PRIME Building Services - Affiliations

NATIONAL SWIMMING POOL FOUNDATION

Two values most people treasure above all others are family and health. These values are also the basis and foundation of the pool, spa and aquatics industry.

Bolstered by post-WWII prosperity, material advances in plastics and disinfection, and sociological factors like racial integration, the industry experienced meteoric growth. Leaders in this emerging industry recognized that education was critical to supplement and accentuate practical experience. In addition, they realized research was needed to answer many technical questions and fill knowledge gaps. As a result, the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) was founded in 1965 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

The NSPF mission and vision made its most tangible appearance with the NSPF Certified Pool/Spa Operator® (CPO®) certification program. In the early 1980s, technical leaders recognized that public facilities exhibited a substantial risk to large populations and developed the NSPF CPO® certification program. Over the next three decades hundreds of certified instructors trained over 300,000 students from 70 countries. Each year, about 25,000 professionals choose to enroll in this prestigious program. This was just the beginning of NSPF’s leadership role in pioneering the way to reduce injury and illness in and around the water. This past decade, NSPF introduced a portfolio of educational materials including over 40 online training courses. The scientific World Aquatic Health™ Conference first launched in 2003 has provided industry professionals, educators, government and medical experts around the globe a leadership forum for advanced education. The NSPF Board of Directors recognized that research is key to the health of our industry and those we serve. The pool, spa, aquatic field has the potential to serve millions as society ages and negative health consequences result from inactivity impacts people’s health. Since 2003, research grants of about $4 million have been awarded. In addition, NSPF has supported leading researchers who are preventing drowning, illness, chemical exposure, suction entrapment, protecting those who visit aquatic facilities. NSPF has led the way to fund researchers who are exploring aquatic health benefits to help policy makers and thought leaders understand the science behind aquatic immersion and activity.

Thus, it remains urgent that we educate people in our field to understand and advocate how aquatic activity benefits family and health. It remains vital that we educate people in our field to understand and prevent injuries, illness and drowning. NSPF is committed to serve and empower stakeholder groups to educate and elevate our field to help enhance health and family with the best educational programs build on strong scientific foundation.

Web site: National Swimming Pool Foundation