The blue skies, the water slapping the boat, the wooden walkways on the sliver of sand — former Long Islander Alexcy Romero will never forget the moment, more than 25 years ago, when he first saw Fire Island National Seashore.
“I was mesmerized by the beauty of Fire Island, not knowing about Fire Island, even though I lived on Long Island,” said Romero, who once lived in Valley Stream and Long Beach. “I’ll never forget my first boss, looking at me as I started my career with the National Park Service. He said, ‘This is the life. This is what makes working for the national parks so great, managing these incredible resources.’ ”
Romero, 52, is the new superintendent of Fire Island National Seashore, a dream homecoming. After years of fantasizing about the National Park Service job, the 27-year veteran of the agency will take the helm Oct. 14, succeeding the retired Chris Soller. He is leaving the Washington, D.C., area, where he rose to become superintendent of two parks with iconic memorials, including the statue of World War II Marines planting the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima.