A Bed Bug Wish List (For Now)
Our friend Renee Corea at New York vs. Bed Bugs posted this list today. It’s wish list, of sorts, for New York City’s new Bed Bug Advisory Board. Renee got my wheels turning, as usual, so I decided to post a wish list of my own– a list of the things I’d love to see in our city right now.
Here’s what would be included on my wish list, if I were allowed to give one to the city officials who are working to stop the spread of bed bugs here in Chicago:
- Work with a sense of urgency, but work responsibly as well. Get the job done right from the very beginning. Form a committee or board or task force– comprised of health department officials, building inspectors, expert entomologists and pest management professionals, community stakeholders, public housing officials, and city/state legislators– whose sole purpose is to create a coordinated, strategic, multi-faceted plan to control the spread of bed bugs.
- Consult with entomologists and other experts to begin developing a good, comprehensive informational web page like this one (click the links on the left side– it’s incredible!), but do so quickly. You can tweak it as you go along. For now, get the basics done right, and get them out there ASAP.
- Get our 311 operators trained to handle reports of bed bug infestations, and develop a protocol for them to follow. Record and track bed bug reports so that we can begin to evaluate the extent of the problem in our city.
- Pass legislation to define and enforce landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities that are specific to the complex circumstances presented by bed bug infestations. State of New Jersey Assembly Act 3203 is a fantastic model for you to follow, in my opinion.
And there you have it: Jessica’s Bed Bug Wish List for the City of Chicago (For Now). The rest– and there’s a whole lot more– can come later.
I hope Renee and our pals over at New York vs. Bed Bugs don’t mind that I’ve so blatantly stolen their idea. Hey, what can I say? You know a good thing when you see it, right?
Jessica, I hope your fellow citizens in Chicago join you in asking for a comprehensive, well-thought out policy to stop the spread.
It’s not enough to acknowledge the problem (thought that is the crucial first step– NYC has finally done that!), it’s critical to analyze the issues correctly, otherwise resources are squandered, the wheels are reinvented– sloowly– and solutions appear and are proposed that fail to consider the essential.
Which is not to say that this understanding is hard. I really believe we all can arrive at a thoughtful analysis given enough time and motivation. Best to pool all the people who care, though. It will go faster.