Comments on: The strange and sad SSA RFQ http://newyorkvsbedbugs.org/2010/01/08/the-strange-and-sad-ssa-rfq/ NYC bed bug policy advocacy | Archive Sat, 31 Dec 2011 04:54:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sam Bryks http://newyorkvsbedbugs.org/2010/01/08/the-strange-and-sad-ssa-rfq/comment-page-1/#comment-30383 Sam Bryks Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:02:53 +0000 http://newyorkvsbedbugs.org/?p=4332#comment-30383 I had a quick scan of the solicitation document which is HUGE with all the governmental requirements, and the warranty really puts the firm who might do this on the spot - without a notion of the requirement being that kill temperatures were reached. Good points Renee.. did the dog actually find live eggs in those areas inside the cabinets? where did the papers come from? not exactly the ideal location for an active infestation, but of course with insects, almost anything is possible given the right conditions. too bad they don't have the full details of the findings and whether the dog was certified for distinction between live and dead insects/eggs. Seems like a bit of overkill to me. 350 filing cabinets in seven areas on five floors... needle in a haystack i think.. if i were on this job, i would be asking a lot more questions about files and sources, and try to localize infestation better than described. Someone is going to make money on this job or no one may even quote with the expectations, but i think they should provide a lot more detail of the situation before expecting a firm to do this work. but this stuff happens sometimes when there is not a truly professional assessment before deciding to do this kind of extensive work at some many thousands of dollars i would guess. When in doubt, the saying goes, measure twice and cut once. I had a quick scan of the solicitation document which is HUGE with all the governmental requirements, and the warranty really puts the firm who might do this on the spot – without a notion of the requirement being that kill temperatures were reached.
Good points Renee.. did the dog actually find live eggs in those areas inside the cabinets? where did the papers come from?
not exactly the ideal location for an active infestation, but of course with insects, almost anything is possible given the right conditions.
too bad they don’t have the full details of the findings and whether the dog was certified for distinction between live and dead insects/eggs. Seems like a bit of overkill to me.
350 filing cabinets in seven areas on five floors… needle in a haystack i think..
if i were on this job, i would be asking a lot more questions about files and sources, and try to localize infestation better than described. Someone is going to make money on this job or no one may even quote with the expectations, but i think they should provide a lot more detail of the situation before expecting a firm to do this work.
but this stuff happens sometimes when there is not a truly professional assessment before deciding to do this kind of extensive work at some many thousands of dollars i would guess.
When in doubt, the saying goes, measure twice and cut once.

]]> By: Renee Corea http://newyorkvsbedbugs.org/2010/01/08/the-strange-and-sad-ssa-rfq/comment-page-1/#comment-30054 Renee Corea Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:58:39 +0000 http://newyorkvsbedbugs.org/?p=4332#comment-30054 Hi Jeannette, indeed. Although what I was referring to is something else. The slightly controversial issue is not whether there can be bed bugs in offices (or schools and other public spaces), as that is well established by rather public infestations such as the ones you cite, but whether any bed bugs present in those locations have actually established harborage sites and bite people in those offices, produce offspring, and can be termed a reproducing population. Reproducing populations are not as commonly found as what are deemed to be stray bed bugs that are introduced to the location, even if introduced in largish quantities and re-introduced on a daily basis. The distinction is important for control -- and the politics of responsibility. Nonetheless, what I was noticing here is a spread infestation (5 floors) that is yet found only in filing cabinets. One can't avoid wondering about what type of transmission route made this possible (an infested file trolley cart that distributed bed bugs to different filing locations?), or if it's rather a question of the known problematic nature of bed bug dog alerts. It's impossible to say but I am mighty curious. The NYC government has so far convened a bed bug advisory board (of which I am a member) and has begun <a href="http://newyorkvsbedbugs.org/2009/10/28/the-smiths-get-bed-bugs-hpds-bed-bug-course/" rel="nofollow">certain types of educational projects</a>. There are no policies and programs yet -- and whether any will be established will be up to the Mayor and the Speaker. Hi Jeannette, indeed. Although what I was referring to is something else. The slightly controversial issue is not whether there can be bed bugs in offices (or schools and other public spaces), as that is well established by rather public infestations such as the ones you cite, but whether any bed bugs present in those locations have actually established harborage sites and bite people in those offices, produce offspring, and can be termed a reproducing population. Reproducing populations are not as commonly found as what are deemed to be stray bed bugs that are introduced to the location, even if introduced in largish quantities and re-introduced on a daily basis. The distinction is important for control — and the politics of responsibility.

Nonetheless, what I was noticing here is a spread infestation (5 floors) that is yet found only in filing cabinets. One can’t avoid wondering about what type of transmission route made this possible (an infested file trolley cart that distributed bed bugs to different filing locations?), or if it’s rather a question of the known problematic nature of bed bug dog alerts. It’s impossible to say but I am mighty curious.

The NYC government has so far convened a bed bug advisory board (of which I am a member) and has begun certain types of educational projects. There are no policies and programs yet — and whether any will be established will be up to the Mayor and the Speaker.

]]> By: Jeannette Paladino http://newyorkvsbedbugs.org/2010/01/08/the-strange-and-sad-ssa-rfq/comment-page-1/#comment-30051 Jeannette Paladino Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:38:09 +0000 http://newyorkvsbedbugs.org/?p=4332#comment-30051 In New York there have been infestations in offices and colleges: i.e., the white shoe law firm Cravath, Swain & Moore (my friend works there), and John Jay College (reported in The New York Times and elsewhere). There is no escaping these horrible bugs. When is NYC government going to make a concerted effort to eradicate or at least mitigate the growing menace? In New York there have been infestations in offices and colleges: i.e., the white shoe law firm Cravath, Swain & Moore (my friend works there), and John Jay College (reported in The New York Times and elsewhere). There is no escaping these horrible bugs. When is NYC government going to make a concerted effort to eradicate or at least mitigate the growing menace?

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