First responders began rolling up their sleeves Monday as new groups became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in New York Monday.

Others included in group 1B are corrections officers, teachers, public transit workers and people over the age of 75.

Volunteer firefighters like former chief Tony Gagliardi, from Williston Park, say first responders who rush to emergencies are exposed to COVID-19 a lot more.

"When you go to different calls you don't know what you're running into, you don't know if the people have it. So, it's very important we get ourselves protected," says Gagliardi.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran says they were prepared to vaccinate 1,000 people at the two county-run vaccination distribution centers. The centers are located at Nassau Community College and at the Yes We Can community center in Westbury.

MORE: Find out if you are eligible

In Suffolk, Suffolk Community College is a distribution center that opened last week. County Executive Steve Bellone said it was only open Wednesday through Saturday and only people in the health care industry were eligible at that time.

By the time Saturday rolled around, supply ran out. The county is now waiting for more.

"We were able to administer over 2,500 vaccines. But we're out, which is why the pod is closed," says Bellone. "That's really the issue. We need the federal government to release more vaccinations. At the end of the day, we can ramp up to 5,000 a day just at this facility alone ,but without the supply obviously we can't open."

Bellone says he is expecting another shipment of the vaccine to arrive by Tuesday. Once it does, the center will reopen for appointments.

Donna Schaeffer, of Dix Hills, spent hours Monday morning on the computer trying to get a COVID-19 vaccine appointment for her 96-year-old mom Charlotte. So far, it hasn't worked.

"They're saying 'everybody get vaccinated.' We're not giving enough vaccines but they're making it impossible to do this," says Schaeffer.

Richard Haase, president of the Half Hollow Hills Teachers Association, is feeling similarly confused. He says the emails asking questions have been nonstop, and the answers are a little harder to come by.

"I am constantly trying to get information from anyone who will answer my phone call, text or email," says Haase. "We're just trying to tell people what we know, when we know it and telling people to try and stay patient and hopeful."