Emily's Bill -- Legislation Aimed at Reducing Boating Accidents, Is OK'd by State Senate

State Sen. Scott Frantz (R-Greenwich) joined members of the state senate and the Greenwich delegation in supporting the passage of Emily’s Bill, which seeks to minimize the possibility of another tragedy on the water similar to the one that cost Emily Fedorko her life on Aug. 6, 2014.

Sixteen-year-old Emily Fedorko, a Greenwich High School junior, left the dock on a beautiful summer day last August to enjoy a few hours of boating and tubing on Long Island Sound with three of her friends. Two of the teens, including Emily, were tubing and were struck by the propeller of the operating outboard engine. Emily was fatally injured. The other teen suffered a traumatic, non-life threatening injury by the same propeller.

Emily’s father, Joseph Fedorko testified earlier this year before the Environment Committee, “As a result of inexperience our precious daughter lost her life. We allow our kids to get driver’s license at sixteen with many restrictions, why wouldn’t we want to have the same age restrictions on boating safety?”

Current state regulations allow a 13-year-old with a Safe Boating Certificate to take a twin 350-horsepower engine boat out and tow water skiers and tubers. Emily’s Bill calls for an additional educational component to the Safe Boating Curriculum that includes a very meaningful and effective section on towing, meaning any sort of activity that takes place behind a fast moving vessel involving an inflatable tube, water skis, wake board or surfboard.

The risk given the general lack of on-the-water experience for this age group is large. With Emily’s Bill, there would be a requirement of a minimum age of 16 with a towing endorsement in order to legally tow. The proposed bill was vetted with the boating industry, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, boaters, the U.S. Power Squadron, professionals in the business, Marine Police and, the Fedorko family. The bill now heads to the state House for a vote.

The Fedorko Family, who lives in Old Greenwich, has launched a foundation, the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation, to promote a national boat towing safety program. The family has visited boat shows to distribute information, tell their story and distribute stickers to be placed near throttles and ignition switches to “Turn It Off for Emily” when approaching those in the water.

“We want to protect others from the pain we feel each day,” Joseph Fedorko said.

To learn more about the Emily Catherine Fedorko Foundation, visit http://www.emsway.org/ the bill now heads the floor of the House.

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Photo: Emily Fedorko. Credit: Facebook.