Recovery Officials Ok Mosquito Control Measures;
Eight Counties slated for aerial spraying
Release Date: September 5, 2008
Release Number: 1785-020
» More Information on Florida Tropical Storm Fay
ORLANDO, Fla. -- As surely as night follows day, mosquitoes follow floodwaters. The record rainfalls of Tropical Storm Fay have left pools of stagnant water throughout the state and recovery officials have given the go-ahead for an aggressive aerial effort to control the potential health issue.
Initial areas to be sprayed are in eight Florida counties: Dixie, Glades, Madison, Putnam, Okeechobee, Taylor, Union and Volusia. Daily weather is always a factor in aerial spraying and local emergency managers will notify county residents when and where control measures will take place in each county.
The first areas slated for spraying are Glades and Okeechobee Counties, beginning tonight, Sept. 5, weather permitting.
Disaster-related mosquito control costs are considered to be emergency protective measures and may be eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement.
Since widespread mosquito control requires the controlled use of chemicals, all state and federal approval steps are designed to make sure significant action is required and the public as well as domestic and wild animals are protected.
Several state and federal agencies must be involved to assure all public health interests are considered. State agencies include the Florida Departments of Health, Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Division of Emergency Management as well as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Federal agencies include FEMA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Very specific boundaries for aerial control measures are set and guidelines specify the public must be informed about when and where aerial spraying will take place.
By law, insecticide formulations must be among those approved and registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use in urban areas for mosquito control. Mosquito abatement must comply with all federal, State and local laws, ordinances, and regulations concerning vector control.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Friday, 05-Sep-2008 14:18:20