Silver City Vector Control Task Force
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Public Notification of Spraying Policy For the Town of Silver CitySummary: "Public Notification of Spraying", should it become necessary, will occur 72 hours before spraying will occur. Locations and times will be posted in the Legal section of local newspapers, the Mosquito Hotline, the Web Page, local list serves and word of mouth. If you feel that you have a mosquito problem in your area, call the Utilities Department at 534-6365 and leave a message for Eddy. He will conduct a surveillance of your area in order to locate the breeding site of the mosquitos. The town will satisfy all the following criteria in implementing its mandatory notification plan: 1. Initiate and implement the initial phase of the Public Notification Plan: beginning in early June '04) use all available media, inform the public of the risks of WNV in this area, the health risks and benefits of the pesticide of choice, and the precautionary responsibilities of the residents. 2. Make available a City employee and phone number through which the public can request "no spray" for their property. From this process, begin to create a City map which designates the "no spray" zones far in advance of any decision to spray. Make available to the public a simple but bold and noticeable poster to be displayed on the "no spray" properties (to make it possible for the spraying operator to recognize these properties from a distance and to alert the rest of the public that such an option exists). 3. Inform the public at least 72-hours in advance of each spraying incident, via an English and Spanish-language full-scale media campaign including: news releases and paid legal and display advertising in print media for three consecutive days preceding the application. Public service announcements and paid advertising on radio and community access television, as well as public postings and advisories on the town's Info-Line and website. That information will contain: 4. Avail itself of other possible venues for reaching the public, including but not limited to postings in schools, fire departments, police departments, hospitals and clinics, public buildings and local businesses. (A list of those locations should be prepared in advance.) 5. Notify local hospitals, clinics and emergency response entities as well as local veterinarians of fogging schedule and range. (A list of those locations should be prepared in advance.) 6. Establish and advertise a permanent and easily accessed and carefully controlled list for citizens to permanently register their desire for spraying or not spraying and keeping that number _____________ dedicated for that purpose. Providing up-dated messages on the town's Info Line at 534-6363 and on the town's website at www.silvercity.net/vctf. 7. Perform a careful review (by a member of Vector Control Task Force, Mayor, City Manager and city employees charged with fogging and public information procedures) immediately following each pesticide application evaluating the success of procedures, problems encountered, and ways in which spraying, notification and interaction with the public can be improved. Results will be reported to the City Council. 8. Maintaining a data bank at City Hall, available for public reference during business hours, of: current brochures and public education materials, health bulletins and the following basic information on the two most commonly used pesticides, 1. permethrins and 2. pyrethrins and pyrethroids. (Source for the materials on pesticides: Colorado State University.) |