Brookhaven offers to patrol Fire Island, 2 other federal sites on LI

Brookhaven officials offered Tuesday to temporarily fill in for workers furloughed by the federal government shutdown by assigning town public safety officers and harbormasters to patrol Fire Island and two other locations.

Town Supervisor Edward P. Romaine said in a news release the town workers would be assigned to the William Floyd Estate in Mastic Beach, Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge in Shirley and Fire Island to "help ensure that these historic and environmentally sensitive federal properties are protected as long as the shutdown lasts."

The three sites are closed or  partly closed because of the shutdown. 

Brookhaven Councilman Dan Panico said the role of town staff at the federal lands would be "very limited."

“We just wanted to offer these entities our cooperation and assistance. Quite honestly, no one knows how long this is going to drag on,” Panico, a Republican, said. “There seems to be no end in sight with this impasse.”

A message posted on the National Park Service website says Fire Island National Seashore is open during the shutdown, but some facilities, such as the Fire Island Lighthouse, are closed to the public. A voicemail message at the seashore's Patchogue office said staff were not available.

Wertheim and other wildlife refuges are closed, according to a message posted by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Federal parks, Panico said, are a major part of Long Island's tourism economy. He expressed sympathy for federal workers affected by the shutdown.

"They have to pay their bills. Their mortgage companies want to be paid," he said. “It’s a very, very sad situation what’s going on right now.”

By Carl MacGowan

carl.macgowan@newsday.comCarlMacGowan

Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.