Primum Non Nocere Foundation

06/07/2026

Check out Cigar Army’s second event at Brothers of the Leaf to support EMT’s. This event is open to the public.

Brothers of the Leaf Inc is a non-profit 501c7 private membership cigar lounge and social club catering to active and retired first responders, military, family, friends, and supporters. For more information on membership or to schedule a trial visit go to www.brothersoftheleafinc.org

05/23/2026

Primum Non Nocere Foundation:
Helping the Helpers

A couple of weeks back I received word from a couple of friends that a NY Paramedic was in need and just posted a go fund me page. I was able to get the contact information and speak with the medic directly. He has recently been diagnosed with a rare cancer and is starting a regimen of treatments. While speaking with nine I got to learn about him, his years as a medic and how humble and kind he was. Like so many others he said “ I’m doing ok, I don’t want to take away from others that might need it more”.
After a little back and forth, we agreed that travel to his doctors and treatments are becoming a burden. We sent him $250 in gas cards to help take some of the financial strain off him and his family. He is so grateful for our simple act of kindness and support for him and his family.

Helping the Helpers … 💚💚

01/09/2026

Brian Collins

01/01/2026

Good morning and Happy New Year.. Welcome 2026!

Most people have no idea how Primum Non Nocere Foundation started , so here is a brief summary to start 2026

The History of Primum Non Nocere Foundation:
Sometime in 2014 I found out that another EMS colleague had been going through some rough times and we were looking to have a "10-13 Party" to raise some donations. In NYC, the code "10-13" was universal radio code for MOS In trouble, need help immediately. We would rent a Knights of Columbus or a local bar, DJ's donated their time and local restaurants would donate food as MOS from all over would come to support. We would raise a good amount of money and hand it to the person(s) at the end of the night then hope for the best. One day, while sitting in the front cab of my ambulance, I remember thinking out loud to my partner " Is this is the best we can do?? We need to do more! " and just decided we can do better. I thought of a saying I have heard " If not now, then when? If not us, then who?. I come up with this idea of creating a Charitable Foundation to assist EMS providers in need, but I have no idea how. I went home and told my wife Annmarie what I wanted to do and in true fashioned she just smiled and gave her support. Mind you, at this time we have been married 10 years already and nothing surprised her anymore. I then called my good friend Sean O'Sullivan Esq who helped navigate through all the required NYS and Federal paperwork to create a 501c3. Needing some financial guidance I reached out to my High School best friend George Farra for his thoughts and suggestions on keeping foundation IRS compliant. We found that we needed a Board of Directors to file, so I reached out to some of my closest friends, pitched them my idea and they agreed to be apart of this journey. On January 6th, 2015 I receive a phone call from Sean, " we got it, we are officially a 501c3 Charitable Organization".. and so it began. With $250 of my own money I went to TD Bank and opened business bank account and we printed some home made brochures to spread the word about Primum Non Nocere Foundation. Here we are, 11 years later and we are still going strong. Our Board of Directors is still made up from the original partnering founders; Annmarie Cazzetta, Brian Collins, Ted Rawley, Keith Santero McCaffery, Louis Greco, Linda Reissman and committee members Nicholas Portera and Tammi Lababerra. We are still grass roots, raising donations and awareness of the needs of EMS providers through fundraisers and handshakes. I am proud to say that more than 90% of every dollar collected is being used to directly assist our applicants.
None of this could happen without our supporters, our "Stars of Life. Thank you to everyone who continue to donate, support our fundraisers and share our stories on social media or in the break room. We got a good thing going, keep it up so we can continue our mission to Help the Helpers.

Yours in Service,

Louis Cazzetta
President
Primum Non Nocere Foundation

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12/31/2025

Primum Non Nocere Foundation Year End Report 2025 10 Years of Service. Can you believe it? Who would have thought that an idea dreamt up in front of an ambulance by an EMT has come so far… and here we are! Since our official beginning in 2015, we have assisted 144 Emergency Medical Service Providers and their families from 17 different states, totaling $64,185.10 in assistance.
Thank you to everyone of our supporters that help us in so many ways. Those who donate a dollar or two when they can, attends our fundraisers, and looks out for fellow EMS colleagues that may need our support. Without your support we would not be able to do all that we do.
As we head into 2026, we look forward to our 11th year of service and continuing our mission to Help the Helpers

Welcome to Primum Non Nocere Foundation, INC. Support our mission, assist EMS workers in need, and join our volunteer community. Visit www.pnff.net.