Five days after Hurricane Sandy breeched sections of Fire Island, Islip Supervisor Tom Croci has extended an existing Mandatory Evacuation order for those Fire Island communities within the Town’s borders.
According to Town officials, ongoing safety assessments conducted by Town personnel, Suffolk County emergency personnel, and HAZ-MAT coordinators found that Fire Island is currently unfit for reoccupation.
See storm damage photos from Fire Island.
With many buildings structurally unsound, Sandy has also extensively damaged Fire Island’s water supply system, creating a potential health issue that must be reviewed and assessed by the County’s Department of Health before any reoccupation efforts begin, officials said.
The water supply issue coupled with numerous fire hydrants buried by sand has also crippled firefighting capabilities on Fire Island.
In addition, the Town’s docking facilities have been compromised by the hurricane and are not open to the public. This includes the Atlantique Beach Marina.
As safety checks and assessments continue, Croci stressed the importance of Fire Island remaining civilian-free. Designated Fire Service personnel are maintaining safe conditions on Fire Island.
Any private citizen attempting to reoccupy Fire Island in violation of the evacuation order will be subject to arrest by Islip Harbor Police, the Suffolk County Police Department or any other empowered law enforcement agencies.
