Sorry about allergy. Just a thought about the ants. I suppose other red ants are a problem too, but I gather you are particularly thinking about fire ants. If you or your husband were not already aware, the effective way to remove fire ants (or probably other specific noxious ants)is to poison the ants with the slow acting type that gets carried to the whole colony including the queen. This completely removes the colony after a few weeks.

But one should not indiscriminately poison all ants. Other ants are teritorial and will fight to keep fire ants away. They are your friends!

Linda, you might just want to take preventative doses of Benadryl or the generic form before you go out in the garden. I'm very allergic to stinging insects also,not just ants and we all know how ant stings last a long time. The itch goes away for a day or so and returns.

Even the tiny ants can sting and you might not feel it but the acid they inject causes the later reaction. Where ever they feel pressed by clothes or in joint areas (notoriously under the arms) they will sting.
Might not be just fire ants bothering you, the little ones are just as much a stinger.
I've never found a repellant that works for ants. I've always wondered if an application(like an inch strip all the way around) of Tree Tanglefoot to my garden boots would snag the crawlies before they got to skin. Might be worth a try also.

talcum powder is supposed to stop fire ants from being able to climb boots, shovels, etc. Not sure if it would work for other ant species, but i don't see why not.