They are there when you are in need asking, “How can I help you?”

These are the extraordinary men and women of the fire department. 

They are bravely going into the most dangerous situations every day to protect you and your property. 

Even when they’re not on the job, firefighters can often be found serving the community in many different ways; supporting charitable causes, volunteering, and coaching sports. 

They are simply remarkable people and getting to know a bit more about them means that, even in an emergency, you will recognize the friendly face that comes to help. 

Chris Stewart, Firefighter
Saratoga Springs Fire Department

I have been a firefighter with the department since August 2014. 

I’ve also been an assistant varsity baseball coach at Saratoga Central Catholic High School since January 2016. 

My dad and grandfather were both professional firefighters for the Green Island Fire Department and my grandfather and uncle on my mom’s side are former officers/members with the Village of the Stillwater Fire Department. 

Prior to becoming employed with Saratoga Springs, I volunteered for the Arvin Hart Fire Company in Stillwater and have experience with the Waterford Police Department, Stillwater EMS, Malta EMS and North Queensbury EMS. 

Because of the professional firefighters in my family, I always wanted to be a professional firefighter, too. I stopped playing college football and baseball at Mount Ida early to make sure I had time to complete the paramedic course at Hudson Valley Community College in time for the civil service test and to be hired on at the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. 

My favorite part of the job is the station life, having an additional family in the good times and the bad times. No matter what the calls are, once we get back to the station there is a family element. 

My personal goal is to be an officer one day. I want to advance myself as a firefighter and be one that my dad and my grandfather would have wanted to work with.

Aaron Dyer, Battalion Chief
Saratoga Springs Fire Department

I have been proudly serving the City of Saratoga Springs for 21+ years. I currently manage the Fire Prevention Office, Code Enforcement Office and share in the day-to-day operations of the department.

I also have a passion for snowmobiling and working to maintain the trails in Saratoga County. I enjoy camping and spending time with family and friends.

My father was my inspiration to become a firefighter. He was a member of a volunteer fire department and encouraged me to join.

I love being able to work with my co-workers and the public every day – whether it is during an emergency, in fire prevention or at a special event. In the position I am in, I am able to listen to the needs of my co-workers and the public, and help steer the fire department into the future.

I am always working towards advancement within my profession, continually updating my education. I also strive to spoil my niece, nephews and god children.

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John Marra, Firefighter
Saratoga Springs Fire Department

I have been a firefighter and paramedic for five years. 

I’ve always had a passion for helping people. My dad was a volunteer and so it has always intrigued me.

My favorite part of the job is that everyday you walk in the door; you never know what you will be doing – every day is different. 

In my family, there are my parents, my sister, and I have three nephews. When I have free time, I enjoy jet skiing, snowmobiling, and riding my motorcycle. 

I also just completed my Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management at SUNY Empire State.

Matt Derway, Lieutenant
Saratoga Springs Fire Department

I have been a firefighter for 26 years, beginning as a volunteer. I also served six years in the New York Air National Guard as a firefighter. I became a full-time firefighter for Saratoga Springs in 2006. 

I play hockey with the Saratoga Springs Fire Department hockey team, along with helping to coach my son, Lucas, and his hockey team.I also enjoy golf, music, and play drums. 

My father was an EMT. Watching him help people showed me that it’s the right thing to do.

We respond to all sorts of calls – not just fires. My experience has taught me to contain a situation as quickly as possible, so everyone gets out safely.

I hope to move up through the ranks at the department and continue my education with the fire service. 

Being disorganized can be caused by a combination of things. But more importantly, being disorganized causes many ailments and barriers for you and your life. The new year has only just started; this is a great time to regain your space and improve your health.

Problematic cluttering behavior manifests itself in 3 major ways; compulsive acquisition of useless possessions, living spaces so cluttered you can’t use them and distress or an inability to function due to the hoarding. Your stuff will cost you in more ways than one: money, time, health, relationships and more.

Clutter can be a symptom of other health issues. If you have had an emotional trauma or brain injury, you can struggle with normal upkeep of your home. Conditions such as ADD, OCD, ADHD, depression, chronic pain and grief can also prevent you from tackling your stuff on an ongoing basis. Having a significant level of clutter can also be an indication of emotional deprivation or an absence of warmth expressed in the family during adolescence.  In all of these cases, seeking help in some form from a psychiatrist, psychologist, doctor or professional organizer is probably necessary. 

The stuff in your home is not only physically impeding your space but preventing you from actually doing things… if you can’t find your sneakers, you aren’t exercising. The items cluttering your home can create an un-safe obstacle course, especially for those with limited mobility.  If you have young children, it means making a safe space for them is almost impossible. You may not be taking your medications properly due to lack of systems and always losing them.  And if we are talking about clutter in your kitchen, you will eat better by clearing the space in order to prepare a healthy meal at home and use healthier foods from your pantry.  Eating at home is almost always healthier than a meal prepared out.

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The stuff, as packed as it is, can also mask dirt and allergens and harmful mold.  In some cases, even bugs and rodents. Have pets?  They can “hide” surprises within the stuff that can cause major issues for your health and the condition of your home. What you can’t see can be seriously harming you.

The big glaring issue with clutter in your home is the challenges it poses to your mental health. It causes a lot of stress, i.e. not being able to find things when needed, being late for work or events, having to repurchase items and spend more money. The burden is high when you have too much stuff and it is disorganized. This reason is, of all the others, why most professional organizers get called. This stress leads to depression and anxiety.

So, physically and mentally, gaining control of your space and your stuff, can have huge positive improvements on your health. Your mental health will improve; you will be at peace with your stuff and rather than it limiting you, it will support the life you want.  You will be calmer and happier.  If you have breathing problems, tackling the clutter and cleaning your home thoroughly will improve those issues.  With eating healthier and finding those sneakers, your fitness and energy should improve, you may even lose actual pounds when the weight of your stuff is gone. You’ll have more time for the things you want to do because you will be in charge of your space.

Getting organized and simplifying has so many benefits. It is overwhelming to get started, but please do… just start small. Even one cleared surface can create huge results. If your kitchen table is covered, just clearing this off may set you up to eat regularly, have a basket for meds and take them properly, and pay your bills on time. If you think you need help with how to do it, seek that help.  You won’t be sorry when you reap all the benefits of letting go.

You can reach Jordana Turcotte of SIMPLY YOU at 518-309-CALM 
www.SimplyYouOrganizing.com
Facebook.com/SimplyYouOrganizing
Instagram: @simplyyouorganizing

I meet them on a sunny autumn afternoon. Father and son greet me in the driveway, opening the door of their home wide, calling out to mom and two daughters, announcing my arrival.

I learn their names right off the bat. Valerie and Ben are parents to twins Garrett and Alissa, both 31, as well as a younger daughter Jenna, who is 28. 

We sit around the dining table together, sun streaming in from the deck, laughter ringing gaily throughout the room. You’d never know what they’ve grappled with, struggled through as a family – unless you asked. 

It seems like everyone you meet today either knows someone battling cancer, is a survivor themselves, or has lost a loved one from what the American Cancer Society estimated (back in 2015) would claim the lives of about 1,600 people daily. 

If you’re wondering about the numbers, it equates to approximately 590,000 deaths due to cancer. In one year. 

Garrett was 16 when he was diagnosed with ALL – Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. The doctors at Albany Med offered him two options. He chose the second one – which would be harder and take longer – but would also allow the medical community to study the disease, its treatment, and his recovery.

“I knew it would be better if we could bring more education and awareness to this type of cancer,” Garrett tells me. “I felt it was the least I could do – help the next person suffering from it.”

Alissa, his twin sister, says she felt phantom pains all the time. “Whenever mom and dad brought Garrett to the hospital for a procedure, the wait was unbearable. I panicked. It felt as if I was going through it with him. I’d call dad to ask if my brother had this or that done to him that day. It was like I always knew.” 

There was guilt, too. “I couldn’t understand why Garrett was enduring this hell while I was healthy. It was horrible. I cried a lot, felt defenseless and alone. What if the other half – the better half of me died? I couldn’t imagine life without him.”

Garrett knew his sister felt helpless. “I needed Alissa to understand this wasn’t her fault. We sat down one day, talking for a long time. I hugged her and said she was going to have to be strong and healthy for both of us.”

Chemo, shots, IV drips, 25 different pills every Friday – it sure seemed like it would never end. It was tough for the family to carry on with normal activities, but they coped, doing the best they could under the circumstances.

Thankfully, Garrett saw another birthday, then another, and yet another – growing stronger with each one. Doctors still keep a close eye on him, but cancer moves further away from his life every day.

Jenna talks softly, remembering a momentous day during December 2016. It was time to come off of her parent’s health insurance. “I was crying like a baby, complaining about how much it was going to cost. Man, I was young – I didn’t want to think about spending my hard-earned money on things like that.” 

She had a long conversation with her dad, deciding it was the smart, grown-up thing to do. Securing medical coverage would help her worry less over the ‘what ifs’ in life. 

Thank goodness she made that decision.

In January 2017 she was attending a press conference for her job as a sports anchor for ABC/Fox. By then, she was living and working in the Rochester area. 

She wasn’t feeling well and recalls being drenched in sweat. Coworkers asked if she was okay and Jenna wasn’t able to shrug it off. Her temperature was 104. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with stage IV Hodgkins Lymphoma. Her team of doctors would be from The Wilmot Cancer Institute at the University of Rochester Medical Center. 

The family was in disbelief. How could this have happened again? How would they ever get through the journey of another child suffering from this terrible disease?

“Friends and family rallied around us both times,” Jenna tells me. “They brought food, lent an ear, offered a helping hand. We were never alone.”

At first, Jenna says she was angry with the news, grappling with the questions of “Why me? Why our family? Why a second time?”

She’d shared a bedroom with Alissa over the years, the sisters were very close, even after she’d moved away. “It was so hard for me to watch,” Alissa says, tears brimming from her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. “Once again – I was healthy and a sibling wasn’t. Why?” 

It was terrifying for Garrett as well. “I felt terrible, all-consuming guilt. Memories of my own personal journey with cancer came flooding back – I didn’t want my younger sister to suffer any of what I’d gone through. I was her big brother, yet there was nothing I could do to spare her from what I knew was ahead.”

Jenna’s journey was a tough one as well. Some days were good, others were bad. 12 rounds of treatment came wrapped up in a lot of different emotions, sickness, depression, hope. It’s an experience she wouldn’t wish on anyone. “I learned how tough I am though,” she tells me, “how strong my family is, how supportive my friends are. Cancer taught me more about the human spirit than any other experience could have.” 

Over the last two hours, I feel as if I’ve opened a wound that’s only just scabbed over. I search five sets of eyes and see raw emotion. When they speak their mouths quiver. The love they have for one another is evident and very powerful. 

“It’s important to talk about cancer,” one of them tells me.

“Cancer changes your perspective on life,” another one says, wiping tears from her face with the back of her hand.

“Look,” Garrett pipes in. “You can have a bad day – you just can’t live there.”

Valerie and Ben hold hands and look at each other. “It’s been an emotional roller coaster. We’re just so grateful the kids are okay. They’re all doing well, have great jobs, keep up with doctor appointments, and are closer than ever. Most importantly, they’re living the best lives they can. We’re extremely proud of all three.” 

Each one hugs me tightly as I prepare to leave – with bear hugs that don’t need a single word.

Jenna points to her parents. Garrett and Alissa follow suit. “These two,” she tells me. “They’re why we’re still here. They wouldn’t let us give up or wallow in pity. Rock-solid people, our parents. We’re so lucky to have them in our corner.”

I shake my head ‘yes,’ tears brimming from my eyes as well. They sure are.

New Visitation & Hospital Access Policies; Hospital Establishes Separate Lab Specimen Collection Site for Approved COVID-19 Testing of Patients

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Hospital has instituted new visitation and hospital access policies. Until further notice, enter only through the main entrance or the Alfred Z. Solomon Emergency Center.

The main entrance hours are:
Monday – Friday: 6 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

• The Emergency Center entrance is open 24/7.
• Mollie Wilmot Radiation Oncology entrance: for cancer patients only. 
• No visitors with fever, cough or shortness of breath
• All patients will be restricted to one visitor/support person. This applies to all patients, including inpatients, those who are coming to the hospital for outpatient tests or treatments, and maternity patients. 

The hospital says “compassionate considerations” will be made on a case-by-case basis dependent on a patient’s circumstances and nurse director or designee approval. All patients and visitors must sign in at the reception desk and follow the login procedure. No visitors under age 16.

These restrictions apply only to Saratoga Hospital, not to outpatient locations. 

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COVID-19 testing must be ordered by a healthcare provider or your county health department.

If you believe you have COVID-19 symptoms, or may have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, do not go to any healthcare location. Instead, please call your provider. When you call, a healthcare professional will assess your symptoms. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may be directed to a testing site per your provider or your county public health department.

If someone believes they may be sick, people are encouraged to call their provider before going to a provider’s office or urgent care to help assess the next best steps for care and provide appropriate guidance. For example, in most mild cases, a provider visit may not be necessary.

Saratoga Hospital has established a separate lab specimen collection site for approved COVID-19 testing of patients. The temporary biocontainment facility, located outside Alfred Z. Solomon Emergency Center on Myrtle Street, is the safest way to provide this service to the community. 

Patients must be referred for COVID-19 specimen collection at this site either by a licensed healthcare provider or by the New York State or Saratoga County health departments. There is no walk-in service. For more information, go to: www.saratogahospital.org/covid19.

The NYSDOH Coronavirus Hotline is a valuable resource for the most up-to-date information: 1-888-364-3065.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — In an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, Shelters of Saratoga will be using a new location as an emergency shelter for the homeless currently housed at the Code Blue Shelter on Adelphi Street. The Senior Center at 5 William St. is being converted for this purpose.

“People experiencing homelessness not only are challenged to do what we are asking like, washing hands, staying indoors, talking to their medical providers when they are not feeling well – but many are already impacted with health issues, thus putting them at-high risk of contracting the virus,” said Karen Gregory, executive director of Shelters of Saratoga, which oversees the Code Blue program. 

Individuals experiencing homelessness include many older adults, often with compounding disabilities.  In Saratoga Springs, these adults often reside in small, congregate shelters or in unsheltered locations with poor access to sanitation. Their age, poor health, disability, and living conditions make them highly vulnerable to illness. Once COVID-19 is introduced to this high-risk population, further transmission will be very difficult to contain, hence inspiring Shelters of Saratoga to initiate a rapid response plan during the crisis. 

SOS’s Case Managed Emergency Shelters house up to 32 individuals a night in a congregate-style setting. They also sponsor the Emergency Winter Shelter – Code Blue which houses up to 61 individuals each night between Oct. 15 and April 15. Quarantining someone inside the building is not an option.

“Across all of our programs, we will be working unconventional hours to secure coverage. Until this passes, we will not be doing business as usual – the safety of the team and all of the guests are of utmost importance to me. This is a difficult time and we do not have the luxury of working remotely.  We are here, present and in the trenches – side by side the individuals we are serving,” Gregory said. 

Shelter staff are monitoring guests for symptoms and encouraging people to self-report if they’re not feeling well. But in the event of an outbreak, Gregory said she would need support from the Department of Health, the Local Department of Social Services and area hospitals to treat and house the sick, as well as to make sure that they are connected with food and other services they depend on the shelter for.

“In this new location, we will have three rooms which will easily allow for separation. I am proud and grateful to work in a city that cares so deeply for its most vulnerable.”

S.O.S. also operates an outreach program for the many individuals living in motels scattered throughout the county, parking garages and those who do not come indoors. The SOS outreach team is working to get critical information about the virus to people, who are in many cases unaware of the dangers posed by this virus. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The City Council announced on Friday, March 13 that the City of Saratoga Springs has declared a State of Emergency. City Hall offices were closed to the public beginning Monday, March 16 and remain so until rescinded by a further order.

The City Police Department, Fire/EMS Department, and vital Public Works staff will continue to operate as normal. For life-threatening emergencies, call 911. Call your health care provider FIRST if you have any concerns over your health and possible exposure to COVID-19.

Public attendance will not be allowed at City Council meetings, which will instead be live streamed through the city’s website and our Facebook page. The public is encouraged to email Mayor Kelly’s office at Meg.Kelly@Saratoga-Springs.org with any questions or comments they would like to have entered into the record, regarding City Council meetings. 

The City Land Use Boards are cancelled for at least the next two weeks, including the March 27 meeting.

CITY DEPARTMENT CONTACTS:

Accounts Department: 518-210-3243 (Marilyn Rivers, Director of Risk and Safety).

Mayor’s Department: 518-414-2118 (Lisa Shields, Deputy Mayor).

Public Safety Department:
911 (Emergency)
518-584-1800 (Police Department Non-Emergency)
518-587-3599 (Fire Department Non-Emergency)
518-265-6485 (Eileen Finneran, Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety)

Public Works Department: 518-584-3356 (Department Dispatch).

Finance Department: Finance will be communicating regarding City payments (taxes, utility bills, etc.). Please check the City website for updates.

INFORMATION LINKS:

Health Care: www.saratogacountyny.gov/departments/publichealth
Courts: www.nycourts.gov
Schools: www.SaratogaSchools.org

The Saratoga Springs School District is closed effective immediately through Sunday April 19.

Residents are encouraged to visit the City’s website at www.Saratoga-Springs.org to receive updates on City operations. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs Police Departments has enacted new measures and adjustments to protocol to ensure the safety of personnel and the public. 

Police will continue to respond to all emergency calls for service. Certain measures will be enacted to prevent unnecessary contact with those who may be ill, which will affect certain nonemergency calls for service, according to a statement issued by the department. 

Members of the public are asked to not visit the police department to file a report, and to instead call the department nonemergency number at: 518-584-1800, option 2. 

To request copies of an accident report, go to: buycrash.com. 

To download a police report request form, go to: www.saratoga-springs.org/290/Obtaining-Police-Reports. Wait times may be longer than normal. 

Station tours, internships, non-essential programs have been postponed, and all civilian fingerprinting services suspended.

Parking violation tickets may be paid online at: www.saratoga-springs.org/212/Parking-Tickets, or call 1-800-966-0285 to pay by phone. There will be a $3.50 charge per ticket. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS ­— What began a career in fashion turned into something above and beyond what Virginia Fretto, owner of Razimus Jewelry, ever thought she would do. 

Fretto designs and creates custom pieces of jewelry made from keepsake fabrics. Memorable garments such as wedding gowns, baby quilts and a grandfather’s tie can now be worn and remembered forever.

“So talk about fulfilling, I get to be creative and help people,” Fretto said. “The best part is this feeling and sense that I’m doing something bigger than just design.”

However, Fretto never imagined herself designing with such keepsake items and said it was something that happened naturally. 

“It was just something that happened organically. I started having clients ask me if I could make them something out of an important garment and the more I said yes to it, the more fulfilling that felt,” Fretto said.

Fretto started Razimus Jewelry after she and her husband moved to New York for a job opportunity. In Boston, Fretto said she handled the corporate social responsibility at Hearts on Fire, a diamond dealership. After experiencing the corporate side of business, Fretto searched for a creative outlet and thus her business was born.

Fretto began her store with design collections of eco-friendly fabric jewelry, which she sold through a number of boutiques in the capital region. She said her store combines two passions: fashion and jewelry design. 

Starting three years ago, Fretto noticed requests for custom keepsake jewelry more often. After placing a small listing on her website about such items, Fretto started to shift the business focus in Feb. 2019.

“This is a big transition for my business,” Fretto said. “The beginning of last year it started to become more of a request and something I started to realize was a service and a gift that I can provide to my clients.”

The store now holds the focus of custom designing. Fretto said they work with clients to transform fabric pieces such as a great grandmother’s apron and design it into jewelry that can either be a special gift for someone, or can even serve as memorial gifts.

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“It’s really such a beautiful way to honor a loved one or preserve a memory, and there aren’t many options out there to preserve loved ones clothing after loss or to transform your wedding dress after the big day is over. I have found a really unique niche, and it is touching so many lives. I am just so thrilled that I can use my creative skills to touch so many families & people through fabric jewelry design,” Fretto said. 

Fretto uses a variety of different materials to create these custom pieces. They use everything from sterling silver to precious stones and a majority of their pieces are made with solid copper, brass, stainless steel or pewter. Fretto wanted to offer enough materials in case a client had an allergy to one of the metals. 

Once a request in sent in via mail or online, Fretto and her team get to work. She has two women who work at home as contract employees. They do the sewing and beading of the designs as they come in. 

“We really like that [work] dynamic. It’s conducive to moms who stay at home or people that have multiple jobs or different issues of flexibility in their schedules,” Fretto said. “It’s something that we can continue to grow and add more artisans in the area and it’s really lovely because I get to kind of work and feed off of all these other very creative women.”

Working with memorable garments creates a sense of honor in Fretto and said every story she hears holds a place in her heart. She even had the privilege of watching people open the box with their new bracelet or necklace and the tears that are shed don’t come from sadness. 

“There’s a certain comfort and happiness that I know I’m providing and it’s a beautiful thing. I feel like I’m actually offering a service that was not planned but has become a really beautiful part of this journey,” Fretto said. 

Operating largely through her website, Fretto said she also occupies a small portion of the Palette Cafe on Broadway. Requests for the custom pieces can be made online, in store, or through the mail. 

“I’m able to use the talents that I’ve had and kind of keep developing them and keep innovating,” Fretto said. “And not just in a way that’s serving me as a creative outlet, but that I know is actually providing something so meaningful as the end product to the client.”

COPING WITH COVID-19

Paying it forward is a great way to help businesses around the community after being shut down during this outbreak. In response to this outbreak, and as a small business owner herself, Fretto created an idea to help pay it forward.

Fretto dedicated a portion to her website to help other small businesses. A portion of sales from any purchase on their website will be used to make another purchase from a small business in the local community. She wants to encourage other small businesses, in any way they are able, to use a portion of that sale to continue the cycle and make a purchase from another small business. 

For example, once a bracelet is sold, Fretto will use those funds to purchase a delivery meal, local farm produce, toiletry, clothing, cleaning or other handmade products produced by a small business owners. She will then donate said product to Wellspring, a non-profit organization whose mission is to help survivors of relationship abuse and sexual assault.

The idea is to help generate some needed revenue and support in the community. While upholding social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19, anything ordered will be mailed directly. Bracelets can range in price from $40 to $90. 

You Don’t Need to be a homesteader to be prepared in times of an emergency. In our area a snow storm or high winds can disrupt power for days. Preparing an emergency food supply will allow you to feed your family for a few days, even if you have no electricity. When preparing your emergency food supply keep in mind your family’s food preferences, and include some comfort foods which will help to elevate spirits in a stressful situation. Avoid salty foods that will make you thirsty because water may need to be conserved. The general recommendation for water is one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation. The following items are suggested when selecting emergency food supplies. You may already have many of these on hand. By gathering them and storing them in one location it can help your household through the worst days of an emergency. If you put them in a Grab-N-Go tote, you can take them with you in the event that you can’t remain at home. This list includes shelf stable foods that mostly require little to no cooking or added water.

• Canned meats, including soups (reduced sodium) 
• Canned fruits and juices
• Canned vegetables, including soups (reduced sodium)
• Protein or fruit bars
• Dry cereal 
• Ultra-pasteurized milk (only needs refrigeration after opening)
• Dry powdered milk
• Dehydrated potatoes & canned gravy
• Instant rice
• Peanut butter & jelly
• Crackers
• High energy foods, like nuts and dried fruit
• Comfort foods such as cookies, hard candies, instant coffee and tea bags
• Food for infants and for special dietary needs
• Staples, such as sugar, salt, pepper
• Water – 1 gallon per person per day

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Make sure you have a can opener and knife for opening products, and disposable cups, plate, bowls and utensils.

Store your emergency food supply in a cool, dry place that is rodent proof. Some foods can be stored indefinitely, while others have a six month or one year shelf life, so check your supply every six months, and replenish as needed.

Cooking – A grill or camp stove that heats with propane can be used outdoors. If you want to be able to cook indoors, consider purchasing a butane burner and canisters.  You may reheat canned foods in the can if you remove the label first to avoid a fire hazard. 

Emergency Preparedness resources can be found at the Cornell Cooperative Extension website, www.ccesaratoga.org, under the Food & Nutrition tab. You can also find the following suggested resources for preparing a 3-Day emergency food supply at other government websites. 

Make An Emergency Food Supply Kit:www.ready.gov/food• Determining Water Needs:www.ready.gov/water

Keep Your Food Safe During Emergencies: Power Outages, Floods & Fires, www.fsis.usda.gov/ (search for title)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced the state will institute limits on mass gatherings, directing events with 500 or more individuals in attendance to be cancelled or postponed.

Events, gatherings, or places of business with less than 500 individuals in attendance will be required to cut capacity by 50 percent, with exceptions being made for spaces where individuals do not make sustained close contact, such as schools, hospitals, public buildings, mass transit, grocery stores and retail stores. These new regulations will go into effect 5 p.m. Friday, March 13.

– Nursing homes: only medically necessary visits will be allowed at nursing homes. This policy will also be effective Friday at 5 p.m. The state is asking nursing homes to set up skyping and other online communication capacity so families can tele-visit their loved ones. Additionally, the state will require health screenings for all nursing home workers each day when they enter a facility and require them to wear surgical masks to guard against any potential asymptomatic spread.

In order to increase testing capacity, the State is contracting with BioReference Laboratories to run an additional 5,000 tests per day on top of what the state is already doing. These additional 5,000 tests per day will come online next week. This additional testing capacity is on top of that of the 28 private labs the governor announced are partnering with the state in the coming days and weeks.

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Additionally, the Governor announced the first public drive-through testing facility on the east coast will start testing people (today) in New Rochelle.

– For all schools in communities with the highest rates of positive cases, the state will be taking proactive steps to implement protocols that limit mass contact. The Governor announced SUNY Albany will cancel in person classes for the rest of the semester after a positive case was confirmed. 

Finally, the Governor confirmed 109 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 325 confirmed cases in New York State. Of the 325 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:

• Albany County: 1 (1 new)
• Broome County: 1 (1 new)
• Delaware County: 1 (1 new)
• Dutchess County: 1 (1 new)
• Herkimer County: 1 (1 new)
• Monroe County: 1 (1 new)
• Nassau County: 41 (13 new)
• New York City: 95 (43 new)
• Orange County: 1 (1 new)
• Rockland County: 7 (1 new)
• Saratoga County: 3 (1 new)
• Suffolk County: 20 (14 new)
• Ulster County: 4 (3 new)
• Westchester County: 148 (27 new)

Additionally, any business that cannot accommodate rigorous cleaning standards should contact Empire State Development at (212) 803-3100 for a close order.

Read Gov. Cuomo’s statement in its entirety HERE.