[HISTORY: Adopted by the Suffolk County Legislature as indicated
in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 6-5-2001 by Res. No. 482-2001 (Ch. 848, Art. I,
of the 1985 Code)]
The Vector Control Plan of Work of the Vector Control Bureau
of the Department of Public Works for the Year 2001, revised as of
January 26, 2001, is hereby modified to include a program to be instituted
by the County Department of Public Works, in conjunction with the
County Department of Health Services, whereby any household within
the County of Suffolk can notify the County Department of Public Works
as to that household's desire not to be exposed to adulticide
use in the course of mosquito control operations by requesting a designation
on a "no spray" list to be maintained by the County Department of
Public Works (DPW).
For the purposes of this article, the term "household" shall
mean a detached single-unit residential structure, including the land
upon which it was erected, which is used or occupied as a single-family
dwelling.
Each household may participate in the "no spray" list program
upon registration with DPW by an adult living in such household pursuant
to the provisions of this article.
A.
As part of such a program, DPW shall:
(1)
Develop a "no spray" list request form which a household can use
to notify DPW of that household's desire not to be sprayed or
otherwise directly exposed to adulticides used in adult mosquito control
operations.
(2)
Require completed registration forms to be signed and dated by the
person making the "no spray" list request submitted to DPW by mail,
fax, hand delivery or by any other means that are determined by DPW
in its discretion to be appropriate.
(3)
Notify any registrant if his or her registration form is incomplete
and give him or her specific instructions that will correct any defect
so that a properly completed form can be submitted and accepted.
(4)
Accept a completed "no spray" list form at any time during the calendar year. Vector Control will have 20 work days to ensure compliance pursuant to Subsection B of this section.
(5)
Establish a system by which a household may withdraw and must renew
its participation in the "no spray" list program on an annual basis.
(6)
Develop a "no spray" list form which shall include, at a minimum,
the following components:
(a)
Name of the individual registrant;
(b)
Address of the household;
(c)
Contact information such as phone number for day and evening,
fax number and e-mail address;
(d)
Name of municipal jurisdiction such as village, city and/or
township;
(e)
Zip code;
(f)
Date of request; and
(g)
Optional information such as reasons for the request.
B.
The Vector Control Division shall:
(1)
Maintain an up-to-date list of households within the target area
of operation which have requested not to be sprayed with adulticides.
(2)
Maintain a map where "no spray" list registrants are identified.
(3)
Make a good-faith effort to exclude each registrant's property
by stopping adulticide spraying from trucks within 150 feet of either
side of the property.
The "no spray" list shall apply to any actions occurring on
or after the 60th day subsequent to the effective date of this article.
The "no spray" list shall not apply in those instances in which
the Commissioner of the County Department of Health Services has declared
a health emergency requiring spraying without exception.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 848-7, Aerial Spraying Committee,
which immediately followed this section, was repealed 9-15-2011 by
L.L. No. 49-2011.
[Adopted 10-12-2010 by Res. No. 936-2010]
Controlling the mosquito population in Suffolk County is important
to protect the public from mosquito-borne illnesses like West Nile
Virus. The Suffolk County Department of Public Works, in coordination
with the Department of Health Services Division of Vector Control,
sprays pesticides to control the adult mosquito population in high-risk
areas of the County. It is advised that everyone, especially children,
the elderly and expectant mothers, remain indoors during and shortly
after adult mosquito spraying to protect their health. The Department
of Health Services maintains an email list to notify interested parties
of spraying locations, dates and times. Twenty-four to 48 hours prior
to commencing emergency aerial adult sprayings, the Division of Vector
Control posts notices on its website, and notifies local newspapers
and television stations. The County has the ability, through recent
technological/communications advances, to provide enhanced notice
to County residents when their communities are going to be sprayed
with pesticides. Without this knowledge, residents are more likely
to be outside during ground and aerial spraying. The County has an
automated caller system called "CodeRED," which is capable of making
prerecorded notification calls to landline telephones and also providing
similar notice via cell phone and email on an opt-in basis. By January
2011, the County will have a sufficient number of prepaid minutes
to make both emergency notifications and adult mosquito spraying calls
using the CodeRED system. Residents in areas where adult mosquito
spraying will be taking place can and should be notified via telephone
in advance to reduce their risk of exposure to pesticides; now, therefore
be it.
The Department of Health Services is hereby authorized, empowered
and directed to provide notification by automated telephone call and
automated text message to all persons residing in areas where ground
and/or aerial adult mosquito control pesticide spraying will occur
and all persons residing in areas likely to be affected by such spraying.
The Department of Health Services is hereby authorized, empowered
and directed to use the County's CodeRED system for the purposes
of providing automated telephone calls to landlines and similar notice
to cellular phones and email on an opt-in basis, informing residents
of adult mosquito spraying dates and times.
The Department of Health Services will be responsible for the
content of each message and the time at which such message shall be
provided to County residents via automated telephone call or automated
text message. Each message shall include a notification to residents
that they may opt in to receive notices via cellular phones and email
and informing them of the proper procedures for opting in to these
alternate notification methods.
