New pool owners in Knoxville, Tenn., must install an alarm to adhere to state law.
According to WVLT, this mandate is due to Katie Beth’s Law, named after retired Senator Charlotte Burks’ great granddaughter who drowned in 2009.
“You have to have an alarm,” Knoxville County’s building official Dennis Nations said in the report. “Anything that falls into the pool that weighs 15 lbs (7 kg) or more creates enough waves and it will set the alarm off.”
Campbell’s Pool & Spa, one builder in the area, has a sign which reads ‘State law requires a pool alarm to be installed.’
“Including an alarm is a part of our construction process,” said Campbell’s Pete Condon. “We have to put it on there.”
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said pool alarms should be installed on back doors to alert adults if a young child attempts to enter the pool area. The CPSC also states fencing, self-closing, and self-latching gates as other preventative measures.
Inspectors can ensure alarms are installed alongside other local requirements. In areas where this service is not provided, electrical inspectors can check for alarms.
