Category: Safety

Bird Flu ... Maybe?

3/10/2026

A dead goose was found in our Boat Yard this past week. County Animal Control indicated that it could be either bird flu or due to the geese and other birds drinking water run off from roads after the all the ice and snow ... which contained salt and other de-icing chemicals.

Since we don't know the actual cause for this goose dying, we are erroring on the side of caution. While we don't want to alarm anyone, we thought you should be aware of the following.

While bird flu does not spread easily to humans, it can spread to your pets ... especially to dogs walked near our beach area who come in contact with their droppings. For the short term, we suggest not walking your dog where geese have been seen. You may also want to wipe their paws and your shoes when you return to your home if you do walk through an area that the geese frequent.

If you find a dead bird in any of our common areas, please email the Board to have it removed. If you find a dead bird on your property, NJDEP Fish & Wildlife suggests the following procedure for disposal.

Do not touch the bird with your bare hands. Wear gloves, a mask, and eye protection.
Double-bag the dead bird and seal the bag tightly with a knot or zip tie.
Place in a secure outdoor trash container.

If 5 or more dead birds are found, Fish & Wildlife has a Wild Bird Disease Reporting Form that needs to be completed via this link -- https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/749040214c974bb88c89c58483a51ab8.

Thanks in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

Snow, snow, and more snow! ❄️❄️❄️

1/6/2025

Dear Homeowners,

As you know, Cape May County and our little community is expected to get the most snow from this storm. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM TRAVELING DOWN TO OSC TODAY OR TOMORROW to check on your property. With the possibility of 10" of snow, we will need time to clear the Access Road and the paved portion of Main Street.

NOTE: We do not plow the stoned side roads! (It would severely damage them.) You will need a 4-wheel drive (or AWD) high vehicle to drive on the side roads if we get the full 10 inches. It will also be difficult to discern the road from someone's property!

We will provide additional updates later today and tomorrow. Winter Security will be keeping an eye on things ... and the Board will be monitoring the Security Cameras.

Sincerely,
OSC Board

FIRE SAFETY REMINDER

8/27/2024

Dear Homeowners ...

We would like to remind everyone about the importance of Fire Safety in our community. As a licensed campground, we are allowed to have campfires on our sites. But along with that privilege comes responsibility.

Fires MUST be attended at all times by an ADULT.
Water MUST be readily available either via a hose or several large buckets of water.
Fires MUST BE COMPLETELY EXTINGUISHED before going to bed for the night or leaving your site. If it's too hot to touch, it's too hot to leave!
In addition to camp fires, cigarettes MUST be completely extinguished and disposed of properly. DO NOT TOSS LIT CIGARETTES ANYWHERE but especially not into the wooded sections of our property or along the access road. There are a lot of dry leaves, pine needles, etc. in those wooded areas that can easily ignite. (Take a look when you're driving along the access road.) While we've had our share of rain, a series of sunny days can make the forest debris and undergrowth very dry and vulnerable.

A full copy of Campfire Safety Guidelines are listed below for your reference.

OSC is licensed as a "campground". Therefore, every homeowner is able to have a campfire/fire pit on their property without obtaining an individual permit.
Campfires are NOT permitted when there are dry and windy conditions. A sign will be posted accordingly at the entrance to the Campground. This is dictated by the local Fire Marshall, not the OSC Board.
Even if there isn't a ban on campfires per the Fire Marshall, use your judgement in windy conditions. Embers can easily become airborne and fall on nearby furniture, leaf piles, or homes! (This is particularly important in the spring when there are large amounts of leaves on everyone's property.) Sudden gusts of wind can spread a fire. The fire should be extinguished when conditions become unsafe.
Campfires must be contained in a fire ring made of metal or block or a metal fire pit. No fires should be lit directly on the ground as they could ignite underground roots.
Do not light a fire under overhanging branches.
Campfires/fire pits must be monitored at all times by an adult. Unattended fires are not allowed.
Never use lighter fluid, gas, kerosene, or other flammable liquids to start a fire.
Do not burn leaves or trash.
Maintain a safe distance from structures and other flammable items. You should strive to maintain as much distance as possible from your mobile home and your neighbors' homes.
Keep your fire to a manageable size. Campfires should be less than 3 feet in height.
Water must be readily available to extinguish the fire via a nearby hose or several large buckets of water.
Fires must be thoroughly extinguished before leaving the area. Pour lots of water on the fire. Drown ALL embers, not just the red ones. Pour until the hissing sound stops. That means you must be able to hold your hand over (not on) the coals without feeling any heat. If it's too hot to touch, it's too hot to leave.

Bird Flu ... Maybe?

Snow, snow, and more snow! ❄️❄️❄️

FIRE SAFETY REMINDER

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