WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) Pool Safely
campaign and global retailer Walmart announced today a
partnership focused on addressing a serious public safety crisis:
child drownings. CPSC and Walmart will collaborate to promote the
Pool Safely campaign's efforts to prevent fatal
and non-fatal drownings in swimming pools and spas across the
country.
"Childhood drownings are a public health crisis – they are also 100
percent preventable," said CPSC Chairman
Elliot F. Kaye. "We're pleased Walmart has
agreed to work with us on these vital drowning prevention efforts
across the nation. Our campaign recommends simple water safety
steps, such as teaching children how to swim, having four-sided
fencing, learning CPR, and maintaining constant supervision of
children around water. A partnership of this magnitude, with a
company with which so many Americans interact daily, will help put
life-saving information in the hands of millions of families."
"At Walmart, we are proud of our strong relationship with the
CPSC and are excited to share its Pool Safely information
with our customers, associates and suppliers," said Walmart Vice
President of U.S. Product Safety and Compliance Beth
Schommer. "Walmart interacts with millions of individuals
every week who might benefit from an increased awareness and better
understanding of simple water safety steps. By partnering
with the CPSC, we are able to provide this important information to
many who otherwise might not have access to it, allowing them to
stay safer in and around the water and to live better lives."
Of the Pool Safely campaign's nearly 900 partners,
Walmart is the largest corporation.
As part of the agreement, Pool Safely will provide family
friendly water safety materials, including Water Watcher cards,
"The Adventures of Splish and Splash" smartphone app, and Pool
Safely beach balls, for Walmart to share with its customers,
suppliers and employees. Walmart will encourage learning to swim,
install layers of protection, and closely supervise children in and
around the water. Walmart will also encourage families to
take the Pool Safely Pledge.
Since its inception in 2010, CPSC's Pool Safely campaign
has developed a network of partners–from local safety groups to
national organizations, including the American Red Cross, YMCA of
the USA, National Drowning
Prevention Alliance, and the Boy Scouts of America–who have played
a critical part in the campaign's effort to increase awareness
of water safety and prevent drownings and drain entrapments in
pools and spas.
About Pool Safely
Pool Safely, a national public education campaign supporting
the requirements of Section 1407 of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool
and Spa Safety Act, works with partners around the country to
reduce fatal child drownings, non-fatal drownings and entrapment
incidents in swimming pools and spas. Parents, caregivers and the
media are encouraged to visit: PoolSafely.gov or @PoolSafely on
Twitter for vital safety information regarding the prevention of
child drownings in and around pools and spas.
About the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with
protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death
associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products
under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and
property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation
more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC
is committed to protecting consumers and families from products
that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard.
CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as
toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household
chemicals – contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and
injuries associated with consumer products in the past 40
years.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, go
online to: SaferProducts.gov, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772
or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing and speech
impaired. Consumers can obtain this news release and product safety
information at www.cpsc.gov. To join a free e-mail subscription
list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.
About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps
people around the world save money and live better – anytime and
anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile
devices. Each week, we serve nearly 260 million customers who visit
our 11,598 stores under 65 banners in 28 countries and e-commerce
websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2015 revenue of
$486 billion, Walmart employs more
than 2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a
leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment
opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by
visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at
http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available
at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
Logo -
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20030904/USCSCLOGO
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cpsc-and-walmart-announce-pool-safely-partnership-to-help-families-be-safer-in-and-around-pools-and-spas-300213985.html
SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission