Oyster Bay, NY - September 5, 2016 - Small business on Fire Island on Long Island were adversely and unfairly affected by alarmist politicians more concerned about headlines than credible storm threats, said Long Island Citizens for Good Government.
"It was like a scene from 'Jaws,' watching thousands of people running to the Fire Island Ferry yesterday," said Dr. Dean Hart, President of Long Island Citizens for Good Government. "The fact that Fire Island's 'voluntary evacuation' was only lifted today is proof that we need better and more up-to-date information as it pertains to potential emergency situations like this."
Fire Island's small businesses from Davis Park to Kismet lost millions of dollars in lost revenue in what was supposed to be one of the most profitable weekends of the summer because of timid politicians who were slow to realize that the threat of Tropical Storm Hermine had dissipated.
"As quick as Long Island's leaders called an emergency, they should have called off the emergency," said Hart. "The mass exodus that took place yesterday could have easily been avoided."
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano compared Tropical Storm Hermine to Hurricane Irene and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone called for voluntary evacuations of Fire Island, even as it became clear that Fire Island would not be in the path of the storm.
