Eight years ago, Massapequa founded its chapter of the Red Watch Band Society, which is an organization created to prevent deaths from drinking and substance use by training students in first aid and teaching them how to calmly react in crisis.

The organization was founded at Stony Brook University in response to the loss of a student due to drinking. The Ames chapter of the organization was founded under local pupil personnel counselors Kimberly Hession and Joann Waters.

The mission statement on the official Red Watch Band website states that the organization is committed to “provide students…with the knowledge, awareness, and skills to prevent toxic drinking deaths.”

“It’s needed everywhere on college and high school campuses. It gives someone the training to assess and intervene in instances of binge drinking and overdose.” Waters said about the program.

The training consists of two courses. The first is an informational course on how to get proper help in cases like these. The second is a hands-on course providing students with CPR and first aid training.

Around 400 students, including sophomores Emily Reitz and Lindsay Formes, have been trained in these important skills. “I found it all to be interesting and helpful and really suggest others take the time to do the training,”  Formes said.

Reitz adds that it provided her with useful knowledge and that “it was a good experience.”

In order to prevent adverse health effects caused by drinking in Massapequa, the Red Watch Band Program is continuing to develop. There is a possibility of a red watch band class being implemented at MHS.