Every so often you can make a difference.
When ACSH s Dr. Josh Bloom, a long time resident of Ocean Beach on Fire Island, learned that his close friend Jim Capuono a six year survivor of stage-4 colon cancer nearly died last year from West Nile encephalitis, he knew he had to at least try to do something.
The problem was a counterproductive policy that was instituted by the village decades ago opting out of the annual mosquito control program conducted by the Suffolk County Department of Health. Suffolk County has been routinely spraying virtually all of Fire Island for years, but Ocean Beach routinely refused to participate.
Why? Chemophobia an irrational fear of all chemicals. Which in this case was not only unfounded, but almost tragically so. The chemical in the spray is harmless, but West Nile is certainly not.
ACSH s Director of Videography Ana Simovska s poignant interview with Jim and Josh about their combined efforts to overturn this misguided policy is a must-watch.