to help her eliminate the entrapment threat. "What happened to this poor child is 'exactly what we as an industry want to take all reasonable measures to prevent," says Bill Weber, president/CEO of the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals in Alexandria, La. "We need to do everything we can to )promote the safe use of our products and services."

Nevertheless, technical experts say existing guidelines have long addressed the issue, and new standards are in development. "Our anti-entrapment standards go back to the 1970s," says Carvin DiGiovanni, APSP's, senior director for technical, education and government.

"I think the industry has taken a proactive step in our standards by identifying what the hazards are and the entrapment- avoidance techniques," he adds.

For DiGiovanni, educating consumers is more important. "We have all this good technical knowledge and information. Now, we have to take it to state officials to adopt, this language," he says. "Obviously, nobody

wants to have injuries in pools and spas. We would work shoulder to shoulder with anyone who would help get our standards language into law."

Wasserman Schultz is skeptical. "The pool-building industry is often a staunch opponent of any safety legislation," she says, citing lawsuits filed by pool companies against the state of Florida after her safety legislation passed there. "What they say out loud is that they think supervision is the only answer. But the only way they've been willing to offer support is if you adopt their 'model legislation,' which every drowning prevention advocate in the country says is inadequate." 

Whether or not that happens remains to be seen. DiGiovanni says the industry has to " provide options, and the solutions Nancy and the congresswoman promote are redundant. Two safety measures anti-vortex drain covers and dual main drains eliminate the entrapment threat in most pools. In addition, DiGiovanni notes that Graeme was entrapped in a spa that had a single drain and had there

been a second one, the accident never would have happened.

In the end, what matters most to Nancy is keeping Graeme's memory alive. She may have been powerless to save her daughter, but she hopes the fate of her youngster will empower the industry to promote safety.

"I don't care what I'm up against," she says. "I've already lost my daughter. All I'm interested in is preventing another child from experiencing what Graeme did that moment when a little 7 year old girl recognized she wasn't coming up for a breath."

Still, Nancy insists that she is not out to get the industry. In fact, her perspective has softened since 2002. Rather than blaming the industry, she would rather see a trade association or large pool company take the lead in addressing the problem.

"I believe there's a lot of power in the glorious victories and successes in people's lives, as well as in the darker, unhappier times," Nancy says.

"Graeme is a powerful angel," she adds. "I'm just working on her behalf."