Massachusetts Senate Signs Christian's Bill into Law

Derek Frechette,  the Northeast Chapter Leader for the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, the administrator of the CEF Foundation and a member of the J.A.D.E.S. Network, worked diligently for years to pass Christian's Law.  The bill, An Act improving water safety for children in the Commonwealth, requires all summer camps in Massachusetts to test swimmers at the beginning of the summer to determine their swimming ability level and to have on hand a coast guard approved life jacket for every at-risk swimmer.

“We have been working on getting this law passed for a long time and I am very proud and very happy that it has been signed into law,” said Senator Stephen M. Brewer, the sponsor of the bill. “One child drowns every minute across the globe making drowning the second leading cause of death of children under the age of 5. This bill will ensure that at-risk swimmers are identified and that proper precautions are taken to decrease drowning and ultimately save lives.”

Derek's son Christian, the namesake of the Christian E Frechette Foundation website; http://www.ceffoundation.org ; was four years old when he drowned at a summer camp. 

In an emotional speech Derek said;  "In loving memory of my son Christian who drowned in 2007 at age 4, I devote my life to saving other children from drowning in your honor". "Sometimes in tragedy, we find our life's purpose". "No child needs to drown, it is now my purpose to make that happen".

http://www.necn.com/05/17/12/Bittersweet-celebration-as-Mass-Senate-p/landing_newengland.html?blockID=709552&feedID=10150

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