May 22, 2013
Legislators representing Manchester and East Hartford where two high school students drowned last year in separate swimming pool accidents at their schools voted Wednesday for a bill that establishes a uniform pool safety policy.
By a unanimous vote, the House of Representatives approved House Bill 5113, An Act Concerning Pool Safety At Public Schools, which seeks to establish a uniform policy regarding school pool safety to reduce the loss of life or injury.
“This is good legislation that I believe will help prevent drownings in our schools,” said Rep. Jason Rojas (D-East Hartford, Manchester). “The key to the bill is having another set of eyes on the pool whose specific job will be to look out for swimmer in distress or in need of assistance.”
“Towns around Connecticut have various safety policies and it is my hope that having one strong uniform policy for all will help prevent future accidents,” said Rep. Joseph Diminico (D-Manchester, Glastonbury).
“This is a very common sense approach to pool safety and sets a universal standard that requires one set of eyes to be primarily focused on the water to prevent any accidents,” Rep. Henry Genga (D-East Hartford) said.
Rojas said education is also important in pool safety. “Education on swimming and pool safety is critical and perhaps more important than any legislation we pass,” Rojas said. “But what really needs to happen is a discussion as a community about the disproportionate rate at which Black and Latino children drown, as well as adults of color, due to weak swimming skills.”