World Drowning Prevention Day - July 25 Annually

You can watch our live interview on YouTube or listen here.

The VGB Act was the result of Virginia Graeme Baker, a 7-year-old girl, passing away in June 2002, after a drain entrapment incident in a hot tub.  Since Graeme’s death on June 15, 2002, her mother, Nancy Baker become a national parent advocate to ensure that similar deaths can be prevented. She advocates promoting the use of safety devices that not only prevent entrapment in pools and spas but also for safety devices and practices that prevent traditional forms of drowning. Nancy is also a national spokeswoman, an artist, art teacher, parent, and proud grandmother. 

In the wake of her daughter’s death, there were many challenges, important partnerships, and opportunities to speak publicly that resulted in the ultimate success surrounding the passage of the first federal legislation addressing pool and spa safety. That legislation-- The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act -- named after Nancy's daughter, changed the way public pools and spas are built and maintained in this country. Nancy enjoys speaking, encouraging, and supporting parent advocates and drowning prevention organizations to continue the work they do every day to protect children from both drowning and entrapment. 

Nancy Baker joins the Swim Global Project on July 25, 2 pm ET, for a heartfelt interview to share her story and how, after 15 years,  the VGB Act still stands as the only federal legislation to address this public health crisis.