The New York City Health Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) apparently received an anonymous tip last week that the UA Theater Sheepshead Bay 14 on Shore Parkway, in Brooklyn had bed bugs.

Fox 5 News reports that

A manager on site did not want to speak with Fox 5’s Ti-Hua Chang about the reported problem, but a spokesperson for Regal Cinemas, the chain that runs the theater, issued a statement saying, in part, that “there exists no current health or safety risk for our guests or staff.”

Fox 5 found out about this because Celina De Leon (of the NYC Department of Health) emailed someone at Fox with the following message:

“The Health Department received an anonymous report last week about bed bugs at this theater. The Health Department worked with the theater manager … who indicated that they hired a pest control professional who responded to the problem.”

(Note, that memo is reproduced in the video segment below, but not in the short article accompanying it.)

It isn’t clear when Fox was contacted by De Leon, but obviously, this report was not made public until the theater had had a pest control firm in to “respond.” And, of course, we’re also not exactly sure what they responded to or how.

Now, the interesting thing here is not that an anonymous tipster told the NYC DOHMH that a movie theater had bed bugs.

Nor is it the fact that the theater then hired an environmental services firm to “respond to the problem.”

The real news here is that a New York City agency is passing along news about reported bed bug infestations in public to the news media.

Wow. That is new!

What’s next?

An official NYC-sponsored version of the Bed Bug Registry, warning others of infestations around businesses in the city?

Okay, don’t hold your breath on that one, but I do think this is a very interesting development.

It certainly puts the pressure on other businesses to respond to potential bed bug issues — so they can avoid such publicity, or at least show they responded quickly and appropriately.

It suggests that others who positively identify bed bugs in public places in New York City — whoever else they notify, such as the business owner — should also call the Department of Health.

Now, can New York City get a bed bug public education campaign?
An overhaul of the bed bug inspection process for tenants?
Some help for homeowners, landlords and business owners who are suffering both financially and from bed bugs, so they don’t cut corners with treatment?
Help with those difficult cases, where no one seems to be responsible for helping with prep?

I can’t wait to see what the New York City Bed Bug Advisory Board is working on.
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We are so glad to hear New York’s Bed Bug Advisory Board has finally been filled with appointees, and they will be meeting this week.

The Mayor’s Appointees are:

• Gil M. Bloom, Vice President, Standard Pest Management Company;
• Richard A. Cooper, Technical Director, Cooper Pest Solutions;
• Jody L. Gangloff-Kaufmann, Ph.D., Community IPM Extension Area Educator, New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, Cornell/Farmingdale State College.

Speaker’s appointees:

• Mr. Ray López, Environmental Program Manager at LSA Family Health Service, Inc., East Harlem, NY;
• Ms. Renee Corea of New York vs Bed Bugs.

The board will also contain a slew of representatives of various city agencies.

The board’s charge, Renee Corea reminds us, is to

“make specific recommendations to the mayor and council for the prevention and treatment of bed bug infestations throughout the city,” in the words of the bill creating this advisory board (click to download Word doc here).

Now, finally, some of people who are best able to make those recommendations, are going to be given a chance to do so.

The Board’s roster is fabulous!

We wish them well and hope they’re able to give all of us in New York City some serious help with the bed bug problem.

And soon, please!Similar Posts:

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A BBC news story Friday featured interviews with John Furman of BOOT-A-PEST (a pest control operator also known as KillerQueen in our forums), and Renee Corea of New York vs. Bed Bugs.

The BBC asked KillerQueen about the rise of bed bugs in New York, and asked Renee about the new Bed Bug Advisory Board established by the New York City Council:

The proposals are being welcomed by Renee Corea from campaign group New York Vs Bedbugs.

“Infestations are not being discovered quickly so they are growing. By the time people are discovering them it’s harder to eradicate them.

“Then they are being mismanaged, either by the property owners, by the residents themselves or even the pest management companies,” said Renee.

“If we increase everybody’s knowledge then we can tackle the problem more quickly.”

via BBC – Newsbeat – Health – Bedbug cases on the rise in NY.

My only complaint?

The UK bed bug sufferer in the story is a British tourist who suspects she got bed bugs on a trip to a NYC hotel (certainly a plausible scenario) — which makes it sound like Londoners don’t have their own serious bed bug problems.

Which, of course, they do: the article rightly notes, near the end,

The UK has seen similarly large increases in the number of infestations. London is among the worst affected areas.

The unstated question: “When will London take action on bed bugs?”

I will go ahead and ask it right now.

Congratulations to both John and Renee! Similar Posts:

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Excellent news!

This is the New York City Council’s press release containing Mayor Bloomberg’s remarks on Int. 57a, which he signed yesterday:

MAYOR BLOOMBERG SIGNS LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH A BED BUG ADVISORY BOARD

Remarks by Mayor Bloomberg at a Public Hearing on Local Laws

“The third bill before me is Introductory Number 57-A, sponsored by Speaker Quinn and Council Members Brewer, Foster, Gentile, Gerson, Gonzalez, James, Mark-Viverito, Martinez, Mendez, Nelson, Palma, Sanders, Weprin, White, Koppell, Liu, Recchia, Sears, Vallone, Garodnick, Jackson, Avella, Arroyo, Dickens, Mealy, Lappin, Stewart, Rivera, and Gennaro. Introductory Number 57-A establishes a Bed Bug Advisory Board.

“Bed bugs are small insects that often hide in cracks in furniture, floors, or walls and are usually active at night. The physical impact to those living with bed bugs may start with painless bites which can later turn in to large, itchy welts. These bites are a great nuisance and can have a negative impact on the quality of life of New Yorkers.

“Bed bugs have resurfaced in New York City in recent years and we are not alone. Urban centers throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe are experiencing a resurgence in bed bugs. In response, we have instituted a multi-pronged approach to address the issue which includes: prevention through public education, creation of guidelines and protocols for residents, health care providers, businesses, and pest management professionals, and a systematic response to bed bug complaints.

“Despite all of our efforts, there is currently inadequate data to understand the full extent of the bed bug problem in the City. The creation of the Bed Bug Advisory Board, comprised of experts in the pest management, entomology, and public health fields and representatives from the Departments of Health and Mental Hygiene, Consumer Affairs, Sanitation, Information Technology and Telecommunications, and Housing Preservation and Development will examine the bed bug problem in further detail, systematically evaluate, study, identify and develop appropriate strategies to control and eradicate the bed bug problem in the City. The Advisory Board will report back their findings to the Mayor and the Speaker within nine months of their appointment.

“I would like to thank the commissioners and staff of the Departments of Health & Mental Hygiene, Consumer Affairs, Sanitation, Information, Technology & Telecommunications and Housing Preservation & Development for their work in this bill. I would also like to thank the Council for approving this legislation.”

Update (3/19):

Responses from the New York Times City Room blog’s Jennifer 8 Lee and Roy Edroso on the Village Voice’s Running Scared blog.

Update (3/20):

You can download and view a video of the signing here. It’s a long video, but the three or so minute bit which is relevant to Intro. 57a comes in at about 8:42 (so you can let it run and leave the room for a few minutes!)

It’s worth watching the video, because there is a lot there that is not contained in the text announcement on NYC.gov. A lot. For example:

Mayor Bloomberg tells people not to buy used mattresses (!), and also asks Gale Brewer why bed bugs came back (she answers “no more DDT;” Bloomberg quips, “Thanks, Rachel Carson!”) In fact, as we know, we can’t blame Rachel Carson for the resurgence of bed bugs: it is a complex issue and bringing back DDT would not necessarily be a help to bed bug sufferers, since bed bugs began to show resistance to DDT in the 1940s. (See this post for more.)

Council Member Gale Brewer thanks city agency officials from HPD (for the HPD bed bug seminars — she says “close to 1000 people” every single HPD bed bug seminar), DoIT (for making it possible to track 311 bed bug-related calls — this year she says there have been 22,000 bed bug information requests and 9,000+ requests for a bed bug inspection from HPD) and DCA.

Outside of city agencies, Brewer thanks wonderful bed bug advocate Renee Corea (of New York vs. Bed Bugs), entomologist Dr. Lou Sorkin, Pest Control Operator Jeff Eisenberg of Pest Away, Gary Carter and Ray Lopez from Little Sisters of the Assumption, Cornell (Cornell entomologist Dr. Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann testified at the hearing), and the Dept. of Health.

Mayor Bloomberg also points out that bed bugs are a problem everywhere and he has had friends who have had them. That is an important statement for the mayor to make.

Similar Posts:

• Intro. 57: bed bug task force to get New York City Council vote on 3/11
• Wednesday’s New York City Council vote on the Bed Bug Advisory Board: it passed!
• Pueblo, Colorado issues health advisory about bed bugs
• New York Daily News: NYC bed bug complaints up 34% in one year
• Bed bugs bite Edmonton

We’ve previously mentioned the upcoming EPA bed bug summit on April 14-15 and the upcoming Washington DC bed bug summit on March 27.

We now refer you to New York vs. Bed Bugs, where Renee has compiled all the details and links on the EPA National Bed Bug Summit (4/14-4/15) and Stop Bed Bugs DC (3/27); RSVP is strongly recommended for the April event and required for the March event, so please do follow those links for more information on that.

I encourage you to participate in person or virtually (in the case of the EPA Bed Bugs Summit, where teleconferencing / webinar options are said to be in the offing).

Also, on Friday, I received a message from Gale Brewer about the signing of Intro. 57a, the Bed Bug Advisory Board bill, which will take place tomorrow (3/18) and is open to the public:

Dear New Yorker:

Thank you for your advocacy on the creation of a bed bug task force.

Because I share that goal, I introduced Intro 57-2006 which prohibits
the sale of reconditioned mattresses and calls for the formation of a
bed bug task force. On Wednesday, March 11, 2009, the Council
unanimously approved the Int 57-2006 at the full Stated Council meeting.

The bill will be signed into law by the Mayor on Wednesday, March 18,
2009 at 3:30pm in the Blue Room, in City Hall. All bill signings are
public hearings and all members of the public are invited to attend.

There will also be the opportunity to offer short comments.

Sincerely,

Gale A. Brewer

City Council, District 6:
Manhattan

Many of you may wish to attend and show your appreciation; we will all be there in spirit, I am sure.

Two other recent links of note from New York vs. Bed Bugs:

First, Renee examines the fact that the New York City Housing Authority is drastically under-responding to bed bug complaints in public housing in NYC. They just can’t keep up. And you know what that means, right? More bed bugs for everyone.

Also, Renee shares a notable letter from August 2008, in which Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Health, Dr. Michael J. Kussman outlines the best practices for dealing with bed bugs in VA facilities.

Prompted by this, Renee asks whether some centralized agency might collect and disseminate such resources, rather than every single agency and institution, large or small — in every city, county, state or nation — having to reinvent the wheel.

Excellent question.

Reinventing the wheel is the name of the game when it comes to disseminating bed bug information, isn’t it? How many universities have their own bed bug fact sheet — some of them quite outdated, making recommendations no longer commonly offered by experts?

What would the humble bed bug fact sheet look like at its very best, compiled by a committee of the most reputable bed bug specialists, with access to the latest research and a keen awareness of how bed bugs act in the field? There are some like this, but in their presence, why do the others still exist?

Why do we so rarely get that information at its best?Similar Posts:

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The New York City Bed Bug Advisory Board bill (Intro. 57a) was passed yesterday!

This fox segment preceding the vote Wednesday was just a sample — there was a lot of press, from Fox and Newsday to the Canarsie Courier.

The New York Press was clearly too traumatized to post an actual bed bug photo, so they posted a picture of the furry faux Bed Bug plush (from Giant Microbes).

Alas, sneaky Simes is way, way uglier than that.

This clip from WNYC about the passing of the bill has Gale Brewer saying, “it’s not the final nail in the coffin of bed bugs in our city, it’s the first nail…”.

Bring it on!

Congratulations to Gale Brewer and the other council members who sponsored and supported Intro. 57a which called for the Bed Bug Advisory Board.

Congratulations also to Renee Corea and my other fellow founders and members of New York vs. Bed Bugs, who worked hard to raise awareness about the importance of the bed bug issue (and the need for a Bed Bug Task Force) among council members, as well as other local officials and elected representatives.

Thanks to all those who testified at the New York City Council Hearing a few weeks back, and of course to everyone who wrote, called, or visited their elected representatives.

We hope the appointments to New York City’s new Bed Bug Advisory Board include some of the best local entomologists who study bed bugs and can speak knowledgeably of the scope and complexities of the bed bug problem, and of the best possible courses of action the city might consider.

I know I still owe you some notes from two weeks ago. Alas, they’re dated now, but I still intend to share some snippets. I’ve been busy and had some back trouble of late, so it’s had to go on the back burner. Stay tuned!Similar Posts:

• New York Mayor Bloomberg signs Bed Bug Advisory Board legislation
• New York City bed bug numbers, Bedbugger-style
• Atlantic City public housing: 1/3 of 800 units in four buildings infested with bed bugs
• New York Daily News: NYC bed bug complaints up 34% in one year
• Bed bugs bite in Richmond, California public housing development