In the early half of the 20th Century, ambulance service in the Sayville area was very limited. Latterly, two hospitals, Southside in Bay Shore and Mather in Port Jefferson, had their own contracted companies but they were not always available and arrival could be seriously delayed.  In June 1931, R.M. Harry Isaacson, local undertaker, initiated his own service and then in April 1938 bought a new Meteor Cadillac Ambulance.

However, in May 1940 he sold that to Suffolk County for use at the County Home and discontinued the activity, leaving no option other than the two Hospitals. (The Patchogue Fire Department also had an ambulance but its use was restricted to Patchogue Village.).Following a two-hour delay in the arrival of hospital ambulance at a fatal accident in the summer of 1950, the attending Doctor, Joseph J. McCoy, wrote a letter to Joe Jahn, then editor of the Suffolk County News, citing the need for a voluntary “community rescue squad”.  The News sponsored a fund-raising campaign and the five local communities (Sayville, West Sayville, Bohemia, Bayport and Oakdale) responded; notably, members of  their four attending fire departments canvassed house-to-house, raising $ 11,000  by the time the Community Ambulance Company was organized and incorporated in October.

The Company bought a second-hand Cadillac ambulance (containing two stretchers and two bunks) for $ 7,263 which arrived on December 27, 1950; that same afternoon, it received its first call.   Initially, it was housed at the Sayville Fire House where it remained until May 22nd, 1956.  Crowded conditions at the Fire House had indicated that the CAC needed a new home and, in late 1955, the Suffolk County News sponsored another Fund Raiser to raise $ 5,000 with which the CAC built its own Headquarters and garage on Town land at the rear of the Sayville Court House.

In 1958, it ordered another Cadillac ambulance for $ 11,000 to replace the original. However, after its receipt in early May, a decision was made to keep the old one to provide more efficient service so the original was refurbished and painted white and red to match the new one (both are shown above); both were also equipped with two-way police radios.  The plan was to use the old one for routine transportation calls and retain the new one for “emergencies”. By its tenth anniversary, CAC had 100 members and transported about 3,600 patients; CAC estimated that, without the free service, the cost to area patients would have been about $ 175,000.

By 1972, it had  outgrown its original garage and a new, larger headquarters was constructed on the same site. In 1982, the Company added its First Responder Car, which permitted the Company’s Chief or Assistant Chiefs to more rapidly reach the scene of the emergency and stabilize the patient until further help arrives. In February 1985, the South Shore Boys Club sold its building (originally built for New York Telephone Company in 1925) to the CAC, augmenting its garage on Swayze Street and providing more space for administration and crew relaxation.

In 1992, CAC acquired its first MCI (Mass Casualty Incident) trailer response support unit; this was replaced in 2001 by a self-driven  MCI vehicle which has carries enough supplies to service ten patients as well as helping care for fire-fighters with drinking water and other needs. In between, it also acquired a larger Pace trailer unit which it retains for use in a very complex major emergency. These MCI vehicles are designed as strictly support vehicles; they are neither designed nor equipped for the transport of individual patients. Currently, CACs fleet includes five ambulances, four responder cars, the MCI and a pick-up utility truck for use as needed.

In 2012, CAC acquired land at the intersection of Lakeland Avenue and Chester Road and moved into the new headquarters in October 2014.  The new building holds personnel quarters, administrative offices, a classroom, meeting rooms and enough space to hold all equipment and apparatus. Also in 2014, Community Ambulance Company was named Suffolk County and New York State Agency of the Year.

Currently (2019), CAC has been responding to over 5,000 calls annually in the five towns.  Specific categorization is difficult because of overlapping problems but falls account for at least 11% of the calls; respiratory problems 10% ; unconsciousness or fainting 8%; motor vehicle accidents 8%;  chest pain 7%; burns, scalds and explosions 4%; and overdose and poisoning 4%. A majority of CAC’s approximately 100 members are (qualified by New York State as) EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians); most of the balance are qualified to provide ALS (Advance Life Support, paramedic and critical care). The remainder are in training for the above, varying from six to 12 months.  On average, members probably are on duty around 12 hours a week but most put in considerably more.