Mosquito Spraying To Begin In New Orleans
Release Date: September 12, 2005
Release Number: 1603-005
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BATON ROUGE, La. - State and federal officials announce a comprehensive aerial mosquito abatement program will begin Monday evening, Sept. 12 and continue in various areas across hurricane-affected areas for the next six weeks. Spraying is necessary to prevent the possible spread of mosquito- and water-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, giardia, cryptosporida, E coli, and Vibrio vulnificus.
Specially equipped U.S. Air Force Reserve (AFRC) C-130H cargo planes from the 910th Airlift Wing, Youngstown, Ohio will commence a routine aerial spraying operation using the insecticide Dibrom (also known as naled) approximately one hour before dusk in New Orleans. Outlying areas of Louisiana and Alabama may be sprayed at a later date, if needed.
Residents should not be alarmed. This is a routine operation that has been conducted successfully and without incident in other areas that have experienced excessive amounts of standing water.
However, residents should be mindful of low-flying aircraft during this period, and expect to see planes at or above 150 feet above ground level during the actual spraying application.
The insecticide application rate for this operation is approximately one ounce per acre for flies and one-half ounce per acre for mosquitoes, and will not pose a health hazard to humans or animals. The mist will in no way "rain" down on people, but is significant enough to kill mosquitoes and filth flies, both of which do pose a potential health threat.
Residents may opt to stay indoors during the operation or wear long sleeves and pants to remain completely free from interaction with the insecticide. The amount of insecticide in the air should not affect people or animals.
For more information about the spraying program or any health concerns, contact the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry's pesticide hotline at 225-925-3763.
About Dibrom:
Dibrom (also known as naled) is an Environmental Protection Agency-registered chemical and is currently in use for many mosquito control programs across the country. When properly applied, Dibrom is non-toxic to humans, animals, and plants.
About the 910th Airlift Wing:
Based out of Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Vienna, Ohio, the 910th Airlift Wing is home to the 757th Airlift Squadron, the Department of Defense's (DoD's) only fixed-wing aerial spraying unit. Flying four C-130H aircraft, specially equipped with the Modular Aerial Spray System (MASS). This highly experienced unit has conducted several spraying operations in support of disaster recovery operations around the world.
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Thursday, 15-Sep-2005 10:26:27