s a great selling tool and it makes the product safer, although it doesn’t address hair entrapment.
“I’m not certain whether or not I’m willing to change every drain [on existing pools] to a nonentanglement drain because I believe there has to be a certain amount of responsibility [by the pool owner] to be prudent in their use.”
— Brian Van Bower
Co-founder, Genesis 3
President, Aquatic Consultants Inc.
Miami
“We as a company have put dual main drains at least 3 feet apart for at least 10 years. If they would go at least that far by legislation, I think that would be a positive resolution to the entrapment issue. I believe that anti-entrapment covers should be part of the code, as a backup.
“But to go to the umpteenth degree — mechanical devices and vacuum breakers — to me, those shouldn’t be mandated. It’s an additional expense that I don’t personally believe is necessary. The only time you’ll have an issue is if the cover is taken off.”
— John Romano
Chairman, NSPI
Chairman, All American Custom
Pools & Spas
Norwalk, Conn.
“Generally, you hope that the industry looks at ways to make the product safer and self-regulate rather than have an outside party, like the government, come in. The government doesn’t know as much about the issues.
“When an industry deals with an issue, the government won’t get involved. When you have a serious issue and it is apparent the industry is not self-regulating, only then should government get involved. If it does a good job, like the chemical industry’s Responsible Care Program, it will self-regulate.”
— Charlie Schobel
NSPI Board Member
President, Recreational Water
Worldwide, BioLab Inc.
Lawrenceville, Ga.
“There are people who are brighter than me who are certainly not in politics — because if they are brighter than me, they wouldn’t be in politics — and are more capable of figuring out what the best practices should be for us as an industry. I don’t have the expertise to know that, and certainly the last people I would resort to for input are politicians because of their lack of knowledge on anything other than politics.
“If we had fewer laws and politicians in this country, it would be economically healthier, and the standard of living would be higher.”
— Manuel J. Perez de la Mesa
President/CEO
SCP Pool Corp.
Covington, La.
