ool safety campaigns always accompany the start of summer. But in 2003, the American Red Cross and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission added a new message for consumers.
The “Don’t Swim With Shocks” campaign was a collaboration between those private and public agencies. Their message spread throughout the country, with coverage by CNN and ABC’s
“Good Morning America.”
“We reviewed the data of previous years and saw there were deaths over time, which made it worthwhile,” says Scott Wolfson, CPSC spokesperson in Bethesda, Md. “The numbers aren’t that high, but it was enough to prompt this agency to get the word out.”
The difference between a typical drowning and electrocution, Wolfson explains, is that the latter doesn’t just affect one individual. It can impact an entire pool full of people.
The campaign informs people how to recognize shocking, handle electrocution victims and avoid problems. “Don’t Swim With Shocks” also urges homeowners to update and maintain their pools. To learn more, visit www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/519.pdf.
