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In New York City? All hands on deck!!!!
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This is huge. We're getting a NY city council hearing on three bed bug bills. Read the rest here, and please consider testifying on 2/24 about why NYC needs a bed bug task force, and other assistance stipulated in these bills.
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terrifiedtosleep
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Posted 9 months ago
Fri Feb 6 2009 0:35:21
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No Bugs-
I'm taking work of that day and I'm coming to testify about the horrors of bed bugs. -
brooklynbite
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Posted 9 months ago
Fri Feb 6 2009 8:22:02
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Nobugsonme - 8 hours ago »
This is huge. We're getting a NY city council hearing on three bed bug bills. Read the rest here, and please consider testifying on 2/24 about why NYC needs a bed bug task force, and other assistance stipulated in these bills.
http://bedbugger.com/2009/02/06/amazing-news-new-york-city-council-to-hold-hearings-on-three-bed-bug-bills-22409-at-1-pm/Can anyone tell me the location of this hearing? If it is near my work, I'll be there!
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Posted 9 months ago
Fri Feb 6 2009 16:13:57
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THE QUEEN WILL BE THERE!
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Cantfindthem
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Posted 9 months ago
Fri Feb 6 2009 20:07:59
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This is excellent news. I hope that these bills pass the council.
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buggyinsocal
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Posted 9 months ago
Fri Feb 6 2009 21:49:13
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If I were on the east coast, and able to get out of work, I'd be there. Alas, I could get out of work, but I can't make it to the east coast.
I'll cross my fingers that it goes well and wait patiently for people to post about how it went.
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BrooklynNurse
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Posted 9 months ago
Fri Feb 6 2009 23:11:39
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I will sacrifice a couple hours of work to be there. I will definitely speak up about the trauma of bed bugs! I'm tired of incompetent, lazy, and ignorant landlords that try to self-treat and just make the problem worse! It's about time some bills are passed in NY.
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Posted 9 months ago
Fri Feb 6 2009 23:19:51
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Would it be too much to be in a bed bug costume and toss white jelly beans at all the officials as an example of how easy it is for bed bugs and their eggs to spread? And that even they can become victims? If nobody is offended here I'll do it!
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I will try and make the time to make a submission from this end.
I certainly have enough data to show why they need a mass public education drive sooner rather than later, its the only way to stop the spread.
David Cain
Bed Bugs Limited -
brooklynbite, your post went into spam, sorry. (Scroll up to read it, please, everyone!)
Everyone, it is possible to offer written, anonymous testimony if you cannot be present or use your name.
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Posted 9 months ago
Sun Feb 8 2009 10:05:51
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Can we get a time to arrive? Also an address posted will help others who would like to attend.
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Links to the bills, to see if your council member has already indicated support, for suggestions on letters and other information, including how to submit testimony via email in lieu of appearing in person, please see: http://newyorkvsbedbugs.org/nyc-council-intro-873/
If you are submitting email testimony and feel comfortable doing so, please cc me at renee at newyorkvsbedbugs dot org
Please also feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Thanks
PS: Please note that appearing in person makes the stronger statement.
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It's at city hall at 1 pm (KillerQueen, my original post included this information in the link).
Renee is correct that testifying in person is more effective, but I was responding to sojo's concern when she said, "I am working that day. Wish there was a way to testify anyway."
The information Renee linked to is very helpful on what testimony entails.
I hope people who do testify in writing will cc a copy to Renee at New York vs. Bed Bugs if they feel able.
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There are many ways to show support. If you can't go, you can email testimony to the committee counsel (the suggestion to cc us is obviously just for those who don't mind doing so). You can also write a note to your council member to ask for support or thank them for support of any of the bills. You can write to your other elected representatives.
You can also think a good thought at 1 pm on Tuesday the 24th.
You can go and not get up to speak; you can simply show support with your presence. We encourage everyone to come out in some way however because this is probably it, as far as the NYC Council.
Since I don't often post here, it's appropriate to say thanks to bedbugger and to the regulars here. David Cain has been a great counselor. He has done invaluable things for New York vs Bed Bugs completely behind the scenes. Doug Summers recently rendered us a great, great service and offered us advice at a delicate time. Winston similarly did something truly wonderful for us. And New York vs Bed Bugs would not exist were it not for Nobugs, Crawled, Bugbasher, Persona and Mangycur.
Best wishes to everyone.
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Renee,
Thanks for your kind words about the many Bedbugger regulars who were among founders and contributors to New York vs. Bed Bugs. I am proud to have had a small part in it, as a founding member and as an ordinary Jo who called/wrote to her elected officials per the group's recommendations.
Although a larger group was involved, you have done such amazing things with this organization -- as the group's brain, backbone, and engine.
It is wonderful to see such progress regarding bed bugs in NYC. We are not there yet, by any means, and this hearing is so important. But we are finally there: having another hearing.
A bigger-than-ever hearing.
So let's all get out there and get ourselves heard, read, seen!
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Metermaid
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Posted 9 months ago
Wed Feb 11 2009 14:27:40
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I will be there!
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Posted 9 months ago
Wed Feb 18 2009 17:20:03
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I’m going to testify. I cannot imagine not doing so, after this most lengthy, horrifying and all consuming nightmare. Imagine, a room filled with the only people in our city that can facilitate actually doing something about this problem. How can I pass this up?
How can any of us? I echo Renee and Nobug’s comments. Obviously, showing up and speaking is most powerful, but showing up to show support would be so great, or emailing your own testimonial if you cannot take off from work.
How cool would it be to all sit in a group and cheer Renee on like the rock star that she is before and after she speaks. Or, if it seems inappropriate for the occasion, we can just stand and clap really hard. We would present as a united and powerful force. In fact, we would be. We can be a group of New Yorkers that cannot be ignored.
Then we could all go home and put our clothing in our plastic bags, and know that we did something to help our own cause.
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Cantfindthem
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Posted 9 months ago
Thu Feb 19 2009 1:25:49
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@ Crawledon
I was thinking the same thing. If enough of us are going, maybe we could meet up in a designated area (The Bedbugger.com group).
Just a thought...
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Posts: 89
Posted 9 months ago
Thu Feb 19 2009 14:12:58
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Hey that's great, so far there are about 5 or 6 of us, that's a group right there! Let's give it a few more days, and see how many of us there are, and who feels comfortable meeting. I understand and respect people's need to remain anonymous. Hopefully, part of what this hearing will accomplish is to bring this problem more out in the open, so that nobody feels they need to keep this a secret anymore. One of the related hardships of having an infestation for me, was the burden of pretending that my life was fine, while having a secret world of horror going on. But, that's a subject for another post...
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BrooklynNurse
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Posted 9 months ago
Fri Feb 20 2009 17:02:20
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Heck yeah, can we all meet up??? We'll have a bedbugger group. I don't really care if my identity is exposed. I'm definitely not afraid to say that I had bed bugs, not once but twice!!! And both times weren't really my doing. But I don't think anyone brings this horror on themselves. I just hope I can sneak out of work early lol. Anyone have directions??? I could hop on the Q,B, 2,3, 4, 5 trains.
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BrooklynNurse
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Posted 9 months ago
Fri Feb 20 2009 17:06:08
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Directions would be most appreciated :mrgreen:
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Posted 9 months ago
Sun Feb 22 2009 21:34:57
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Here are the directions
Directions to Hearings and Events
The New York City Council is located at City Hall and 250 Broadway.
City Hall is located in City Hall Park. (map) You can enter the plaza from either the west side of the park at Broadway and Murray Street or the east side at Park Row. You must go through security before entering City Hall so please allow for extra time and bring photo identification.250 Broadway is located west of City Hall Park between Murray Street and Park Place. (map) You must go through security before entering 250 Broadway, please allow for extra time and bring photo identification.
Both buildings are accessible by public transportation.
By Subway:
#4, #5, #6 trains to City Hall/Brooklyn Bridge
#2, #3 trains to Park Place
W, R trains to City Hall
C, A trains to Chambers StreetBy Bus:
M15 to City Hall/Park RowDriving Directions to City Hall:
From the East Side: take the FDR Drive to the Manhattan Civic Center Exit
From the West Side: take the West Side Highway to Chambers Street Exit
Please note: No Parking is available at City Hall. -
OutOutDarnBugs
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Posted 9 months ago
Sun Feb 22 2009 21:45:42
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I'm desperately trying to get out of work to join everyone!
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OutOutDarnBugs
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Posted 9 months ago
Mon Feb 23 2009 12:15:00
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Managed to get out of work! I might have to leave the hearing at 2, though. Does anyone think that will be a major offense? Is a group meeting up before?
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Hi,
Just cross posting to the forum so that people will be able to see what I have sent in to the meeting. Hopefully they will appreciate that I have no vested interest in what they are doing in the US and the advice is without bias.
I hope its a good meeting and sorry I cant be there but there is just too much to do in London at present and I cant get away from the desk.
David
Dear Adria Siman,
Please accept this letter as a submission to the New York City councils meeting on bed bugs to be held on 24th February 2009.
Firstly I would like to say thanks for taking this matter seriously enough to have these meetings and to look at legislation on the issue of bed bugs. Despite the fact that this is a global issue few countries are to date taking this level of action to deal with the matter. This approach will fail and some countries are becoming so over-run with the problem that they are unlikely to be able to solve the issue for several years.
As bed bugs are a pest of exposure control is ultimately dependant upon public awareness, this is compounded by the fact that about 60% of exposed people do not respond to the bites, thus the majority of affected people may not even be aware of the issue and will therefore be spreading the problem to others or between locations. Without making everyone aware of the issue through public health communication the reservoir of undetected infestations will simple continue to spread the problem. This communication needs to start at the school level to ensure that it breaks down the current inaccurate social stigmas surrounding the issue.
Bed Bugs also need to be awarded notifiable pest status so that infestations can be monitored and tracked as they develop. In 2008 my company conducted the first ever city wide infestation map of bed bug cases in London over the last 5 years. Combining this data with our own treatment records we have been able to illustrate that infestations are not random and in fact patterns that follow corridors and clusters have been illustrated, in the case of London we are aware that the public transport system carries a significant risk of the transmission of bed bugs in some areas. This is simply because non bite responders may not realise that after the infestation has developed un detected they can be transferred on peoples clothes and possessions. Ultimately this issue can only be tackled by public education but reporting and analysing infestation patterns will enable you to target specific areas.
Creating a notifiable pest status also enables you top develop a mechanism to ensure that all servicing companies are performing to acceptable standards and the time taken from reporting to clearance can be recorded and analysed. In the UK this would help to identify companies who are using inappropriate quantities of restricted products and 7 or 8 service visits to deal with infestations that should have been dealt with after 1 or 2 treatments.
You also need to find a mechanism to restrict the use of aerosol and fogger based products on bed bug infestations. As you will see from this research paper in 1992 they are not effective. What we can now confirm is that worse than not being effective they actually promote the spread of infestations within high density buildings.
http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef643.asp
I am not convinced that the primary source in the US is second hand furniture and would therefore encourage your to devise a mechanism for ensuring that all second had furniture sales are required to be inspected and certified as bed bug free. Although the removal of furniture from infected locations is not encouraged without appropriate protection it is a step that most people panic and do. It is therefore a severe economic burden to expect people to replace disposed of furniture with all new products when second hand items can be free from bed bugs if properly inspected.
I would also encourage you to ensure that over the next few years only specifically trained pest control technicians be allowed to work on infected locations. Although I started my pest control career as a generalists I have found that by specialising in this line of work I am able to offer a standard of service about 10 times greater than the world wide average for treatments. This is mainly because the skills necessary to be good at this type of work are not generally present in pest control professionals. It also stops the alarming practice that we are starting to see in some parts of London where people are going door to door canvassing for bed bug work, invariably they are offering a poor standard of treatment and are not leaving the appropriate legal documentation behind but without educating the public not to deal with these rogues the practise will continue.
I whole heartedly support the need to isolate and remove infected items using a defined process; it is something that I have advocated for a few years via my public information portal hosted at:
www.BedBugBeware.comI appreciate that international submissions of information might appear a little unusually but I hope you will appreciate that I am doing this precisely because I have nothing to gain and wish to illustrate the key issues and legislative requirements. As the world first dedicated bed bug specialist I have seen this go from a rare pest to a major global problem, I sincerely hope that NYC take a firm stance with regards bed bugs and that it illustrates to other states and countries the need to legislate on this issue.
If I can be of any technical assistance or if you are your colleagues would like to see our mapping data from London please let me know. I can’t stress enough that this is an issue which has already entered the live of far too many people regardless of social status and that will continue to spread unchallenged without a major initiative to educate and understand the issue.
Good luck with your endeavours.
Regards,
David Cain PgCert BSc (hons)
Managing Director
Bed Bugs Limited -
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Posted 9 months ago
Mon Feb 23 2009 20:16:09
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Outoutdarnbugs, I think it's fine to leave whenever you need to. No worries. My guess is that personal testimony will come at the end, though,in case you had wanted to do that.
And for those wanting to meet up, I don't know the layout of the room. Any ideas of how it can work? All meet up at 12:45 outside the room maybe? Ideas are welcome. Also, if you prefer anonymity, that's fine too.
And, thanks for you letter David..
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your host
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Posted 9 months ago
Mon Feb 23 2009 20:28:50
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Hi All,
I will be there. I am not going to be able to meet up, as much as I would love to, but because I need to maintain the anonymity of the site. I love the idea of a Bedbugger section, though!
And yes, thanks David! Wonderful contribution.
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OutOutDarnBugs
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Posted 9 months ago
Mon Feb 23 2009 20:31:23
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12:45 outside of the room works for me. See you all there!
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bitten123
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Posted 9 months ago
Mon Feb 23 2009 20:38:00
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You guys rock! I am so proud of you all for standing up for all the sufferers, and future sufferers. I sooooooooo appreciate everyone of you who are behind the scenes, those who are speaking or just attending, for doing this. If NYC takes a stand, other cities will follow! Kuddos to you guys, and I hope tomorrow goes very well. :D
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paulaw0919
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Posted 9 months ago
Mon Feb 23 2009 21:00:28
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David said..
"Without making everyone aware of the issue through public health communication the reservoir of undetected infestations will simple continue to spread the problem. This communication needs to start at the school level to ensure that it breaks down the current inaccurate social stigmas surrounding the issue."
Dead on accurate David. You're help, concern, knowledge, and time is so needed. From everyone in concern over this, Thank you, truly. I'm sure it will be of help.
I am not from NYC but still tried very hard to make it possible to attend, have family there, but unfortunately I couldn't work things out.
Know that my thoughts and prayers are with you all in the importance of this meeting, it's turn out and what results from it.
I hope the outcome of this meeting will not only better NYC but have a positive impact toward what is to go down with the EPA public meeting in April. -
Just making sure this stays current, until tomorrow.
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your host
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Posted 9 months ago
Tue Feb 24 2009 11:09:50
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Everybody ready?!?
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I so want to webcam in.
David
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your host
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Posted 9 months ago
Tue Feb 24 2009 11:28:19
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I know. I wish I could record but I am pretty sure it is off-limits.
They do broadcast selected reports of goings-on at city hall here on the press page or on the video page, and we can hope there may be some footage posted later.
There's another bill under consideration that will require mandatory webcasting of all city council meetings and hearings, but it is still in committee.
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spideyjg
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Posted 9 months ago
Tue Feb 24 2009 19:22:38
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Well?????? :?:
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OutOutDarnBugs
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Posted 9 months ago
Tue Feb 24 2009 20:47:47
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I had to leave at 2:30, so I missed all the good stuff (or most of the stuff)! How did the rest of it go?
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BrooklynNurse
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Posted 9 months ago
Tue Feb 24 2009 23:27:08
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Sorry guys I couldn't go, I wasn't feeling well today. But I hope that all went well. I would love to hear how it went. I hope that it was a success.
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Newbeebugger
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Posted 9 months ago
Tue Feb 24 2009 23:49:11
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I live in CT...but I was with you guys in spirit and prayer. It would have been great to see you all. Maybe someday that can happen yet. I want to hear how it went.....is there a ray of hope to sleep in peace again? I'll be looking for the posts on it!!!
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Adele
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Posted 8 months ago
Wed Feb 25 2009 2:31:19
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Robert - just in case you are completely brain-dead, oblivious and clueless - this forum is a bedbug community forum - which you evidently don't understand
most people with bedbugs are lucky to get 4 hours of sleep a night no less 8 hours
get lost and find some other place to advertise
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I think it went really well. Renee Corea of New York vs. Bed Bugs testified wonderfully. Lou Sorkin, Rick Cooper, Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, Gil Bloom, and other NY entomologists, other bed bug pros, Ray Lopez of the Little Sisters of the Assumption in E. Harlem, a number of other folks from WE Act (a NYC environmental group which focuses on living conditions, asthma, etc.) and a whole bunch of citizens who had had bed bugs testified. They did an amazing job. I did not stay quite to the end but saw most of the testimony.
Although some of the entomologists and citizens had reservations about one or the other of the provisions of the different bills, EVERYONE who testified was 100% behind the idea of the Bed Bug Task Force, and it seemed like the city council members were very receptive. This is wonderful because if the BBTF is created swiftly and peopled with the right combination of experts, we have a very good chance that good bed bug policies will follow.
I am so grateful to everyone who testified, and to those who turned out to show that a lot of us truly care about this issue.
Some press appearing already.
I have a number of comments and notes and a few grumbles, and will be posting in more detail tomorrow sometime, but between the hearing (which lasted over 5 hours) and my normal work, am quite tired (and up too late, so good night!) -
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Posted 8 months ago
Thu Feb 26 2009 9:08:57
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Despite the politicians many of whom did not do there homework prior to the hearing I think we will see some progress.
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