Bed bugs are known hitchhikers. As their numerous reported infestations have proven, with a ride on anything, anybody at anywhere could already be their next victim. And sadly for the crew of one fire station in Lancaster, they recently became those “next victims.” So to prevent the comeback of the critters, they adopted a policy against them. Other local departments also developed procedures of their own.
That fire station reportedly hit by the pests was the Greenfield Township Fire Department. Particularly, it was last February when the bed bugs invaded it. And according to a report, the pests sucked $3, 000 out of the station for their elimination.
The fire department’s chief, Terry Morris, said it was the first time for their station to be infested by the vampire-like insects. And as he also mentioned, he got no idea how the crawlies got into their headquarters.
To make the said bed bug incident the last, Morris shared that they adopted a bed bug policy after the infestation was discovered. The crew also trained from the Central Ohio Bed Bug Task Force how to prevent the pests from coming back.
But because bed bugs are becoming a big problem to other first responders as well, it was said that many other departments either already developed or were developing new procedures fighting bed bug infestation.
Read more about Fire Stations Develop Policy Against Bed Bugs
“Many local fire departments already have developed or are developing bed bug polices. Others, mostly volunteer departments, do their best to prevent them, but do not have policies.
Recently, one local department spent about $3,000 to eradicate them from its station. The Greenfield Township Fire Department discovered bed bugs at the station in early February.”
Read more about Bed Bug Infestation Bears New Fire Station Policy at: lancastereaglegazette.com
The news about bed bugs infesting the Greenfield Township Fire Department is a proof that they are not picky when it comes to places to invade. Anywhere is good for them as long as there is a nearby source of meal. And since there is always someone they could feed on in houses, it is highly likely that they will invade them. Besides that, the coming and going in houses make it easy for bed bugs to be transferred into them.
Because of those circumstances, you must be very wary of the said pests. Else, you’ll be their next victim and before you know it, they might already be taking over your place.
To counter the crawlies, like the fire departments in Lancaster, you got to have a bed bug policy. It could save you not only from the bed bug bites but also from all the work and expenses that their elimination requires.
But what should be included in your policy? Well, it basically got to include steps covering from the prevention to the detection and to the elimination of the pests.
To make it clearer, your policy must include the following steps.
Bed Bug Prevention
They say prevention is better than cure. And even when it comes to bed bugs, it sure is. If you prevent the pests from getting inside your house, you are saving yourself from a lot of problems. Specifically, you are sparing yourself from bed bug bites and all the itchiness and embarrassment that come with their marks. You also bail yourself out of furniture replacements and a whole of expenses with blocking their presence.
But to successfully bar bed bugs from invading your house, here are the preventive steps you must take:
- Avoid secondhand stuff. Sure, secondhand items are a bargain. They could have you saving money. However, if there are bed bugs in them, and you brought them in, you could end up spending much more than you saved. If, for some reason, it is really inevitable for you to get used things inside your house, inspect it and treat first. After looking for bed bugs in the item, wash it in high temperature if it’s washable or let it sit under the sun if it isn’t.
- Travel light. As said, bed bugs are now almost everywhere that if you go to any place you could bring them back home with you. Some reports have it that they were even seen in buses, trains and planes. Because of that, you must be very careful of them even when traveling. One way you could do that is by traveling light. And if possible, bring only washable items so you could easily treat them before letting them inside your house.
- Confirm Bed Bug Suspicion. If you suspect you have bed bugs at home or encounter any sign of their presence – droppings, skins, pungent smell – search for the pests. If they are indeed that of bed bugs, you could prevent an infestation if you find them early.
Bed Bug Detection
As said, bed bugs transfer from place to place via hitchhiking. And they are very good at it. Their small apple-seed size allows them to sneak into the smallest of gaps and crevices making them hard to find. In addition, they could stay in hiding for months even without meals. So, even if you don’t see them, they could actually be in the corner just bidding their time to bite you for a meal.
With them being that sneaky, bed bug prevention is not only thing that must be included in your bed bug policy. You must also take steps to locate them.
- Conduct a regular inspection. With a routine check for bed bugs, you could detect the pests early. And basically, that prevents their presence from becoming an all-out infestation.
- Watch out for bed bug signs. Small and dark fecal spots, shed skins and a musty-sweet smell are the signs of bed bug presence. Always be cautious of them as they give away the presence and location of bed bugs.
- Search gaps and cracks on any item. Bed bugs could hide even in the smallest of them. In fact, even book pages, they could make their hiding spots. However, pay particular attention on the crevices of the items they love to transform into their den like beds, couches, closets and underside of carpets.
Bed Bug Elimination
But of course, you could never leave out in your policy the steps of bed bug elimination. After all, it’s the whole purpose of detecting them. And being the annoying the pests that they are, you surely need to kill bed bugs.
- Assess the severity of the infestation. If you think you couldn’t handle it, it’s best to hire a professional to do the bed bug treatment. However, if you are positive that you could do the work yourself, prepare the area to treat.
- Do not transfer any item to another room but put the smaller things in clear plastic bag like your clothes and books. It would make it easier for you to move them around the room as you complete your inspection and do the treatment.
- Ready your bed bug spray. Make sure that it is organic-based so you are protected from chemical health risks.
- Seal the room to treat. You could use a tape to cover the gaps in doors or windows where bed bugs could sneak or escape.
- Apply the bed bug spray. Make sure to read the instruction on how to use it.
Now after the elimination, you must again implement the steps of your bed bug prevention to avoid re-infestation. And some of the additional steps that you must take are:
- Get a mattress encasement. As you know, bed bugs love beds and the encasement will prevent them from entering and breeding in your mattress. Just in case they are in your mattress before you put it in the encasement, the covering will trap them dead inside.
- Prepare a bed bug spray. Having a bed bug spray ready enables you to respond to any bed bug presence promptly. And as said before, that could save you from a full-blown infestation and a huge expense that comes along.
Which Bed Bug Spray to Get?
Your choice of a bed bug spray could either solve the infestation or worsen it. Hence, you must pick one that is proven effective. But apart from that, it must also be safe. Or else, your health and of anybody else’s exposed to the solution will be put at risk.
Bed bug spray as Bed Bug Bully must be your pick. As proven by pest-control companies, it works and as approved by FIFRA 25(b), it is pesticide-exempt. And being safe and effective at the same time, it surely is the ideal help in a do-it-yourself bed bug treatment.
See Bed Bug Bully in Action.
Prove It Yourself That Bed Bug Bully is Safe and Effective.
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