Setauket, NY – Volunteers of all ages met at the Setauket Fire House on Thursday, January 29th to learn valuable emergency life-saving skills through Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay’s January Monthly Mission. The event was hosted in partnership with the Setauket Fire Department, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. Nearly 40 volunteers were trained on multiple skills including Stop-The-Bleed, hands-only CPR, administering naloxone, and choking-assistance methods. 

About her January Monthly Mission, Assemblywoman Kassay shared, “This month’s event focused on empowering our community with the health and public safety skills, as well as the confidence, to spring into action during an emergency and potentially save a life. Whether it’s administering naloxone, stopping severe bleeding, or performing hands-only CPR, these are practical skills that everyday people can use to help their families or neighbors in moments that matter most. By attending today’s event and learning these skills, these residents have made our community safer for everyone who calls it home. I’m deeply grateful to the Setauket Fire Department, SCPD, and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office for their partnership and for their continued commitment to keeping our community safe.”

The evening began with a comprehensive training led by SCPD Officer Jason Byron on how to administer naloxone, along with an overview of how addiction and overdoses are impacting residents across Suffolk County, how the crisis developed, and what community members can do to support neighbors who may be struggling with addiction. Officer Byron’s presentation was followed by a Stop the Bleed training from Deputy Sheriff Daniel Arocho, who instructed volunteers on how to respond to bleeding emergencies and emphasized the critical importance of quickly stopping the bleed while calling 911. The evening concluded with hands-only CPR, choking-assistance techniques, and blood pressure screenings provided by dedicated volunteers from the Setauket Fire Department, including event co-organizer George Zenzerovich and Setauket Fire Commissioner Sue Meyers. Attendees also had the opportunity to tour the Setauket Fire House and view the ambulances used to respond to medical emergencies in the community.

Setauket Fire Department’s George Zenzerovich shared, “Community CPR training is a numbers game. Effectiveness depends on having enough people in our community trained and ready to act.”

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. said “We are happy to partner with Assemblywoman Kassay and our law enforcement and first responder partners to provide these lifesaving skills to residents in her district.You never know when there may be an emergency situation and having community members trained is such an asset in keeping our County safe and prepared.”

During the event, volunteers shared their feelings on the initiative:

Susan Blake of Setauket said, “Assemblywoman Kassay has brought the community together like no other local politician. By organizing and offering our community free monthly programs, that better our health, our safety, our environment and our understanding of how "political" things work is paramount. The life saving skills program was informative and well planned. We all left with a life saving drug, and basic skills that could save a person's life.”

Jay Schoenfeld of South Setauket said, “In addition to the useful emergency skills, it was good to learn about the Good Samaritan law.It's important to know what to do until help comes. There's nothing worse than standing around watching and waiting when you could be doing something.”

In an effort to bring residents together to serve their community, connect, and take part in hands-on projects that make a real difference in Assembly District 4, Assemblywoman Kassay has planned monthly mission opportunities throughout 2026. February’s Monthly Mission is Valentines for Healthcare Workers, where volunteers will put their hands and hearts to work with art and collage supplies, making cards to show appreciation for our local healthcare heroes. This event is co-hosted by Sun River Health and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, who will have nurses on site to provide FREE A1C diabetes screenings, as well as educational resources about diabetes and nutrition. This family-friendly event will be held on Thursday, February 12th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Coram Fire Department, 303 Middle Country Road. If you would like to attend this event, please visit our website at nyassembly.gov/kassay, or call our office at 631-751-3094.

Community members are encouraged to visit the Assemblywoman’s government website, call her office at 631-751-3094, or email kassayr@nyassembly.gov to sign up for her electronic newsletter and receive information about upcoming events and community updates.