Humble Beginnings of Pest Control

PCO’s, did you know you are protecting the public health?  We encourage you to read the following article from PCT Magazine, written by Jerome Goddard. It explores the origins of pest control and public health.

Perhaps more than pest management professionals realize, the practice of pest control and public health are intricately related. For example, PMPs perform “practical public health entomology” every day, providing society a valuable health function by preventing and controlling arthropod and vertebrate pests that carry diseases.

Despite what you hear from the anti-pesticide segments of society and activist groups, pest control efforts are recognized as important (even indispensable in tropical countries) by governments worldwide and the World Health Organization. There is a pesticide-friendly position statement on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website about the importance of mosquito spraying as part of an overall program. The CDC realizes the importance of pesticides in mosquito control and supports their use as part of an overall mosquito control program (http://1.usa.gov/W5vpAY). To get some perspective, I think it’s important occasionally to revisit where we are today and how we got here. The following article explores the origins of pest control and public health.
A long history. Long before anyone understood the “germ theory” or causes of medical conditions, it was recognized that insects might produce diseases. The ancient Babylonians worshipped a god of pestilence, which was represented as a two-winged fly, so they must have somehow related flies with disease. About 2500 B.C., a Sumerian doctor inscribed on a clay tablet a prescription for sulfur in the treatment of itch, a substance we now know kills itch and chigger mites.

February: The Month of Knowledge at Bug Off Pest Control Center

The month of February has certainly turned into a busy one for us.  Before the month closes, we have two more training courses: The Pest Management Career Training Course and The Termite Training Course.

The Pest Management Career Training Course is February 23 and 24 and March 2,3, and 9. This course can be use it for:

Required training for those wishing to become licensed in New York
New York Recertification credits
Apprenticeship training for new employees
Category-specific credits for Applicators wishing to add more categories
Category-specific credits for license upgrade

For new students, this course consists of classroom lectures and 2 exams.  A minimum grade of 70 and attendance at all five sessions is required for passing.  Students who pass will receive a certificate which will allow them to take the state exams.

Our Graduates are employed by large pest control companies and government agencies while others have established their own successful businesses.

Cimi-Shield Brings Major Bed Bug Relief to Homeless Shelter

The following article was originally posted on Pest Barrier Bytes. We encourage you to subscribe to their blog for more great information.

The Samoshel homeless shelter in Santa Monica, CA had one of the worst bed bug problems imaginable. And with a limited budget, they had not been able to find an effective solution. One hundred percent of the residents had complained of being bitten, bed bugs were visible on their blankets mid day, and most residents were keeping their possessions in plastic trash bags. Some even put their bed legs into pails of water.

About 100 beds were placed in three different rooms of a temporary structure. Low walls separated the rooms. With infested possessions and bedding everywhere, and infrequent laundering, this was a zero control site.

Read the PMP Perspective of this story.

Pest Barrier heard about the situation and offered a free treatment with Cimi-Shield, the green bed bug eliminator with a twelve-month residual on fabric and cracks and crevices. But we were nervous, the problem was so vast with so much food and easy passageways, we didn’t think anything could possibly solve this problem; but we decided to give it a try.

How to work well with your customers to get the best results

This past November PCT published Meet Me Halfway, by Richard Berman. We thought it was a wealth of information for anyone looking for advice to improve customer relationships. In doing so not only does customer service improve but so does retention, word of mouth referrals, and cost.

The most successful pest control professionals are able to get customers actively involved in correcting pest issues. Here are some ideas to help get your point across.

RICHARD BERMAN | November 30, 2012

Editor’s note: The following article is based on a presentation made by Richard Berman at the January 2012 NPMA Eastern Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Challenge the pest control professional faces when practicing IPM is getting client buy-in and cooperation. While there may be slightly different definitions of IPM from different groups and organizations, the one common thread to all is that IPM, pest prevention and remediation is based on physical exclusion, habitat and equipment modification; good housekeeping; and employee practices. In many cases the professional can make minor repairs like plugging and sealing holes and adding door sweeps. These efforts can be additional revenue opportunities as add-on services, or simply be part of the current service provided.