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National Water Safety Month Is Celebrated The Entire Month of May

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Celebrate National Water Safety Month The Entire Month of May

The month of May is a time to celebrate National Water Safety Month. The entire month of May has been officially dedicated as a time to bring awareness and education about water safety to the general community. The initiative is coordinated by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance in support with the American Red Cross, National Recreation and Park Association, and the World Waterpark Association.

Benefits of Water Safety

May is the perfect time to observe safer water practices. When school is out for the summer and the weather heats up across the country, poolside recreation is in. This summer, pools, hot tubs, and spas will have a tremendously positive impact on all of our lives.

There are 10.4 million residential and 309,000 public swimming pools, and an additional 7.3 million hot tubs operating in the U.S. Over the summer 8 out of 10 Americans are planning to swim in a pool. For children and teens between the ages of 7 and 17, swimming remains the #1 most popular recreational activity.

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Still, the Red Cross says more than 50% of Americans don’t know how to swim. This is where the disconnect lies and why this initiative is so important. Practicing better pool safety saves lives.

National Water Safety Month is helping by promoting better water safety practices as well as increasing water competency including what to do in an emergency. Drowning prevention lies at the core of the initiative.

Some of the core principles to educate the public about the importance of supervising children in or near water, fencing pools and spas with adequate barriers, learning water safety survival skills, using approved life jackets while boating, and swimming in a lifeguarded area.

How National Water Safety Month Got Started

National Water Safety Month’s history of highlighting water awareness and swim safety started in June 2003, when the World Waterpark Association launched its National Water Safety Week. People celebrated this water awareness week for four years.

The origins of National Water Safety Month began in May 2007. The National Recreation and Park Association in coordination with the World Waterpark Association decided that a month-long water safety initiative in May would better serve the community. May is the month when swim activity begins to increase across the nation. It was at this point that National Aquatics Week evolved into National Water Safety Month.

The APSP (now the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance) joined the initiative in May 2009. Their involvement would add public pools, residential pools, and waterparks as part of the month long water safety campaign. The American Red Cross would join the National Water Safety Month coalition as a key partner the following year in May 2010.

Learn More About The Key Partners Behind National Water Safety Month

The water safety initiative reaches the community at large through a series of educational programs and public service announcements. In addition, there is involvement at the government level, as well as with dealers and businesses across the nation to provide access to a wide variety of swim safety materials.

Pool & Hot Tub Alliance

The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance advances the expansion of water safety initiatives through research and outreach-related activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming. The PHTA’s 3,600 members are helping advance this initiative by making swimming environments safer and keeping pools open to serve communities.

National Recreation & Park Association

The National Recreation & Park Association is a non-profit dedicated to building stronger communities through the power of parks and recreation. Today, the NRPA’s 60,000 members propel this objective by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates

World Waterpark Association

The World Waterpark Association is the world’s premier water-leisure trade association. The WWA serves over 1,000 members in 50 different countries around the globe.

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds, and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families.

Sponsor: Pentair

The initiative is sponsored by Pentair. “Pentair is honored to continue to support National Water Safety Month again this year,” says De’Mon Wiggins, President – Pool Business Unit at Pentair. “At Pentair, we know moments by the pool can only be magical, wonder-filled, and fun when experienced safely. That’s why we are committed as an organization to promoting water safety awareness not only during National Water Safety Month but always.”

Pentair Partnership With Pool & Hot Tub Alliance for National Water Safety Month
Pentair Partnership With Pool & Hot Tub Alliance for National Water Safety Month

How You Can Get Involved

For those that want to get involved, there are a number of ways for the general public and pool industry professionals to engage with their own community. Resources for consumers and professionals are available on the National Water Safety Month website.

Pool industry professionals perform a variety of outreach services that engage their local communities to learn more about water safety. Some examples are Joe Vassallo and his firm Paragon Pools which started their Float Like a Duck program in Las Vegas and Stephen Little, CEO of Claro Pools with his 55/5 campaign in Palm Desert. Those interested in getting involved have lots of options. Some advocates are planning a media event while others are doing a virtual event online. There are even those who are organizing a water safety fair to help get the word out.

Still one of the best ways to make a difference is by making a donation to the Red Cross and sponsoring National Water Safety Month as well as other drowning prevention initiatives that help promote awareness.

Featured Photo Credit: PHTA

5/5 - (11 votes)

Alise Everton has been working in the pool industry for the past decade and is an experienced press correspondent and contributor for numerous trade publications and web portals including PoolMagazine.com and PoolContractor.com among others. Contact her for guest posting opportunities, press releases, and pool equipment related news.

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Landslide Damages Homes, Destroys Swimming Pool in California

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Landslide Destroys Home, Damages Swimming Pool in California

A landslide wreaked havoc in Sherman Oaks early Wednesday morning, causing millions in damage and virtually destroying one homeowner’s swimming pool. The catastrophe unfolded at around 3 a.m. following reports from residents in the 3700 block of North Ventura Canyon Avenue, who noticed downed power lines and a large tree fallen into a backyard, as detailed in a press release by the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Upon arrival, firefighters encountered a significant portion of the hillside had shifted downward, endangering at least three homes and inflicting heavy damage on another under construction. Video footage captured by OnScene.TV revealed a gaping crack splitting through the backyard of one residence, with a section of the home visibly tilting to one side.

While no injuries were reported, several individuals were evacuated from at least one home, with firefighters resorting to pumping water out of a swimming pool to alleviate additional strain on the hillside. Unfortunately, part of the pool and home ultimately collapsed down a 30-foot cliff destroying another residence that was still under construction.

Responding to the crisis, the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety initially deemed one home unsafe, red-tagging the structure. However, their assessment later extended to two homes deemed unsafe and a third severely damaged, marked with a yellow tag. Ongoing drone surveys by firefighters aim to assess the extent of the damage and potential risks.

At present, the exact cause of the landslide remains undetermined, according to LAFD spokesperson Nicholas Prange. Requests for comment from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety went unanswered.

Authorities seized the opportunity to remind residents of the necessity for year-round emergency preparedness, emphasizing the looming threats posed by wildfires and heavy rainstorms capable of triggering landslides.

The unfortunate incident follows March’s heavy precipitation in Southern California, with Sherman Oaks experiencing 1.95 inches of rainfall over March 6th and 7th, as reported by the National Weather Service.

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BofA Downgrades Latham Group Citing Weak Pool Construction Market

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BofA Downgrades Latham Group Citing Weak Pool Construction Market

Latham Group (NASDAQ: SWIM), a prominent player in residential swimming pool construction, faced a setback as Bank of America downgraded its stock due to concerns over sluggish new pool construction and increased decrementals.

With the downgrade, SWIM’s stock plummeted by 23.78% during pre-market trading on Wednesday, settling at $2.50, marking an 11% dip below its 200-day simple moving average.

Bank of America revised its recommendation on Latham Group stock to Underperform, slashing the price target from $4.50 to $2.60.

In its 2024 guidance announcement, SWIM projected revenues between $490M and $520M, falling short of the consensus estimate of $533.09M. Similarly, adjusted EBITDA guidance ranged from $60M to $70M, representing an 8% to 35% decrease compared to previous expectations.

The downgrade stems from a sluggish start to 2024, subdued projections for new pool construction, operational challenges leading to deleverage, and constrained free cash flow.

Management anticipates a 15% year-over-year decline in new pool construction for 2024.

These developments contrast with the optimistic sentiment among some sell-side analysts, who maintain a Buy rating on SWIM with an average price target of $3.54.

Scott Rajeski, President and CEO, stated, “Latham navigated a very difficult market environment in 2023. We successfully implemented cost reduction programs and lean manufacturing initiatives that structurally reduced our cost basis, while maintaining our investments in future growth. These cost reduction programs improved margins as the year progressed and we expect they will enable us to considerably expand margins and overall profitability once volumes recover. At the same time, we increased productivity and efficiency for our dealers, developed new fiberglass pool models, and invested in digital tools that have enhanced the consumer’s pool buying experience. As a result of these actions, Latham is positioned for meaningful market share gains as overall industry conditions improve.”

5/5 - (7 votes)

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Fluidra Launches €20 Million Venture Capital Fund – Fluidra Ventures

The company will invest €20 million in tech-based startups that offer emerging solutions that can enhance the pool and wellness sector.

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Fluidra Ventures

Fluidra, a global leader in connected equipment and solutions for the pool and wellness sector, is launching Fluidra Ventures, a €20 million corporate venture capital fund (CVC) investment to lead innovation in the sector.

The CVC will invest in each startup with the potential to revolutionize the industry on a global scale through their solutions, with a special focus on the United States and Europe. The goal of this first three-year phase is to build a solid portfolio of startups through investing in innovative companies.

The CVC will target startup initiatives that enhance efficiency, connectivity, sustainability and safety in the swimming pool and wellness business, leveraging IoT, computer vision and robotic solutions. It is looking for startups that add value to the pool and wellness sector with innovative business models, fostering direct customer interaction through sales, subscriptions and other channels. The CVC has already invested in Coral Smart Pool, a technology company aiming to transform the pool experience through Artificial Intelligence (AI) with an initial focus on pool safety.  

Fluidra Ventures will also invest in companies that innovate in engineering and science to advance materials and products that deal with swimming pool manufacturing, efficiency and maintenance.

Four segments and eight strategic guidelines

The fund is focused on four different segments — Commercial, Residential, Wellness and Mass Market—and has an investment thesis that covers eight strategic guidelines, from connected pools, resource optimization, digital platforms, innovative materials, security systems, personalized experiences, robotics and innovative consumable products.

Fluidra Ventures is fueled by Fluidra Lab, Fluidra’s open innovation division, and any startups that want to submit their proposals can send their investment pitch decks to [email protected]. Offering more than just investments, Fluidra aims to leverage this initiative to become the top strategic collaborator for the most innovative startups with the tremendous benefits that being an industry leader brings, such as: resources, scale successful business models, expertise, experience, and sales options.

“This initiative joins several others that we have at Fluidra to promote innovation in our industry. This is why here at Fluidra Ventures we’re excited about the transformative potential that this venture will have for the pool and wellness industry, driving forward innovation, sustainability and technological advancement”, said Eloi Planes, Fluidra’s Executive Chairman.

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