Suffolk County officers save man with EpiPens two days after patrol cars were equipped
72-year-old bee-sting victim revived after county adopts EpiPen program created under 'Gio's Law'
Suffolk County police officers saved the life of a 72-year-old man suffering anaphylactic shock from a bee sting just two days after the department began carrying EpiPens in patrol cars, officials said Tuesday.
Greg Kronrad, who runs an auto-parts shop in Wyandanch, collapsed inside his business on Sunday after being stung. He spent nearly 15 minutes struggling and dazed before calling his son, who dialed 911. Officers who arrived on the scene found Kronrad barely able to breathe and administered two doses of epinephrine from EpiPens, officials said. Kronrad was conscious and being treated when emergency medical personnel took over at the scene.
The lifesaving intervention came days after Suffolk rolled out EpiPens in the first five batches of patrol cars under a program implemented after state lawmakers expanded a 2019 law known as "Gio's Law." The law, named for 14-year-old Giovanni Cipriano who died in 2013 after going into anaphylactic shock on a family vacation, requires or permits EpiPens in law enforcement vehicles to provide rapid treatment when paramedics are not immediately available.
New York's 2019 legislation originally excluded some counties because of technical language intended to address New York City, which had its own program. In 2023, the state gave counties with populations over 1 million the option to opt in to carry EpiPens; Suffolk opted in and is the first county to put the program into effect, officials said.
State Sen. Dean Murray, a Republican who has supported the measure, said the incident demonstrated the program's value. "This is what happens when the government works as intended," he said. Legislator Dominick Thorne, who sponsored Suffolk's local action, said the recent rescue provides clear evidence for other nearby counties to act. "Three days after deployment, a man's life was saved — that's all the proof you need," Thorne said.
Advocates and lawmakers have urged neighboring Nassau and Westchester counties to adopt similar measures. Those counties were left out of the original 2019 passage alongside Suffolk due to the same technical language that had been intended to exclude New York City. New York City operates its own EpiPen program within the city's emergency response framework.
Officials said the EpiPens were placed in patrol cars to bridge time-sensitive gaps in treatment for severe allergic reactions, which can become life-threatening within minutes. Emergency medical services remain responsible for definitive care, but epinephrine administered promptly can reverse airway swelling and circulatory collapse until paramedics arrive.
Suffolk County officials recognized the officers for their actions at the scene. Kronrad, who recovered after receiving the injections, told media he believed his survival hinged on the quick arrival of the officers and the availability of the EpiPens.
The incident highlights questions about the availability of immediate treatments for anaphylaxis in suburban and rural settings where response times can vary. Lawmakers and public health advocates point to the case as an example of how equipping first responders with early-intervention tools can affect outcomes for patients experiencing severe allergic reactions.
