Keep Dogs Leashed
 


 
èBoardwalks
 
Many of the paths and trails are marked by established boardwalks. By staying on these boardwalks, you can help protect native plants and animals, and help keep some of the native flora and fauna away from you.

Poison Ivy is abundant on Fire Island. Ticks are often encountered on the tips of grasses and other vegetation.

By staying on boardwalks, you help protect the plants that hold the fragile dunes together. Never walk on the dunes.

When and where dogs are allowed, always keep your pet leashed. You are required to pick up your dog's waste and dispose of it properly.

After rain, some boardwalks may be slippery so watch your step.

Always wear shoes on the boardwalks to avoid splinters and cuts from nails.

Gradually upgrading of the the surfaces of the boardwalks from wood—which is prone to weathering and splintering—to recycled plastic sheathing, which reduces potential for splinters.

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èPets & Ticks
 
Pets must be kept under control on a leash six feet or less in length. Keeping pets on the boardwalk helps protect them from ticks which may carry Lyme disease.

Be Careful to Avoid Ticks

American dog tick, with its legs questing for a ride on its next meal, waits patiently near the end of a blade of grass. Several species of ticks live on Fire Island. The tiny deer tick can transmit Lyme disease and other illnesses, so you should avoid grassy areas or leaf litter where these ticks may be abundant. Wear light-colored clothing and check yourself frequently for ticks. Use an appropriate insect repellent and follow directions carefully. If bitten, remove the tick carefully with fine-tipped tweezers and consult a doctor.

Lyme disease is a devastating bacterial disease which is transmitted by a tick bite. Symptoms of Lyme disease may include joint pain, fever, lethargy, heart problems, kidney problems, loss of appetite and depression.

Other species of ticks also carry bacteria that can cause serious disease including ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

For further information about Lyme disease and other vector-borne illnesses, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/

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èFires
 
Fire Island National Seashore is composed of several vegetation zones capable of sustaining wildland fires. For this reason, open fires are strictly prohibited anywhere within the FINS boundaries.

Barbequing is permitted only in the park's designated picnic areas where grills have been provided. Never leave a grill unattended and be sure to fully extinguish coals before leaving the picnic area.

Fires are not permitted on the beach.

Prevention is the best defense against fire. If smoke or other indications of a fire are present, move to a safe location and report to a ranger as soon as possible or call 911.

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èWildlife [ images ]
 
Fire Island offers abundant wildlife sighting opportunities. However, for your safety and the health of the animals, never feed or try to touch wildlife.

Please watch wildlife from a distance. Remember deer and other wild animals are not pets, and their behavior can be unpredictable.

Feeding wildlife makes them come too close to people, where they may injure us or share their ticks with us. Feeding wild animals human food is ultimately unhealthy for them and not in the animals' best interest.

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èMosquitoes
 
Mosquitoes are a part of the natural food chain on Fire Island. Dragonflies, birds, and bats eat adult mosquitoes, and small fish and diving beetles eat tiny mosquito larvae suspended just below the water's surface. Mosquitoes begin as tiny eggs deposited in wet areas such as ponds, marshes, mud flats, or outdoor containers such as old tires or buckets. You can eliminate mosquito breeding areas by eliminating anything that can collect rainwater.

Male mosquitoes eat only plant nectar which aids in pollination, but females need to eat blood to produce eggs. Mosquitoes generally seek rabbits and deer, but they may choose any warm-blooded animal including humans. they locate prey by detecting carbon dioxide which all animals, including humans, exhale when breathing.

Mosquitoes are known to transmit both Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV). Although several species of mosquitoes live at Fire Island, the risk of contracting EEE or WNV at the park is low. Fire Island National Seashore generally lacks the habitat where EEE and WNV-transmitting mosquitoes originate. However, to ensure the health and safety of residents, visitors and employees, the National Park Service has installed a monitoring program at Fire Island National Seashore to detect any incidence of EEE or WNV in the mosquito population.

Protect yourself by using insect repellent and follow the directions on the label carefully. Wear long sleeves, pants, and socks to keep mosquitoes away from your skin. Avoid being outdoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.

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èPoison Ivy
 
Staying on the boardwalks usually helps you avoid poison ivy. This three-leafed plant can grow as a shrub or as a climbing vine. In early summer, yellowish or greenish flowers with five petals appear and develop into small round off-white fruits by fall. The leaves also turn red in fall, providing a cue to many birds which feed on the ripe fruit.

Poison ivy leaves and stems contain oil, called urishiol, which can cause a red itchy rash or blisters several days after you touch it. This oil can be transferred from clothing, tools, and pets to your skin. The best protection is to avoid contact with poison ivy or to wear protective clothing. Wash anything that may have come in contact with poison ivy before the oil touches your skin.

If you've been exposed to poison ivy, wash with soap and cool running water, preferably within an hour after exposure.
 
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Source: http://www.nps.gov/archive/fiis/safety.htm