All posts by Kelsey Azadian

Ken-McKenna-webKen McKenna
FSPA President

Recently about 40 of our dedicated members attended Legislative Days in Tallahassee to meet, talk and mingle with House Representatives and State Senators. Our goal is to educate them on our industry and discuss the current issues we may be facing. This has been successful over the years in developing relationships that can help us with issues if they arise. Unfortunately, due to election cycles and term limits, the players change and we have to create new relationships.

The FSPA government relations consultant, Jennifer Hatfield, has been instrumental over the last decade in gaining a voice for us in Tallahassee. We are now seen as the go-to association for anything concerning pools. She has worked tirelessly in growing our relationships and representing the industry. However, with everything she does, we need to help and pitch in more.

It is time for us to begin using our numbers to protect and promote our industry when it comes to the political process. There are several ways we can accomplish this:

  1. Donate money to PIPAC (Pool Industry Political Action Committee) — everyone knows money talks. Donating to our PAC or writing a check to a local politician creates access and establishes a relationship. This is the best way to get yourself and FSPA recognized.
  2. Donate your time to a candidate. Hold signs for them during their campaign. Work in their office stuffing envelopes or whatever they need. This is a great way to get to know the candidate and their staff. Again, it’s about developing a relationship.
  3. Visit them in their local office. Make an appointment to introduce yourself and tell them what issues are important in our industry. Make them aware of changes we may be looking to make or things we are trying to prevent from happening. We are their constituents and they will make time for you.

Trying to get the kids out of the pool for lunch or for snacks is no easy feat. They’re having so much fun and don’t want to stop just to eat! Make it worth their while by creating fun, irresistible snacks!

We have a Pinterest board dedicated to snacks by the pool. Check it out for more inspiration!

sourwormpopsicles

Beat the heat with DIY popsicles! Add sour gummy worms for a tart flavor (and they’re fun to eat!).

pizzawheels

Pack some protein with pizza wheels! Easy, hands-on snack that’s guaranteed to get them to take a break.

lunchbox

Are you heading out to a pool? Pack a lunch in advance!

goldfish

What a fun way to “go fishing!” Kids will have just as much fun getting their goldfish as they will swimming.

sprite

If your kids have friends over, this is a cute idea for beverages!

Want more ideas? Visit our Pinterest page!

Ava Jones
FSPA Member Information Specialist

Trade Association: noun

  1. An association of people or companies in a particular business or trade, organized to promote their common interests.

The Florida Swimming Pool Association is comprised of 700 member companies. I wonder how many of our members know the history behind associations and what it means to be a member of an association?

Associations have been around much longer than most people think. You can find examples of trade associations back to Elizabethan England (16th Century) with the formation of guilds. The guilds were formed by merchants and individual artisans coming together to protect their interests and provide services for the industry. The guilds offered regulations on work hours and wages as well as education in specific fields relating to the guild’s industry (sound familiar?). As the world expanded and grew to today’s modern world, guilds grew and expended to reflect the needs of the ever advancing members.

The United States of America has a proud history of association involvement. In fact, you can see how important having the availability to be a part of an association was to our founding fathers by looking at our constitution. Freedom to assemble and freedom of speech are key factors for an effective association which are protected in our constitutional rights. The earliest association in the US is the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York that was founded in 1768. A group of 20 merchants pooled together to form the Chamber of Commerce with the goal of serving the needs of the local community. They gradually grew to become the industry’s leading advocates and attracting participation from some of America’s most famous business families: Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Murray,and Astor. The US boasts tens of thousands of associations that represent various groups and industries that make up our vast nation.

You have been accepted into the Florida Swimming Pool Association because of your commitment to a code of ethics, your credentials, and your dedication to advancing Florida’s swimming pool industry. You have chosen to continue on the path laid down by our forefathers. FSPA is only as good as our membership. We look forward to many more years of fighting for the swimming pool industry with our loyal and hardworking members leading the way.

 

Hurricane season takes place June 1 through November 30.

There are many myths regarding throwing outdoor furniture inside pools and even draining a swimming pool before a hurricane. Both of these actions can be dangerous and detrimental to a swimming pool. Below are some tips from FSPA to help you become better prepared for a storm.

  1. Do not drain your pool before a storm. Keeping sufficient water levels in your pool provides the important weight to hold sides and bottom in place.
  2. Before and after the storm it is recommended to super chlorinate pool water.
  3. It is important that all electric power be turned off at the circuit breakers before a storm hits. Any exposed electrical equipment such as motors for the pumps should be tightly covered with plastic wrap. If flooding is expected, disconnect and remove.
  4. Storms can cause ripped lanai screens which can be expensive to replace. This can possibly be avoided if you provide a “vent” for wind to escape through. Screen panels may be removed on either side of the pool area.
  5. Remove any loose objects such as chairs, tables, pool equipment and even toys. These items can become weapons in high wind storms. Do not throw your furniture in the pool, or anything else for that matter. If you cannot store items inside a building, carefully place items in the pool, this is not recommended.
  6. After the storm use a “pool rake” or other net/skimming device to remove small debris from inside the pool. Do not use your regular pool vacuum equipment or pool pumps as they are likely to clog the plumbing.
  7. Before touching any electrical equipment after the storm, be sure that everything is dry. Check circuit breakers to be sure they are off before attempting to reconnect electrical equipment such as pump motors. Inspect wiring for proper connections. If electric motors have been exposed to water, they should be checked by a professional.
  8. Be sure clocks, timers, etc. have been properly reset and balance the water chemistry. Keep a close eye on your operating systems for a few days to ensure everything is in working order.

For more information on how to prepare for a hurricane, click here!

The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention reminds you to enjoy the outdoors safely. They have named the Friday before Memorial Day “Don’t Fry Day.”

What You Can Do to Be Safe in the Sun:
  1. Do Not Burn
    Overexposure to the sun is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer.
  2. Avoid Sun Tanning and Tanning Beds
    Ultraviolet (UV) light from tanning beds and the sun causes skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want to look like you’ve been in the sun, use a sunless self-­-tanning product instead.
  3. Cover Up
    Wear protective clothing, such as a long-­-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-­-brimmed hat, and sunglasses,where possible.
  4. Seek Shade/Use Umbrellas
    Seek shade when appropriate. Remember that the sun’s UV rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  5. Generously Apply Sunscreen
    Generously apply sunscreen to all exposed skin using a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 30 that provides broad-­-spectrum protection from both UVA and UVB rays. Reapply every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating.
  6. Use Extra Caution Near Water, Snow and Sand
    Water, snow and sand reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.
  7. Check the UV Index
    The UV Index provides important information to help you plan your outdoor activities in ways that prevent overexposure to the sun. Developed by the National Weather Service (NWS) and EPA, you can find the UV Index for your area online at: www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html
  8. Get Vitamin D Safely
    Get vitamin D safely through a diet that includes vitamin supplements and foods fortified with vitamin D.  Don’t seek the sun or indoor tanning.

The first step to being safe around water is learning to swim! Swimming lessons reduce the risk of drowning by 88%. Below are several organizations that offer swimming lessons. Click each organization to find out about lessons near you.

YMCA – Learn about water safety and find a YMCA near you for swim lessons.

Red Cross – Learn about Red Cross swimming lessons. On the right hand side of the screen click on “local Red Cross chapter” to find lessons near you!

ISR – Infant Swimming Resource. Learn how this method teaches young children self-rescue skills and then enter your ZIP code to find certified instructors near you!

United States Swim School Association – An association of
quality schools devoted to aquatic education for lifelong safety, fun and health. Enter your zip code to find a swim school in your area.

Swim America – The nation’s leading learn to swim school. Click on the “General Public” link and under the FAQs you can search for a location near you.

Swim with Gills – A traveling swim school in Hobe Sound. Lifeguard and other services also available

Miracle Swimming for Adults, Inc.  – Miracle Swimming teaches that learning to swim means to overcome fear and become safe, comfortable, and free in deep water; that learning strokes is the choreography of swimming that can happen easily after someone feels at home in deep water.

* The Florida Swimming Pool Association does not endorse any of these organizations. Other public pools and organizations in your area may also offer swimming lessons.

Visit the Swimming Pool Education and Safety Foundation at www.pooleducationandsafety.org to donate money for pool safety and swim lessons.

School is almost out which means your pool will be busy! Make your pool the place to be this summer with great pool parties.

End of School: Keep that excitement going on the last day of school by having an end of school pool party! Let the kids be with their school friends just a little bit longer before summer family plans start.

Birthday: Summer birthday parties at the pool are a great way for friends to catch up and make more summer plans to hang out.

Fourth of July: Reunite your kids with their school friends in the middle of summer! BBQ, hot dogs, popsicles, and fireworks are destined to make this pool party a blast.

Have more pool party ideas for the summer? Share them with us! You can also see more pool party ideas on our Pinterest!

 

 

 

*Pool parties should ALWAYS be supervised by an adult!

Russell_Matt (2)Matt Russell
Pool Design Concepts LLC

All you have to do is Google “customer service memes” and you will see, dare I say, a truer side of the way today’s society views the idea. Granted, a meme by its definition is “a humorous image, video, piece of text, etc.” However, we all know there is always a little truth behind irony and satire. Most, if not all, of us have experienced this in our day-to-day lives, such as calls to the cable provider, insurance company, or any office operated by the government. What has happened to the lost art of customer service? Continue reading →

Ken-McKenna-webKen McKenna
FSPA President

We all have the necessity to have insurance but how often do you check to make sure you have the right insurance or if you have enough? It is the job of your agent to keep you informed but you still need to ask the right questions. Let’s face it, if something happens, you will be the one paying, not the insurance agent.

Continue reading →