Nassau County program could make EpiPens available for restaurant owners

Nassau County program could make EpiPens available for restaurant owners

Casey Dubofsky, who has a tree nut and fish allergy, says the idea came to her because she had a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction in a restaurant when she was 3 years old. At the time, her parents did not know she had an allergy and there was no EpiPen on hand.

Casey, her parents, and a dozen people with food allergies spoke before the Nassau County Legislature Monday to push for a bill that would create Nassau County’s first pilot program to fund EpiPens in restaurants.

“Oh my god this is a great idea. This is amazing,” says Giuseppe Cosenza, of Grace’s Marketplace & Trattoria in Greenvale, one of the restaurants approached about participating in the program. “This is something that you can comfortably come over here and having it on hand is a great thing.”

Legislator Josh Lafazan says he introduced the bill back in March and is still waiting for a vote.

“What’s more fundamental to the government than taking action to protect the lives of the constituents we serve?” says Legislature Lafazan. “Having an EpiPen in restaurants can save the life of a restaurant patron and for parents who have kids with food allergies it’s literally life or death.”

Presiding Officer Richard Nicolello had a lot of questions about the cost of the program and the county’s liability.

“Is the county legally permitted to do this?” says Nicolello. “Again, we’re going to county attorney’s office to find out what attorney has to say.”

The EpiPens would cost $500 for a pair to be given out to restaurants every 18 months. The program would reimburse the restaurant owners.

Russ Lundstrum from the Coach Meeting House in Oyster Bay says he’s on board if this gets passed.

“Anything you can do to protect the customer a little more and to ensure their safety,” says Lundstrum. “I have three young children. I think of families, I think of my mom and my family. If you want to take care of them, this gives us the tools necessary to make people feel a little safer and better when they come out to eat.”

If passed, the program would also help restaurant owners train their employees on how to use EpiPens.

The Original Article can be found here:
https://longisland.news12.com/nassau-county-program-could-make-epipens-available-for-restaurant-owners

Jericho HS sophomore starts nonprofit to help restaurants protect those with food allergies

A Jericho High School student is recruiting Long Island restaurants to become more allergy-friendly.

Casey Dubofsky, 16, says she is “very cautious” about tree nut and fish allergies because of an incident she had when she was a child.

When Dubofsky was 3, she had a life-threatening reaction to tree nuts in a cookie she ate at a restaurant. At the time, her parents had no idea she had an allergy and no one had an EpiPen.

“My daughter’s throat was closing, she was screaming, and it was very scary,” says Casey Dubofsky’s father, Ned Dubofsky.

Casey Dubofsky started a nonprofit called “Safe Eats,” through which she recruits restaurants from across Nassau County to opt into a program that trains their staff on how to use EpiPens.

The cost of EpiPens became a problem–so Casey Dubofsky reached out to her county legislator for help.  “We’re going to create a $25,000 pilot program through the Department of Health to give restaurants these EpiPens,” says Legislator Josh Lafazan.

If Lafazan’s bill passes in Nassau County, it would reimburse the restaurants for the cost of the EpiPen.

Chris and Tony’s Restaurant in Syosset is one of 12 restaurants to sign up for the program so far.  “I think it’s a great idea. All restaurants should do it,” says Chris Fichera.

Casey Dubofsky says the program would give her some peace of mind and be “life-changing.”

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Mar 28, 2022, 5:32pm
By: News 12 Staff

SAFE EATS Winner of the 2021 FARE Collaborator Program Impact Award.

SAFE EATS is helping out the Community by educating others about the severity of food allergies. On December 15th Members of our committee Used the money awarded to them from FARE and Stocked the People Loving People Food Pantry in Oyster Bay. Allergy Safe Food is hard to come by in a food pantry and is greatly needed. The Food Pantry will now have a designated Food Allergy Safe area with food available to people with allergies.